Guppy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Guppy |
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| Guppy male and female | |
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Poecilia
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| Poecilia reticulata Peters, 1859
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The guppy, also known as millionfish and rainbow fish, is one of the world's most widely distributed tropical fish, and one of the most popular freshwater aquarium fish species.
Contents
Distribution and habitat
Guppies are native to Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Brazil, Guyana, Jamaica, the Netherlands Antilles, Trinidad and Tobago, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Venezuela. However, guppies have been introduced to many different countries on every continent except Antarctica. They tend to be more abundant in smaller streams and pools than in large, deep, or fast-flowing rivers.
Description
While wild-type females are grey in body color, males have splashes, spots, or stripes that can be any of a wide variety of colors. The size of guppies vary, but males are typically 1.5–3.5 cm (0.6–1.4 in) long, while females are 3–6 cm (1.2–2.4 in) long.
Life cycle
Two or three generations of guppies per year occur in the wild. Guppies are well developed and capable of independent existence without further parental care by the time they are born. Young guppies school together. Female guppies first produce offspring at 10–20 weeks of age, and they continue to reproduce until 20–34 months of age. Male guppies mature in 7 weeks or less. Total lifespan of guppies in the wild varies greatly, but it is typically around 2 years.
Feeding
Wild guppies feed on algal remains, diatoms, invertebrates, plant fragments, mineral particles, aquatic insect larvae, and other sources. Algal remains constitute the biggest proportion of wild guppy diet in most cases, but diets vary depending on the specific conditions of food availability in the habitat.
Guppies often forage in groups because they can find food more easily. However, this means they have to share food with other members of the group.
Reproduction
Guppies are livebearers, which means that the female guppy gives birth to live young, rather than laying eggs. This is a fascinating aspect of their biology. The gestation period, the time it takes for the babies to develop inside the mother, is typically around 21 to 30 days. A single female guppy can give birth to anywhere from 20 to 200 fry (baby guppies) at a time. This high reproductive rate is one reason why they're so successful in the wild and in aquariums.
Predators
Guppies have many predators, such as larger fish and birds. Some of their common predators in the wild are Crenicichla alta, Anablepsoides hartii, and Aequidens pulcher. Guppies' small bodies and the bright coloration of males make them easy prey, and like many fish, they often school together to avoid predation.
In the aquarium
Guppies prefer a hard water aquarium with a temperature between 25.5 and 27.8 °C (78 and 82 °F) and salt levels equivalent to one tablespoon per 19 L (5 US gal).
Regular water changes are essential to keep the water clean and healthy. Guppies are omnivores, meaning they eat both plants and animals. They can be fed a variety of commercially available fish flakes or pellets, supplemented with occasional treats like live or frozen bloodworms or daphnia.
Guppys should not be kept as a single fish in an aquarium because both males and females show signs of shoaling, and are usually found in large groups in the wild.
Interesting facts about guppies
- Guppies can live for 2-3 years, sometimes even longer in ideal conditions.
- Male guppies are often more colorful than females, using their vibrant colors to attract mates.
- Guppies are schooling fish, meaning they prefer to live in groups.
- Guppies have 23 pairs of chromosomes, including one pair of sex chromosomes, the same number as humans.
Images for kids
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Female and male adults of an ornamental strain
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Aequidens pulcher, a common predator of guppies
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Guppy food - Daphnia magna
See also
In Spanish: Guppy para niños
