home Personal life How to distinguish male and female guppy fry. How long does a guppy fry grow? How long does a guppy pregnancy last?

How to distinguish male and female guppy fry. How long does a guppy fry grow? How long does a guppy pregnancy last?

Guppies have always been considered the most unpretentious aquarium fish in our country and therefore enjoyed great popularity. And this popularity is absolutely deserved, just look at the huge variety color variations and forms!

Natural guppy populations are widespread in fresh and brackish waters of Venezuela, Guiana, north of the Amazon, in northern Brazil, on the islands of Barbados and Trinidad.

Even in our country with its harsh climate, a population of feral guppies lives in the Moscow River, in places where warm waters drain.

Guppies adapt well to hard water and tolerate salinity well. They prefer fresh, clean water with regular water changes and little current. When they are kept in old water with rare changes, the luxurious tail fins begin to split and tear, the fish fall into a depressed state.

Guppies also prefer aquariums with thickets of live plants. They do not live very long in aquariums - 3-3.5 years, with high temperature even less due to increased metabolism.

Although guppies are unpretentious, they look most striking and impressive when providing the most favorable and comfortable conditions for them. To show bright color, it is recommended to use bright lighting with rays of a certain spectrum.

These foods rich in protein components include:

Despite the fact that guppy fish are hardy creatures, they are subject to the same diseases as other tropical fish. Most often get sick:

The main rule to remember is that it is better to prevent a disease in advance than to cure it. That is why, first of all, it is necessary to provide the fish with everything necessary, to try as accurately as possible to bring the artificial conditions of the aquarium closer to their natural habitat. It is also important to remember that all fish must be quarantined in a cage before being placed in your tank.

Guppy breeding

Guppies show pronounced sexual dimorphism. Females differ from males in color, brightness of color, fullness and size: females are much larger than males. Sexual maturity occurs at about three months.

If you want to breed guppies, it is better to separate the females from the males for up to two months and keep the females virgin for up to 6 months.

Females with species differences

Guppies give birth to absolutely mature, viable fry. It would be more correct to say that they are not viviparous, but ovoviviparous. Fry develop from eggs, but development occurs in the mother's body and they feed not due to the connection with the mother, as in placental mammals, but due to nutritional properties the caviar itself.

In the body female guppies caviar ripens, it ripens as if in clusters. The fertilization of the eggs takes place inside the body of the female. In the process of fertilization, the mature bunch is inseminated by the male and the development of eggs begins.

Embryos develop inside the egg and receive nutrients from the yolk stock. When the fry are formed, they exit the eggs into the mother's body, after which they exit the mother's body into the water - "birth". Then the development of the next fertilized bunch begins. Gestation lasts for different species from 18 to 60 days.

Fry born viable, without a yolk sac, can feed themselves and hide from predators.

It is important not to confuse KINDS and BREEDS guppies. There are only 8 types of guppies:

The common guppy has more than 60 breeding (artificially bred) breeds. Other types of breeding breeds do not have.

Poecilia reticulate at one time was brought to most developing countries to fight malaria, because these fish are very successful in exterminating larvae and adult mosquitoes Anopheles that carry malaria.

There are certain standards developed by the International Guppy Breeding Council that primarily relate to morphological features. This Council regularly (about 6 times a year) provides all its representatives with various kinds of information about the results of competitions, new directions in guppy breeding and part of genetics, organizes various international events, and also improves evaluation criteria guppies. International exhibitions and championships are constantly held in Europe, America and Asia, which are now world centers for the mass, commercial breeding of guppies for export.

Guppy Endler

This species of guppy was discovered by a traveler John Endler in one of the reservoirs in Venezuela. Subsequently, it turned out that this small fast fish lives in only a few places in this country and is not found anywhere else in the world in the wild.

Outwardly and in structure, it is very similar to ordinary guppies, only it is much smaller and does not have a large fan-shaped tail. These varieties of guppies easily interbreed with each other, while the smaller and nimble Endler males have a noticeable advantage over females. This suggests that we are dealing with local guppy branch, which developed in isolation and, possibly, unfavorable living conditions reduced the size of the fish.

Breeds and breed types of guppies

Veil (Loop): Emerald, Dark-tailed, Dark-tailed carpet type.

Fantail: Scarlet, Blue.

Carpet: Velvet, Carnation, Spanish.

Green Smooth: Moscow Blue-Green is a type that is not very stable.

Red-tailed Half-black (Berlin): Many intrabreed types - A very stable breed.

Scarf: Moscow scarf, Half-black scarf, Mesh scarf, Colored scarf - The dorsal fin is elongated and widened, hanging to the side.

Veil-scarf- The dorsal fin is in the form of a scarf, the caudal fin is in the form of a veil.

Ribbon scarf- Dorsal fin in the form of a scarf, tail in the form of a ribbon.

Tape- The caudal fin is elongated at the bottom in the form of a long ribbon. In the best specimens, it is longer than the body, sometimes there is a ribbon on the upper lobe of the caudal fin. The middle of the tail is almost always colorless.

half black or leopard.

Mesh- Marriage from half-blacks.

Mesh gold.

Smaragdoyava Or the Winner guppy.

Smaragdovaya golden.

Guppies also differ in the shape of the tail fin. Here are the main standards for fin shapes.

Guppy is a freshwater viviparous fish. Guppies have pronounced sexual dimorphism - males and females differ in size, shape and color. The body size of males is 1.5-4 cm. They are slender, thoroughbred individuals often with long fins, the color is usually bright. Males have specialized body for reproduction - gonopodia, rarely found in fish. The size of females is 2.8-7 cm. The fins are usually significantly smaller than those of males. Females from natural habitats and many breeds are gray with a pronounced rhombic grid of scales, for which the species got its name: reticulum from lat. - mesh, mesh. The most popular and unpretentious aquarium fish. AT home aquarium inhabits all layers. In captivity, it lives longer and grows larger than in nature. Aquariums most often contain various breeds of guppies or the result of their arbitrary crossing.

The secret of the popularity of guppies is very simple.
the content is accessible even to the novice aquarist. The beauty and variety of shapes and colors pleases the eye. Guppy differences between breeds are very great, and it is difficult to find two completely identical males in one breed. By nature, these fish are cheerful, accommodating, mobile. But the main thing, however, is that they produce live, fully formed fry. It is for these properties that guppies are loved by aquarists.

Species history

For the first time, guppies were brought to Europe in the last century and immediately became widespread due to their unpretentiousness, ease of obtaining offspring and huge amount color variations. Guppies can be kept with any peaceful species of fish, however, their veiled and therefore inactive forms cannot be kept even with non-aggressive fish such as barbs. Guppies are omnivores but prefer live food. They should not be overfed, as the fish are prone to obesity and then lose their ability to reproduce. Any soil and plants, they are undemanding to the volume of the aquarium. A couple can live and reproduce perfectly in a three-liter jar.

Guppies got their name in honor of the English priest and scientist Robert John Lechmer Guppy, who in 1886 made a report to members of the Royal Society, in which he spoke about fish that do not spawn, but give birth to live cubs. After that, he was laughed at. Guppies are also the first fish to travel into space.

Initially, especially during scientific research, for keeping a couple of guppies, not only aquariums were used, but also battery banks made of glass with a capacity of 25-36 liters. These battery banks have given rise to the colloquial term for aquariums, "banks". As all-glass battery cans fell out of use in the aquarium hobby in particular and for their intended purpose in general, the mention in the literature or conversation about keeping fish of the term “can” led to a widespread persistent misconception that it was meant not a battery can, but a can for canning.

Guppies prefer aquariums with fresh, regularly changed water, sufficient space for swimming, little current, plants with finely dissected leaf blades or dense floating roots, and a variety of live foods. Guppies are unpretentious, but they can reach their maximum size only under favorable conditions. Offspring of the most thoroughbred parents in bad conditions will not reach their brightness, nor their pomp of fins. Guppies can live in a glass of water, but it's more of an existence than a life.

Usually the volume of the aquarium for guppies ranges from 20-50 liters, with a side height of about 5-7 cm to avoid fish jumping out, and if the aquarium is closed with a lid, it is important not to forget about forced aeration, but at the same time, many do not comply with these parameters and try to keep fish in very small aquariums up to 10 liters.
From lighting, guppies, like many other domestic animals, as well as in unsuitable conditions for life, do not grow well and are poorly colored. It is better to place the aquarium so that in the morning or in the evening the direct rays of the sun fall into it for a short time, then unpretentious plants, such as wallisneria and hornwort, will grow well. An aquarium with guppies should be decorated with soil, coarse sand or small pebbles, with plants planted in it. These fish do not dig at the bottom and do not damage plants. They are almost completely peaceful. The design of the reservoir should be such that there is enough space for swimming. It is permissible to keep only male guppies in a decorative aquarium when offspring are not required.

It is important to consider the impossibility of long-term residence of guppies alone. Therefore, it is necessary to populate these fish in an aquarium in pairs or groups. Optimal constant temperature water is the range +24-26 °C, and the allowable temperature range is +23-28 °C. These fish survive in the range from +14° to +33°C.

Guppies are practically omnivorous fish, in addition to ciliates and cyclops, they willingly eat dry food, finely chopped meat, squid fillets, and cereals. Live food should prevail in the diet of fish, which it is desirable to alternate regularly: daphnia, small bloodworms, brine shrimp, sometimes you can give a tubifex, moina or coretra. In a small amount, the inhabitants of the aquarium are also given plant foods, you can feed them with compound feeds. The main thing is not to pour too much food, otherwise some of it will settle to the bottom and pollute the aquarium, and also change the water regularly.

Guppies swim in the upper and middle layers of the water, so it is quite possible to add peaceful schooling fish of the haracin family, corridors, neons, zebrafish, platies to them. Also, guppies and those fish that prefer the lower layers of water for living will not interfere.

At low temperatures guppies grow larger, live 3-3.5 years, but they can easily get sick. The gestation period of females is lengthened, fry are born large. At a water temperature below +18 ° C, the development of eggs may stop altogether and the reproductive function is at rest. At high temperatures, guppies live 1 year or less, grow small. The duration of pregnancy of females becomes shorter, fry are born small. When kept in the upper temperature range of + 30-33 ° C, "self-sterilization" is possible due to the loss of activity and the ability to fertilize spermatozoa.

It is hardly possible to name any other group of fish in which for many decades the constant interest of a significant part of both beginners and experienced aquarists has remained. This unfading interest is explained not so much by the peculiarities of the biology of reproduction of live birth, ovoviviparity, attractive color, ease of maintenance and breeding of most species, but by the large number of varieties created by crossing and breeding. All this makes it possible not only to admire beautiful fish and material for interesting observations, but also the chances of relatively short term achieve success in breeding new varieties that differ from existing ones in color, as well as in the shape of the body and fins. Therefore, being carried away by breeding viviparous fish and observing the birth of live fry, and this is always a holiday even for an experienced aquarist, he often unwittingly becomes a breeder.

Breeding and reproduction

Guppy is called a viviparous fish, because, unlike many other species, it spawns mature individuals, and not caviar. That is why the development of eggs in the female's abdomen is carried out only at the expense of the nutrients that were in the egg before fertilization, and in the process of development, the nutrients do not come from the mother's body to the egg.

Fertilization in guppies, like most fish, is internal. Sperm is introduced into the female using a modified anal fin in males called the "gonopodia". This is a copulatory organ, which is the three anterior rays of the anal fin rolled into a tube. The anal fin of immature males is no different from the anal fin of females. Only in the course of growing up does it change its shape: first it turns into a triangle, and then into a tube. Due to its mobility, the gonopodia can take any position for insemination of the female.

Spermatophores, the so-called sperm containers, having entered the female genital organs and fertilized the eggs, are partially deposited inside the mother's body and remain viable for several months. It often happens that after one fertilization, guppies can have from 6 to 11 litters (sometimes more). Thus, when breeding these fish, it can be difficult to establish from which male the offspring was obtained if the female was fertilized by one male, and after spawning by another. However, in behavioral studies of guppies, it has been found that when mating, females prefer partners with a bright, conspicuous tail fin.

One of the most serious problems that reduce the offspring of guppies is cannibalism. The loss of fry from eating them by the female among viviparous platies reaches 50% of the offspring. The lack of parental care in guppies makes aquarists vigilantly monitor the appearance of fry into the world and wean them from the female as soon as possible. If there is no second aquarium, the chances of juveniles to survive are increased by introducing many shelters and plants into the tank.

Many aquarists use a container with holes as a jig for producers. Through small holes, the offspring swims to another section of the aquarium and thus hides from the female. More recently, a modification has been proposed this method based on behavioral features guppies. The fact is that all platies are visual feeding fish, that is, the female must see the fry in order to eat them. On the other hand, juveniles tend to illuminated areas. Based on the available information, researchers in Israel supplemented the nesting boxes with LED lights that illuminated only the central area where the fry congregate. The division of the tank into dark and light zones made it possible to increase the survival rate of juvenile guppies.

The female must be transferred to another container when the maturity spot at the anus becomes brown-black or black, and the abdomen becomes rectangular.
I can take a liter jar of this, fill it with water and leave it afloat in the aquarium. This is done so that the temperature of the water in the jig and the aquarium is practically the same. Although experience shows that it is better to keep the female in a 5-liter jar, and after the birth of the fry, remove her and remove most of the stones and plants. The litter should be left for rearing until the sex of the fry can be determined. As for the water in the sump, it should not contain iodine and salt, and its level should not exceed 12 cm.

Mistakes of beginner guppies

The main mistake that novice guppy lovers make is to keep several breeds (“compote”) in one aquarium at once, which results in a low-value hybrid in the offspring.

Another group of common mistakes that novice guppy lovers make is keeping fish in too cramped living conditions, using containers with insufficient water volume for normal life, excessively high stocking density of fish, sudden changes in biological and chemical indicators of water and conditions for keeping guppies.

It is important that in some cases color genes are associated with the size and shape of both the fish themselves and their fins. That is, in other words, if you cross blue-colored long-finned guppies with guppies that have the same long fins, but of a different color, for example, red, it is not necessary that the offspring will have the same fins. There is a high probability that the result will not be very good.

breeds

Black Prince - This is one of the famous guppy breeds. Differs in a special saturated black color of almost the entire body. Females are slightly less bright than males. Guppy black prince has a whitish color of the head and abdomen. This breed is often passed off as the Moscow Blue.

Moscow blue- Russian guppy breed, which is also very popular abroad. Its feature is a beautiful blue-turquoise color in males, gray in females (ladies have black fins). The abdomen and voices are light, and the tail is triangular in shape. The female is distinguished from the male upon reaching the age of 1 month. The color of the fish may darken with age.

Red blond- is distinguished by a bright red color of the tail and fin on the back and white-pearl scales on the head. When representatives of this species swim, it seems as if they are shimmering. In females, a light shade predominates in color.

Leopard– the name of the breed speaks for itself. All fish of this species have a pronounced "cat" color. Black spots and stripes are scattered on a yellow background. Moreover, they cover the entire body of the male and only the tail of the females.

Hispanic has a very rich and beautiful color. The body of the fish is painted in a dark color, and the tails are red-orange with black dots scattered over it. There may be white pearly spots on the base of the tail. The rich dorsal fin is also orange with light color accents.

red cobra- one of the most beautiful types of guppies. Spots are scattered on a yellowish background, resembling the skin of a snake in color. The edges of the tail and dorsal fin are bright red. Some individuals may have orange spots instead of black and yellow. Males are distinguished by rich bushy tails and dorsal fins.

Berlin view widely distributed and often found in aquariums. It has three main colors in color: black, orange and turquoise. At the same time, the body is painted in the first, the tail in the second, and the dorsal fin in the third. Various variations of colors and shades are possible - for example, both fins can be orange-red.

veil guppies- This is a group of breeds that are united by the presence of a rich lush caudal fin. There are several of its forms: fork, skirt, flag-tail, train and others. When moving these fish, their tail looks very beautiful in the water, moving very gently. By the way, the colors of the veil tail can be very different. An example of a tuxedo or black and white veiled guppy that can be seen in the photo.

Compatibility

Due to the peaceful nature of pets, it is worth considering the possibility of keeping them separately from other fish, but if you still want to make an aquarium with many types of fish, then carefully select your neighbors. In no case should they be planted with predators.

Guppies get along well with some catfish, gourami, tetras, bots and some types of haracin fish, corridors are also suitable. But in practice it has been proven that even among them there are cocky individuals who strive to offend guppies.

Thus, be attentive to the neighbors for such delicate and defenseless fish. Leave the stereotypes and carefully study the approach, both to the owners of the aquarium and to their neighbors. Guppies get along well with peaceful fish, but categorically do not accept fighters. Pay close attention to the behavior of all pets. If you notice aggression from another fish during feeding, then you should try to increase the dose of food. It is hunger or lack of free space that can make ideal neighbors the worst enemies, which will lead to injury and stress. When choosing neighbors, read as much information as possible and consult with other breeders about whether new residents will eat fry of a viviparous guppy.

Guppy diseases

Guppies are extremely hardy fish with good immunity. Unpretentiousness and adaptability allows them to survive in the most seemingly inappropriate conditions. But, unfortunately, there are guppy diseases, which are especially prone to veil varieties and breed forms with complex colors.

Guppy infertility. Female guppies become unable to give birth to fry. The color of the fish fades, shades of red disappear especially noticeably in the colors. This is primarily due to prolonged overlighting in the aquarium. "Light day" for guppies takes no more than 10-12 hours a day. Having adjusted the lighting in the aquarium, the owner can hope that bright colors will return to the fish, but, alas, infertility is incurable.

Poor male growth. It happens that fry, especially male guppies, do not grow well, do not gain the full "adult" size, and their color becomes faded. This is due to the fact that during the period of intensive growth they are in an aquarium with poor aeration. Before maturity, the situation can be partially corrected by adjusting the water supply in the aquarium.

Hermaphroditism. The phenomenon in which in females, along with the ovary, the testis develops - the male organ. There are cases of self-fertilization of such fish. The vast majority of offspring, as a rule, have the same "bisexual" traits. A small number of males are born sterile. The phenomenon and its causes are little studied.

Dropsy (ascites). Dropsy is an intestinal disease. The main symptoms that characterize dropsy are a swollen abdomen and ruffled scales. The fish tends to go down, hide. Also dropsy causes puffiness. Dropsy is a viral disease that is treated with antibiotics and frequent water changes.

Tetrachymenosis is a specific guppy disease that is rare in other fish. The causative agents are tetrachymenes, small ciliated ciliates. Tetrachymenes feed on both microorganisms and tissues of multicellular creatures, which invariably entails the possibility of infection. Tetrachymens affect the most vulnerable parts of guppies - mucous gills, fins. On the surface of the body of the fish, which was struck by tetrahymenes, a white mucous coating is clearly visible, which then slides off in flakes, the scales ruffle and the gills protrude. Later, tetrachymenes penetrate deeper into the body of the "owner" and begin to devour it from the inside. At this stage, patients may swell the abdomen. Tetrahymena fry can be eaten almost completely. Tetrachymenes are destroyed by furazolidone and biseptol, which are dissolved in water. Drugs harm plants, so it is better to treat in a jig. Tetrachymens are dangerous not only for guppies, but also for their neighbors - for example, labyrinth fish. Therefore, healthy pets are recommended to carry out prophylaxis by adding furazolidone to the feed.

Fin rot. Rot affects the fins, is expressed in the decay of the interradial tissue. In the early stages, rot can be hard to spot - it just looks like a small haze along the edge of the fins. However, it is at the very beginning that it is easiest to cope with the disease. It is enough to improve the conditions of keeping the fish, add salt and change the water more often, increase the oxygen supply in the aquarium and the quality of the food so that the fin rot goes away. In more advanced cases, fin rot is treated by adding antibacterial agents to the water - streptocide, biomycin, bicillin-5. Fin rot is treated for a long time - up to three months. Keep in mind that an outbreak of this disease is usually indicative of poor aquarium maintenance. Guppies are sensitive to aeration and water freshness. Fin rot begins in them, as a rule, if the water stagnates for a long time and begins to deteriorate.

Mycobacteriosis or fish tuberculosis is a dangerous and highly contagious disease. The fish, which was struck by tuberculosis, is rapidly losing weight, draws in the stomach, hunches over, grows dull, becomes apathetic and tries to hide, swims down to the bottom. Tuberculosis has another clear sign - the eyes turn black. It is believed that tuberculosis is incurable. Pets affected by it should be destroyed, the aquarium should be disinfected. However, many amateur aquarists claim that tuberculosis can stop the use of antibiotics mixed into fish feed. There is no exact scientific data on this issue, but cases of rapid improvement in the condition of “patients” who were struck by tuberculosis have indeed been recorded. However, keep in mind that a fish that once caught tuberculosis will never regain its full physical form. In addition, her immunity will be undermined and tuberculosis may return at any moment.

Trichodinosis. The disease can be difficult to identify early stages. Its main feature, a grayish-blue coating that appears on the surface of the body, the abdomen, affecting the gills of the fish, is poorly distinguishable. Therefore, it is easier to diagnose the disease by the behavior of the fish: they go down, rub against stones and decorations, try to swim into the aeration bubbles, as if they are itching. Guppies can also stand still while swaying. Trichodinosis is especially dangerous for juveniles and fry of guppies. It is treated by heating water to 33-34 degrees, adding salt or methyl blue to the aquarium. Be sure to increase the aeration of the aquarium: oxygen dissolves much worse in warm water, if its supply is not increased, the fish can simply suffocate.

Pleistophorosis is another incurable disease. The main feature: guppies swim vertically, head up and tail down. Pets lose their appetite, the color of the surface of the body becomes faded, the stomach is drawn in. Plestophorosis is not treated, all sick fish should be destroyed, the container where they lived should be thoroughly disinfected, and the soil should be boiled.

Red scab. The disease affects male guppies, begins with the tail, manifesting itself in the form of red rashes on the surface of the fin and its splitting. Treatment is possible if the red scab has affected no more than half of the tail. The diseased part of the tail should be removed with a sharp blade, the fish should be placed in salted water. This is done so that the injury on the tail heals faster. Aeration in an aquarium with a sick fish should be maximized - its living conditions should be optimal in order to recover faster after the “tail operation”. Even if you have recorded a case of a tail disease in only one fish, be sure to pay attention to the tails of others after it has been cured in order to prevent an epidemic in time.

Scoliosis or curvature of the spine. The disease occurs in guppy fry and is a curvature of the spine of the fish, its smaller size, and a retracted stomach. This is a birth defect, presumably due to insufficient aeration of the aquarium, which contains a pregnant female, malnutrition. Curvature of the spine is not treated. The spine, twisted by the disease, remains so forever. As a rule, fish with a curved spine are smaller and weaker than their peers, and are more susceptible to infections. Guppies with a curvature are culled from the selection.

Ichthyophthirius multifiliis or guppy disease. It is typical for this type of fish. It affects the body, stomach, gills of guppies. In the early stages, the fish show signs of itching, then whitish rashes appear on the surface of the body. The rash increases over several days. When the rash affects the gills, the respiratory function is disturbed. Lethargy, apathy, loss of appetite also appear. The fish may tend to go down, closer to the bottom. Scales rise on the surface of the body. It is treated with specialized medicines or formalin baths. In the case of formalin treatment, it is important to use a fresh solution each time - the “old” one is poisonous to fish.

guppy endler

Endler's guppies are considered endemic to the coastal lagoons of northern Venezuela, in particular, Buena Vista and Campoma, east of the city of Cumana and De Patos lagoon, in the western part of Cumana.

In captivity, the life expectancy of fish is 3-5 years. Because of their small size, they cannot be recommended for a multi-species ornamental aquarium, especially if breeding is planned. Peaceful small species usually act as neighbors, for example, dwarf corridors, tetras and rainbows. In the Endler guppy population, males are usually peaceful, while females show territoriality. Fish are best kept in large groups.

Fish are omnivores, in nature they feed on zoobenthic organisms and detritus. In captivity, they consume any small food, with the addition of plant components.

Breeding these fish is not difficult. They will breed without effort on the part of the aquarist in the general aquarium. In this case, the main question is not how to breed the species, but when the fry will appear. It is necessary to provide the aquarium with plenty of hiding places and aquatic vegetation. As a rule, every 23-24 days, females give birth to 5-25 fully formed fry. The number of offspring depends on the age and size of the mother. Adults rarely eat juveniles, but it is better to place the pregnant female in a separate container, and subsequently raise the offspring separately. Fry are fed 2-3 times a day, they grow very quickly. At the age of 3-4 weeks, males develop adult coloration, while females become sexually mature by 2 months.

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Guppy
Latin name: Poecilia reticulata.

Description: body length of males is 2-3 cm, various colors: red, blue, green, white, black, yellow, golden, etc. Many black and colored spots are scattered over the body. The shape of the tail and dorsal fins can also be different. Females reach 4-5 cm in length, the color is gray, gray-blue, gray-olive, gray-yellowish, sometimes there are black specks on the fins or they are slightly colored in pink, blue, yellow and other colors.

Behavior: peaceful, calm fish, may suffer from larger and more aggressive tankmates. They swim in all layers of water, but most often in the upper ones. Perhaps the most unpretentious and common aquarium fish.

Breeding: viviparous. Pregnancy lasts 3-5 weeks, its sign is an increase in the female's abdomen. Before giving birth, the abdomen becomes almost square, the pregnancy spots located near the anus increase and blacken, sometimes the female can hide in the dark and calm corners of the aquarium. At one time, 10-100 fry are born. The amount depends on the size and age of the female. The initial food for fry is rotifers, ciliates, "live dust". If the offspring of guppy is undesirable for you, then the pregnant female can not be removed from the general aquarium: the born fry will become live food for other fish. Otherwise, the female must be transferred to another vessel, and immediately after giving birth, returned to the general aquarium. Guppy fry can also be grown in a three-liter jar, but it must be remembered that their size, color brightness and growth rate depend on the size of the vessel, water temperature and feed quality. The smaller the container that contains the fry, the slower they will grow and reach smaller sizes when they become adults. Puberty in guppies occurs at the age of 2-4 months, depending on the conditions of detention.

Guppies are very easy to keep and breed. For beginner aquarists, this is a great opportunity to gain experience, for more experienced aquarists, easy breeding experiments, since guppies can be of almost any color, and the results of crossing are sometimes very interesting.

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guppy fish

Natural guppy populations are widespread in fresh and brackish waters of Venezuela, Guiana, north of the Amazon, in northern Brazil, on the islands of Barbados and Trinidad.

Even in our country with its harsh climate, a population of feral guppies lives in the Moscow River, in places where warm waters drain.

Guppies also prefer aquariums with thickets of live plants. In aquariums, they do not live very long - 3-3.5 years, even less at high temperatures due to increased metabolism.

These foods rich in protein components include:

Despite the fact that guppy fish are hardy creatures, they are subject to the same diseases as other tropical fish. Most often get sick:

Females with species differences

Embryos develop inside the egg and receive nutrients from the yolk reserves. When the fry are formed, they exit the eggs into the mother's body, after which they exit the mother's body into the water - "birth". Then the development of the next fertilized bunch begins. Gestation lasts for different species from 18 to 60 days.

Fry born viable, without a yolk sac, can feed themselves and hide from predators.

It is important not to confuse KINDS and BREEDS guppies. There are only 8 types of guppies:

The common guppy has more than 60 breeding (artificially bred) breeds. Other types of breeding breeds do not have.

Poecilia reticulate at one time was brought to most developing countries to combat malaria, because these fish are very successful in exterminating larvae and adult mosquitoes Anopheles that carry malaria.

Guppy Endler

Outwardly and in structure, it is very similar to ordinary guppies, only it is much smaller and does not have a large fan-shaped tail. These varieties of guppies easily interbreed with each other, while the smaller and nimble Endler males have a noticeable advantage over females. This suggests that we are dealing with a local branch of guppy, which developed in isolation and, perhaps, unfavorable living conditions reduced the size of the fish.

Breeds and breed types of guppies

Veil (Loop): Emerald, Dark-tailed, Dark-tailed carpet type.

Fantail: Scarlet, Blue.

Carpet: Velvet, Carnation, Spanish.

Green Smooth: Moscow Blue-Green is a type that is not very stable.

Red-tailed Half-black (Berlin): Many intrabreed types - A very stable breed.

Scarf: Moscow scarf, Half-black scarf, Mesh scarf, Colored scarf - The dorsal fin is elongated and widened, hanging to the side.

Veil-scarf- The dorsal fin is in the form of a scarf, the caudal fin is in the form of a veil.

Ribbon scarf- Dorsal fin in the form of a scarf, tail in the form of a ribbon.

half black or leopard.

Mesh- Marriage from half-blacks.

Mesh gold.

Smaragdoyava Or the Winner guppy.

Smaragdovaya golden.

Guppies also differ in the shape of the tail fin. Here are the main standards for fin shapes.

akvarium-moskva.ru

How do guppies breed in an aquarium? Peculiarities

For breeding guppies, several females and one male should be selected (more is possible, but one is enough), which will constantly pursue females and fertilize. In such a period, it is better not to interfere with him - this is a condition for successful breeding.

The aquarium should have clean water, the fish are fed abundantly during this period. After pregnancy becomes noticeable in female guppies - an enlarged belly (closer to childbirth, it resembles a trapezoid) and a darkening spot in the anus? they are seated in separate spawning aquariums with a volume of approximately 5 liters. This is done so that the fry do not become food for the neighbors.

For about a month, the female carries eggs in her stomach, this period can be extended to 7 weeks - it all depends on the type of fish and the conditions of detention. Since the guppy belongs to the viviparous species, it does not lay eggs: an already formed fry is born.

Before giving birth, the female refuses to eat, moves little, tends to swim up to the heater in the aquarium, her tail trembles. Usually, in the first spawning, the female brings up to 25 fry, and in subsequent births, several times more.

In the aquarium, pregnant and giving birth female guppies should have vegetation. Mother guppy can eat her fry, and aquarium plants will give the babies the opportunity to hide. However, in order not to risk offspring, it is best to plant a female guppy immediately after giving birth from the babies into a common aquarium.

guppy fry care

Babies are born already fully formed fish, so caring for guppy fry is no more difficult than caring for adults.

Residues of food should be carefully removed. To do this, you can add, for example, snails to the aquarium, which will collect food leftovers without touching the fry. It is important that the aquarium has clean water, but large changes are not recommended - it is enough to change 10% of the water every two days.

The water temperature should be in the range of 24-26.5°C.

With good care, guppy fry grow quickly and begin to color by 4-6 weeks. Grown up babies are transplanted into a common aquarium. By about 4 months, guppies become sexually mature.

Guppy endler: breeding in an aquarium

Unlike ordinary guppies, in pygmy guppies, guppi / guppy Endler, reproduction has the following features:

1. The birth spot in female Endler guppies is somewhat lighter than in ordinary ones.
2. The belly of pregnant females remains round before giving birth.
3. Endler's guppies don't eat their fry, so they only put them away in order to provide the kids with proper nutrition.
4. Pregnancy in a female endler guppy lasts 22-23 days.
5. At the same time, from 5 to 25 fry are born.
6. By two months, females become sexually mature.

pluspet.ru

Description

Guppies prefer to settle in Brazil, South America, as well as on the islands of Tobago and Trinidad. These named places are considered the birthplace of guppies. They prefer clear water free from impurities.
They can live in brackish springs, but not too salty, like sea water. According to natural features, they eat bloodworms, larvae, worms, as well as small insects that fall into the water.
Due to the ability to eat mosquitoes, guppies began to artificially settle in the habitats of malarial mosquitoes, because the fish eat their larvae. According to their characteristics, male guppies are bright, females are more nondescript and large.
The color of these fish is the result of the work of the pioneers, who were supposed to create inhabitants as close as possible in color to the natural biotope. Often fish become victims, they need to hide.
As for the dimensions, we have already mentioned. Females are large, males are smaller. They can reach 4-5 cm in length, but this is rare. The average lifespan of small aquatic pets hardly exceeds 3 years.
It is difficult to describe the appearance of these representatives. Since guppies have been used in breeding and creating new species for a long time, their color and body shape defy description. There are individuals who are completely different from each other.
Fish breathe oxygen in the water. They are missing atmospheric air, so guppies need a carefully prepared aquarium. It is important to install filtration and aeration.
Many are interested in how long these fish can live. Due to the fact that they love warm water, all metabolic processes are accelerated. The fish die quickly. Therefore, the duration of existence directly depends on the indicators of water. The higher the temperature, the shorter the life.

Is it difficult to keep guppies?

The fish is suitable for keeping in aquarium conditions for beginners. She is small, moderately active, does not require special preparatory measures for reproduction and care. It would seem that the list of positive qualities can be continued for a very long time.
However, it is important to know that not all guppies are so easy to keep at home. It is important in the buying process to choose the right option for yourself. If all the fish are like a blueprint, then they should be discarded. To identify breeding fish, you need to carefully examine them. If they look the same, like clones, and even the fins are the same shape, then these pets will be difficult to care for.
In cases where all the fish are different in some way, it means that they were born naturally and will feel great in the aquarium. It is important that the representatives of the family have a completely different color, body shape and fins in particular.
Such difficulties are caused by serious crossbreeding, which is why pets become more beautiful (possibly), but also lose immunity. They are sensitive to changes in water and its quality, react negatively to vegetation, etc.
Therefore, if you are just trying yourself as an aquarist, get the most simple and different guppies. Such fish are no worse than pets bred by multiple crossings.

Feeding

Guppies are unpretentious in nutrition, they do not require gourmet food. Usually adults are fed dry, frozen or live food. The fry eat ground the same food. You can choose food in the form of flakes, granular composition or other varieties. As for live food, they usually give tubifex, bloodworm, coretra, brine shrimp.
It is worth remembering forever that these representatives of the aquatic family have a small oral cavity, the same can be said about the stomach. Therefore, it is necessary to feed the fish often, but in small portions. Usually food is given three times a day, for one meal the guppies should take 3 minutes maximum.
Guppies have poor motor skills digestive system, so additionally you need to give foods with a high accumulation of plant compounds. Twice a week, such feeds are given that are saturated with vitamins and everything necessary.
It is worth highlighting dry food in a separate order. Give Daphnia, which is sold by weight in shops and markets. Such food is given no more than once a week, because at its core, daphnia is just dry shells. In moderation they are useful, but in large quantities they can significantly harm.
If you feed your little guests three times a day, and one of the meals remains uneaten or the fish do not eat it completely, then the feeding needs to be changed. Feed the fish twice a day in the same portions. Try to feed the guppies at the same time so that they get used to and not in search of food. Otherwise, these fish will eat their fry.

Compatibility

The fish does not cause trouble to the neighborhood, has a good-natured temperament. It is impossible to plant representatives of the aquatic family, who are famous for their predatory instincts, to her. Guppies are constantly perceived as food, so the choice of cohabitants is approached with all responsibility.
Also, you can not choose as neighbors those fish that bite off their fins. This category includes kissing gourami, Indian knives, fire barbs, etc.
Best of all, guppies get along with congos, neon, rasboras, catfish, cardinals and other small fish. Because they are non-conflict, problem-free.
In some aquariums, you can find catfish living safely in the neighborhood of guppies. Small representatives of the family are chosen from catfish, because large ones are predators. The exception is the tarakatum, he will get along with these pets without eating them in a jiffy.

Fish are tropical species that prefer to swim in warm water. The temperature regime should not go beyond 22-25 degrees, this is enough for the fish. However, in nature, pets live at 19-29 degrees, which negatively affects the duration of existence. In hot water, fish die quickly, and in cold water they get sick.
For non-breeding guppies, the parameters of the aquatic environment are of no fundamental importance. They quickly adapt to fluctuations, so they easily transfer movements from one tank to another. Stick to hardness indicators in the range of 12-18 units, and acidity - 7-8.5 units. However, the parameters may differ, this will not prevent the guppies from breeding.
Another positive feature of this type of fish is unpretentiousness in terms of the volume of the tank. They need 20 liters. for 5 individuals. That is, 4 liters. for one fish. However, these pets love to swim, so any extra wiggle room will be welcomed.
Fish do not always need plants; by nature, guppies swim in dark places. Light is necessary for the plants in the tank so that they do not get sick. Plant the aquarium with plants, because they will provide the necessary shade. At the same time, take care of diffusing lamps so that the vegetation does not die.
If there is an external filter in use, the guppy will do. But with a small number of individuals in the aquarium, the fish feel great with an internal filter equipped with a sponge. If the filter mechanism is powerful, then cover the holes in it with a net so that the fish do not get sucked in.
It makes no sense to keep guppies in the amount of a pair of individuals, and even more so one at a time. It looks sad aquatic life practically invisible among vegetation and shelters. They look beautiful in flocks, so buy a lot of fish at once.
The aquarium environment must be arranged in such a way that it has shelters. Because guppies won't survive without it, especially fry.

How to distinguish a male from a female

Sexual differences of the considered individuals are obvious. For this reason, you will not have any difficulties with this.
Males are much smaller than females. They are also remarkably thin. Males have a large tail fin.
The females of this species are quite large. They have a fairly large and rounded belly. Also, females have a less bright color.
Even younger individuals can already be distinguished. Everything is pretty obvious. The fry, which earlier began to acquire a brighter color, grow up as males.

reproduction

The presented individuals breed without any problems in the aquarium. You don't even need to create special conditions for this. Breeding will be very easy. Guppies are viviparous representatives of the aquatic world.
After birth, the fry are immediately able to swim on their own. In rare cases, young growth appears in the aquarium in eggs. The fry immediately breaks it and begins to exist independently. The bottom line is that the female bears eggs inside herself. Then viable fry are born.
Literally after a few hours, the young begin to feed on their own. Until then, they will hide and adapt. In order to start breeding such fish, you just need a male and a female. Nothing more is required of you.
Breeders recommend having several females per male. In this case, no problems arise at all. In this case, breeding will be more than successful. If desired, more males are allowed. Same-sex individuals do not fight among themselves.
Do not panic ahead of time if you notice that the male tirelessly pursues the female. This behavior is considered normal. This can be characterized by the fact that the male fertilizes the female. It's just worth knowing that young animals will appear in the aquarium soon.
In order for the fish to feel as comfortable as possible, it is necessary to provide them with clean and fresh water. Also, in a favorable environment, reproduction will occur better. During such a period, it is especially important to provide individuals with abundant and high-quality feeding.
For breeding, heterosexual individuals will be required. At the same time, the considered representatives do not even need to be transplanted into a separate aquarium. They reproduce well in a common container. Only here there are subtleties. Fry will eat all and sundry. Even parents eat their own offspring.
To prevent this from happening, it is recommended that a pregnant individual be temporarily transplanted into a separate container. If you do not know how to determine the pregnancy of a female or when she is going to give birth, you need to rely on some facts.
As a rule, females produce fry once a month. In addition, the timing can vary greatly. The reason for this may be different conditions of detention and water temperature. You need to remember the moment when the female last time gave birth. After that, periodically observe individuals.
The female, which will be preparing for a new birth, will have a dark spot. Thus, the eyes of the fry begin to be seen. Each time the stain will darken more. Be prepared for the fact that the female will give birth soon.
Your task remains to transfer the female to a separate aquarium. Keep in mind that the conditions in the tank should be exactly the same as in the general aquarium. The fry should easily hide in the algae and feel safe.
After the female gives birth, transplant her into a community aquarium, if this is not done, she may eat her own offspring. The content of fry is practically no different from adults. It is allowed to feed the young with crushed food that you gave to your parents.
Breeders, of course, recommend purchasing special food for fry or dry egg. Such food is dried cyclops and daphnia. The product can be purchased at any pet store without any problems.
Among other things, in the aquarium, young animals need to be cleaned often. Otherwise, waste from fish and food will quickly pollute the water. As an alternative, it is allowed to run snails to the fry. Individuals will not conflict with each other. In turn, the snails will clean the aquarium.
Keep in mind that the water of the fry should always be clean. Only here there are subtleties. It is forbidden to replace a large amount of fluid at once. Such conditions can be dangerous for the fragile organism of young animals. Keep the water temperature within 25 degrees.

Guppies are one of the most common aquarium fish OK. It is very easy to keep such individuals in a common container with other representatives of the aquatic world. When breeding, it is recommended to use a separate aquarium. In order for individuals to live comfortably and for a long time, try to provide the most comfortable conditions.

howtogetrid.ru

Duration of pregnancy

Pregnancy in viviparous fish begins after mating. The female can store male milk for a long period of time, so if the fish was bought at a pet store, and males swam in the same aquarium with the female, then most likely she will be pregnant.

The duration of pregnancy is 21-40 days, the higher the temperature, the shorter the gestation period, but the size of the fry will be smaller, so the optimal temperature range is 24-26 ° C.

How to determine pregnancy

The female's pregnancy will not be visible at first, she will be vigorous and well fed, and her abdomen will grow.

You can determine when to expect an offspring using the "birth spot", which is located next to the anus and anal fin. The larger and darker the birthmark, the closer the birth.

Guppies are unpretentious fish, but during such a delicate period they also need more care than usual.

In order to provide proper support to the emerging young, you need to follow a few simple tips:

Behavior before childbirth

In order to plant guppies from the general aquarium in time, you need to watch her. Usually, before giving birth, she begins to behave restlessly, seek shelter, or vice versa, lie motionless on the stones.

When and where to deposit

Before accepting offspring, you need to prepare a container. A small aquarium of 10-20 l or a 3-5 l jar is suitable as a spawning ground. It is necessary to fill the reservoir a few days before the birth so that the water settles and the bacterial balance forms in it. To fill the spawning area, it is better to use some fresh water and a little (14) old water from the general aquarium.

In order for the “guppeshka” not to feast on its own offspring, you need to create shelters. It is best to use a hornwort for these purposes. In it, the fry can easily hide, and the female will not see them.

If it is not possible to provide the female with a spawning ground:

It is enough to create dense thickets in the general aquarium, which will increase the chances of fry to survive.
In addition, you can pay attention to special jigger, which are sold in pet stores. They consist of a plastic frame and fabric with a very small mesh through which the fry will not be able to penetrate into the general aquarium. Such a device will help save space.

The birthmark and the shape of the abdomen will help determine the right time for jigging:

Before childbirth, the spot becomes very dark and large.
The abdomen becomes very large, with convex sides and acquires a rectangular shape. You can correctly assess the shape of the abdomen before morning feeding, on an empty stomach.

It is best to plant a woman in labor just before spawning, because she will experience stress alone, since guppies are schooling fish. Another reason why it is better not to rush to jigging is the male. Some individuals may have problems with childbirth, and it is the male, constantly poking the stigma and gonopodia into the area of the birth spot, that can stimulate the spawning process.

You need to catch the female carefully, without frightening her and without pressing on the abdomen. The water in the spawning tank should not differ much from the temperature of the general aquarium in temperature.

After the fish is placed in the tank, it will need to be covered with a dark cloth. This will help calm the pet and prevent it from noticing and eating the fry.

Some time after the transplant, she will start giving birth. A female guppy, depending on size, can produce from 10 to 200 fry. The duration of childbirth depends on the number of fry, which she gives birth to one at a time.

If the female's abdomen became flat and she stopped producing offspring, then the birth can be considered completed, and the guppy itself needs to be transplanted into a common aquarium.

Postpartum care for babies

The fry spend the first 2-3 days in thickets or lie on the bottom. They have a yolk sac, so they do not need additional nutrition. After it resolves, juveniles begin to actively look for food. Suitable for food:

crushed egg yolk;
frozen cyclops;
"live dust" (ciliates);
decapsulated Artemia eggs and nauplii;
finely ground dry food.

You need to feed the fry as often as possible and in small portions in order to increase the growth rate.

aquariumguide.ru

Guppies are the most common and well-known fish that are easy to keep, feed and care for.

Guppy Poecilia reticulata- This is a freshwater viviparous aquarium fish. The guppy fish belongs to the family of pecilia, a detachment of carps. Males can be visually distinguished from females by shape, color and size.

For beginner aquarists, guppies are the best choice. These are very simple and not picky aquarium fish. They can be kept in both large and small aquariums. Guppy care is so simple that if necessary (or not possible, for example, a small aquarium), then you can refuse filtration and aeration, just change the water more often. Guppies are often kept in small aquariums, such as in an office or small spaces, or rooms where you need to make a small living corner. Guppies are very suitable if a child wants to keep fish. A small aquarium can be placed in the nursery, for example, 15-30 liters. In such a volume of the aquarium, 5-8 individuals can be placed.

History and origin of guppies

The homeland of the guppy fish is the rivers of the northern part South America in Venezuela, Guyana, Brazil and the islands of Barbados, Tobago and Trinidad. From where they were distributed around the world. Initially, guppies were brought to England, where they were introduced by the scientist Robert John Lechmer Guppy, and this type of fish was named after him.

In the second half of the 19th century, Europeans noticed that on the Indian islands, where there were a lot of guppies, people actually did not get malaria, which was very common at that time due to mosquitoes. After that, guppies were very quickly distributed and transported to other water bodies and even countries, as a result of which malaria really receded. The popularity of Guppy has grown very much around the world, as soon as the guppy came to Europe, the robot was immediately started by breeders who bred new artificial species of these fish. Since that time, hundreds of guppy fish, different in appearance and color, have been bred.

Now in stores where aquarium fish are sold, you can find guppies that were bred both in the USSR and Europe.

Difference between male and female. Guppy sizes

Male. Males have size up to 1.5 cm. These are dwarf, up to 4 cm. sometimes grow up to 5 cm. these are already considered giants. Males, in contrast to females, have brighter and more diverse colors. It can be all colors of the rainbow with multi-colored spots and a metallic sheen. The tail and dorsal fin can be xiphoid, scarf, train, ensign, lyre. At this time, there are thirteen varieties of guppies according to the shape of the tail. Males have a specialized organ for reproduction. The anal fin is transformed into a tubular gonopodium, which serves for internal fertilization. The body of the male is elongated, slightly compacted from the sides, slender. Male guppies in nature are significantly different from aquarium ones. They have a much smaller palette of various colors, this is due to the fact that in natural conditions there are predators from which guppies need to hide, so their colors are dimmer. But still, even in natural conditions, the male is much brighter than the female.

Female. Female guppies are larger than males. Sizes from 2.5 cm to 8 cm. In the anal region, the abdomen of the female is enlarged, the fins are always smaller and proportional than those of the male. The females have a short tail. Sometimes there may be small bright spots on the tail. The anal fin is round. The body is translucent, also elongated, with a more compacted back. The coloration is much dimmer than that of the male, it is gray-brown, with a bluish tint, gray with a greenish or olive tint.

Lifespan. How long do Guppies live?

Guppies live for a relatively short time. Life expectancy in an aquarium directly depends on the water temperature. The higher the water temperature, the less the guppy fish will live. Since the higher the water temperature, the faster all the life processes of the fish will go through and the faster it will die. Basically, Guppies live 2-3 years, this is at a temperature of 20-30 C. If the temperature in the aquarium is about 28 C, then the life expectancy of the fish will be about 1 year. There are also cases when guppies lived for about 5 years.

In the following articles, you will learn:

compatibility of guppies with other inhabitants of aquariums
care and maintenance of guppies

aquasik.ru

Introduction

Guppy fish can be safely called the most famous aquarium inhabitants. Almost every aquarium begins with these fish, especially if it was bought from the beginning for a child. Guppies are also interesting because they are viviparous fish.

The name of the fish in Latin sounds like Poecilia reticulata. The species received its Russian-language name, which is widely used, on behalf of the English scientist and clergyman Robert Guppy. Mr. Guppy discovered these creatures on the island of Triniad, where he collected soil plant samples. In 1886, the scientist reported on them to the Royal Society, but was ridiculed - the science of those times did not yet know about the ability of fish to give birth to live fry. But to the surprise of pundits, small fish soon appeared in the aquarium of the British Museum, which multiplied from those brought by the priest.

Guppies appeared in European countries in 1859 - then they were brought by the German ichthyologist Wilhelm and pointed out their resemblance to the Poecilidae family, two years later these creatures were found in collections from Barbados. But these discoveries were not known to the general public, so the new variety aquarium inhabitants was given the name Girardinus guppyi.

Under natural conditions, guppies live in rivers and freshwater lakes in the United States, southern and central parts of the American continent. In an aquarium they live up to three or four years. The most common fish are blue, gray, silver or white. Dots and spots of different colors can be scattered over the body: black, red, yellow, green, blue or with a metallic sheen. Guppies have small, rounded fins that are colorless and transparent in any color scheme.

Features of care and maintenance

Fish of this species can be called the most unpretentious and undemanding to the conditions of detention. Caring for them is not difficult.

What should an aquarium look like?

Guppies can be placed in a container of any size. A couple of guppies can even be placed in a three-liter jar, but with this content, the fish will not be large. The shape of the aquarium for these fish can be any: rectangular, straight and even round. But one guppy should have at least 2 liters of water space. When keeping thoroughbred specimens, aquariums of at least 50 liters are used with a powerful compressor to saturate the water with oxygen and a filter system.

Water Requirements

Aquarium fill up clean water, previously settled water. Water should not be very hard, but completely distilled for guppies will not work. For regular water purification, a filter is placed in the aquarium.

Soil and algae requirements

Soil with medium-sized particles will be placed in an aquarium with guppies - it should not be too dense. Twice a year it is washed and tested for solubility.

Of the plants for these fish, the Indian fern is considered the most suitable. This algae is able to purify the water in the aquarium and works as a living filter.

Lighting

An aquarium with guppies should be well lit. Length daylight hours for these creatures must be at least 12 hours. It is good if the aquarium is in the sun for a certain period of time in the morning, but too much light can cause a rapid development of aquatic vegetation (water may bloom).

Like many aquarium fish, guppies can safely be considered omnivores. They are fed with infusoria and cyclops, sometimes they are given ice cream, scraped meat and squid fillets. Live food should be the main part in the diet of fish of this species, but dry mixes can also be given. The fish menu is diversified by adding plant foods and animal feed.

The main thing in feeding guppies is not to give a large amount of food. Excess food settles to the bottom and pollutes the aquarium.

The difference between a female and a male

Guppies are among those aquarium fish that have pronounced sex differences.

individuals of guppies of different sexes differ from each other in size: the length of the male is from 1.5 to 4.5 cm, the female grows larger - from 2.8 to 7 cm;
the anal fin of the male was transformed into a holopodia - a special tube with which the male fertilizes the female;
all fins in females are smaller than in males, but the large abdomen is clearly visible in females.

Sex differences in guppies appear even in fry. Future males, as a rule, are painted earlier.

Reproduction of fish of this species is not difficult, often this process takes place in a common aquarium.

Guppies reach sexual maturity 3-5 months after birth, these terms are highly dependent on the conditions of detention (water temperature and diet). Under normal temperature conditions, males live 2.5-3 years, females - 3.5-4 years. Guppies stop breeding a year and a half before the end of their lifespan.

To breed and grow fry from a pair of guppies, you need an aquarium with a volume of at least 20 liters and a length of 40 cm or more.

It is noteworthy that the female after one fertilization is able to give fry up to 8 times. Guppies are viviparous fish, that is, already formed fry come out of the female's abdomen, which can swim and absorb food. Inside the body of the female, the eggs are fertilized by the gonopodia of the male and their development takes place there.

Fry appear 35-45 days after fertilization, these terms depend on the temperature of the aquatic environment. A young female leads up to 12 fry at a time, an older female is able to give birth to up to a hundred cubs.

Guppies do not have a parental instinct - they easily eat their fry if they are hungry. In order to preserve the offspring, the female, before the birth of the babies, is planted in a separate container with a lot of small-leaved algae. Before the appearance of the babies, the abdomen of the female becomes, as it were, square. After the appearance of fry, the female is removed to the general aquarium. In good conditions, a large number of fry survive - they hide in the leaves of algae. As they grow, they may not have enough food - then the fish will not be bright.

To feed the fry, use any food with particles that are suitable in size. To get beautiful specimens, the fry are offered different foods and they monitor the cleanliness of the aquarium.

When breeding guppies, one important detail must be taken into account. In young people, sex is determined too early and comes puberty and then the young males (and they always have an advantage over the old ones) fertilize all the females. At this time, it is advisable to transfer the males to another aquarium - this way you can control the process of fertilization and maintain the purity of the breed (meaning the color of the body and the shape of the fins).

The rearing of fry also deserves attention. The babies grow slowly, but when the male reaches puberty and acquires color, he stops growing. The rate of maturation of males depends on the temperature of the water: at elevated temperatures, males mature faster. At a temperature of 30 degrees, males mature after 3 months, but remain small in size. At 22 degrees, maturation lasts longer, and individuals grow larger.

Guppy diseases

Among all the inhabitants of aquariums, guppies are read as the most resistant to disease. But some diseases have a severe and prolonged course, which often ends in the death of guppies. Let's take a look at these diseases.

A sick goose begins to itch on the algae of the aquarium, sometimes dull spots appear on the body of the fish.

If a disease is detected, all fish must be destroyed. In this case, the aquarium is thoroughly cleaned, the soil, algae and decor items are disinfected.

Mycobacteriosis. In another way, this disease is called fish tuberculosis. A sick fish is quickly depleted, the abdomen is retracted and the back arches. The disease is not treated and sick individuals are destroyed.
Red scab and fin splitting. This disease is characteristic only for male guppies. The disease is characterized by the appearance of a reddish coating on the caudal fin of the male, which can spread to the entire tail and destroy it. The damaged part of the tail is removed with a sharp razor. You can help the fish if the plaque occupies no more than one third of the tail. For complete healing, it is advised to add table salt to the water at the rate of 2-3 g per liter of water.
Fin rot occurs in females. In the presence of the disease, disintegration of the interradial tissue is observed. For treatment, use bicillin-5, biomycin or white streptocide. Medicines are dissolved in a common aquarium, the course of treatment lasts 1-3 months.

To avoid many possible diseases guppies, you need to keep the aquarium clean, change the water on time. After buying new fish, it is advised to put them in a separate container for a while and watch them. Only after such a kind of “quarantine” are newcomers released into a common aquarium.

guppy species

To date, many varieties of these miniature aquarium inhabitants are known. For several decades, 13 varieties of guppies have been bred. To date, 8 guppy color options are known, and in total there are about a hundred combinations of colors and shapes of these amazing creatures.

Two types of classification are considered: they are divided into types depending on color (this classification is considered the most subjective) and depending on the shape of the tail and fins.

Classification according to color

The color of each fish can be divided into three components: the color of the skin, scales and plaque on them. Cell pigment is considered as an addition to coloring. When separating guppies by color, the main or dominant color is taken into account, by which the specimen belongs to a particular breed. Let's briefly consider the most popular of them.

Moscow guppies can have a green, purple or blue body color with a uniform metallic sheen.

Tuxedo guppies are, as it were, dressed in a tuxedo (this is how the name of the breed is translated) - the back of the body is dark in color.

The Spaniards are half-black guppies with a yellow tail. The caudal fin has a red border and a thin black pattern.

Panda. In this species of guppies, the front of the body is white, and the back and tail fin are black.

Neon guppies are colored in a wide variety of pearlescent shades that dominate the entire body.

Carpet guppies are distinguished by their tail, which is covered by a mosaic.

Leopard. The coloring of these guppies resembles the skin of this predator.

Blond - these fish have a body of light colors.

Glass guppies are completely devoid of color pigment. These fish have red eyes.

Galaxy. Guppies of this species have a mosaic coloration.

The savage is a variety of gray tone with patches of different colors all over the body.

Carnation. The fish of this species has an orange tail with black patterns.

Japanese guppies are characterized by a semi-black body and pale fins in various light colors.

Berlin guppies have a semi-black body and red fins.

The swallow is characterized by strongly elongated fins.

Sunset guppies have a coloration that resembles the sky at sunset (their name translates as "sunset").

German guppies are mostly yellow in color.

As a result of crossing various kinds, obtained guppy mix. The colors and shapes of representatives of this species are very diverse. A distinctive feature of the species is large females, their maximum size- 6 cm. Males grow up to only 3 cm. Greenish and neon inclusions are scattered over the surface of the entire body.

Classification depending on the shape of the tail and fins

Guppies have very different forms fins and tails. On this basis, they are further subdivided into several varieties. Here are the main ones.

Fan-tailed guppies are distinguished by a magnificent tail fin and a fin on the back that falls to the bottom.
Triangel. The tail of representatives of this species is similar to an open fan or an isosceles triangle. The dorsal fin is wide and raised to the top.
Fan-tailed acute-angled.
Veil-tailed or skirt guppies have a tail in the form of a closed fan, the fin of the back is directed upwards.
Flag-tailed guppies have a tail shaped like a flag. The dorsal fin is pointed.
Double sword. The tail fin of these guppies is oval with long rays. The dorsal fin is narrow.
Lower sword. In representatives of this species, the caudal fin has an oval shape, the lower rays, similar in shape to a sword, are elongated. The dorsal fin is narrow, straight with a sharp tip.
Upper sword. The fish are similar to the previous species, only they have an elongated upper ray of the caudal fin.
Lyre-tailed guppies have a tail fin that resembles a lyre in shape. The dorsal fin is raised up.
Speartails. Their caudal fin is like a spearhead, the dorsal fin is curved.
Spadetails - their tail is shaped like a shovel.
Round-tailed guppies have a semi-circular tail and a fin of the same shape on the back.
Needle-tailed guppies have a round tail with an elongated beam in the middle. The fin on the back is raised up.

Guppies are able to breed even in a glass of water.
Guppy fish, along with other organisms that have a short developmental cycle, are often the subject of research by geneticists and help track the laws of heredity.
The high sensitivity of fish of this species to environmental pollution has enabled ecologists to study the effect of chemicals and the level of wastewater treatment with their help.
Since the middle of the 19th century, it has been noticed that in the presence of these small fish, the incidence of malaria is sharply reduced. Given this fact, in areas of the West Indies and America, where malaria was rampant, guppies were settled on purpose.

Guppies are very popular ornamental fish and many beginner aquarists keep them first. But before that, it would be good to study not only the conditions of detention, but also how guppies give birth. The fact is that their reproduction has its own characteristics, although it does not present any particular difficulty. How to act in such cases and how to save offspring? And should it be kept at all? Let's try to figure it out.

These ornamental cyprinids reach sexual maturity at about four months of age and are then ready to breed.

An interesting feature: at an elevated temperature of the aquatic environment (+30 °), sexual maturity begins from three months.

Reproduction can occur both in a common aquarium and in a special spawning ground. Even a three-liter jar is suitable for this, since ornamental fish are unpretentious, and a couple will be able to give birth even in such Spartan conditions.

In principle, the type of container is not so important, the main thing is to perform a number of activities to create optimal conditions reproduction of offspring: appropriate temperature conditions and the presence of green vegetation (for example), in which future fry will find their shelter.

Most experts are unanimous on the question of how to provoke the reproduction of guppies: this is an increase in the temperature in the aquarium by 3-4 degrees and a change of about 1/3 of the water in the spawning (or general) aquarium. Naturally, there must be water.

However, some professional aquarists insist that such a provocation is needed only in a strictly defined case, when guppy births are difficult and premature.

When the male starts chasing the female, clinging to her from the side or from below, mating has begun. There is important feature: if the fish are in the total volume, then you need to ensure that there are not too many males.

They can drive the female to a state of complete exhaustion, there have even been cases of the death of females in such conditions.

Therefore, the ideal option is a couple of individuals.

The male fertilizes the female with the help of a special genital organ, which has the scientific name of gonopodia. At its core, this is a modified section of the fin in the form of several tubules, which only adult males have.

How to distinguish a pregnant female guppy?

First of all, it must be taken into account that these beautiful fish are, that is, they do not lay eggs or larvae, but they give birth, producing offspring that are already ready for life.

The duration of the female's pregnancy is from 28 to 40 days. It has been established that this depends on the number of fry that she bears.

A pregnant female guppy in its appearance stands out from the general fish team. First, a rounded belly is formed in her, in the department of which she bears eggs, and then the belly acquires a rectangular shape with a black area at the bottom.

This shape of the abdomen indicates that a pregnant female guppy will soon give birth.

Important clarification: during this period, it is impossible to change the conditions for keeping the fish, since a pregnant guppy before giving birth is very sensitive to the slightest fluctuations in temperature, water quality, and light intensity. The calmness of the female is the key to her successful spawning.

Guppy genera

Just before giving birth, the female trembles a little, moves a little, she has no appetite (some individuals even spit out food). If the aquarium has a heater, then the female is constantly near it. By the way, it can also be a sign of premature birth.

Directly during childbirth, the female's veil-like tail trembles, for a moment she freezes. Live fry go outside one by one, they immediately show independence, starting to move actively.

How many fry are born in guppies, no one can say for sure. The fact is that their number is different and depends on the age of the female and the number of previous births. In addition, fecundity increases with the size of the individual. That is why we can only talk about the approximate number of fry.

So, during the first spawning, from 15 to 25 children can be born in a young female, during the second and subsequent births, the number of fry increases from 50 to 100.

Postpartum behavior and fry conservation

Beginners in the aquarium business are often interested in the question of why guppies eat their fry. Yes, there are ornamental fish that take care of their offspring, protect them from the encroachments of their neighbors. But these species are in the minority.

And guppies, like other cyprinids, do not have a maternal instinct. It often happens that the female eats her offspring immediately after spawning and even at the time of birth, if the fry recklessly swims past her mouth.

There is nothing to be done: who did not hide, he died. Natural selection, you know...

What should be done to save at least part of the offspring?

It has already been mentioned that it is required to keep vegetation in the community tank that provides a natural hiding place for the juveniles.

In addition, when breeding in a separate spawning area, it is important not to miss the moment when it is time to plant a female guppy.

The opinion here is the same: this is done immediately after the female gives birth to the last fry. Of course, if the owner of the aquarium wants to keep the offspring, and such a goal is not set in every case.

Another variant: spawning takes place in a community aquarium. In this case, the aquarist must decide for himself whether it is necessary to plant guppy fry in a separate nursery tank.

If such a decision is made, then the juveniles are carefully and quickly collected with a plastic cup and transferred to the prepared water Kindergarten. Of course, it is impossible to collect all the fry, but it is quite possible to save most of them.

How to care for guppy fry?

The most important for the further development of cubs are the first 3-5 days of their life. The practice of breeding fish in an aquarium has long and specifically determined how to feed guppy fry during this period and how best to do it.

Experts believe that food should be plentiful and around the clock. At first, it is recommended to give live dust, brine shrimp, rotifers, microworms.

As a top dressing, you can also use a solution of boiled and mashed egg yolk in a tablespoon of aquarium water.

A case of the birth of 180 small guppies at once was recorded. Calculating the exact number of small individuals is further complicated by the fact that the parents eat the fry.

There are commercial feeds specially formulated for feeding fry. For example, the German MicroMin contains all the necessary elements that contribute to the stable development of juveniles.

It is not recommended to turn off the light above the rearing aquarium in the first week (constant lighting has a positive effect on the growth of juveniles), and feeding should be done 5-6 times a day, from the second week to two months of age - at least 2-3 times a day, avoiding overfeeding.

By the way, it depends on the nutrition in the first month of life how quickly guppy fry grow. With high-quality plentiful feeding, after about 2 weeks they reach sizes from 1.5 to 2 cm. Some breeders believe that with such sizes, fry can already be released into a common aquarium.

Guppy fry: how to determine the gender

From the same age, you can start gender sorting of fish (if necessary for selection). In young females from two weeks of age onwards, a sure sign of gender appears - dark spot in the lower part of the abdomen, closer to the anal fin. If necessary, females are caught and deposited. However, this feature appears unevenly in individuals, and such work should be continued for up to one and a half months.

Some difficulty can be experienced in distinguishing light (silver) breeds of guppies. In this case, the spot will not be black, but light, but this area of \u200b\u200bthe tummy will be matte, without a silvery sheen.

Guppies are unpretentious and beautiful fish found in many home and office aquariums. There is no need to panic if one day new small tenants appear in the fish house, and this process will be repeated every 1.5-2 months. If there is no desire to specifically engage in breeding ornamental cyprinids, then natural selection will put everything in its place. The task of the aquarist is to prevent overpopulation of the aquarium.

SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION:

Kingdom: Animals.

Type: Chordates.

Class: Ray-finned fish.

Order: Carp-tooth-shaped.

Family: Pecilia (Poeciliidae).

Genus: Pecilia.

Scientific name: Poecilia reticulata, Peters, 1859.

Also known: Lebistes poecilioides De Filippi, 1861; Girardinus guppii Gunther, 1866.

Water parameters for keeping guppies in an aquarium:

Temperature: 20 - 26 C;

Acidity, 6.5 - 8.5 pH;

Hardness: up to 25 gH;

Maximum size: 6cm (females), 3cm (males);

Aggressiveness: peaceful;

Filtration is good, weekly 25% water changes.

Guppies, also known as Poecilia reticulata, also known as Millions Fish (fish of millions), are at all times one of the favorite fish not only for beginners, but also for seasoned aquarists. Their coloration is as individual as a fingerprint, making each fish a unique and inimitable work of art. Each guppy is a masterpiece!

No wonder guppies were the most popular fish of the last century. Enthusiast breeders managed, in just a few decades, to transform wild guppies - they were mostly gray fish, with a few colored spots. But, in the hands of breeders, guppies turned into fish with the most saturated and bright colors.

Beloved by all guppies are not limited only to the magnificent appearance, their personality is characterized by the perfect balance of activity and confidence.

guppy habitat

They live in the northeastern part of South America, Central America, the southern part of the Caribbean, primarily Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana with the islands of Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda, the Netherlands Antilles. Currently, as a result of artificial acclimatization, these fish have spread to all continents. Wild specimens are relatively rare in home aquariums, most of the fish in our stores come from commercial farms.

Incredibly, however, this species of fish has adapted to almost all biotopes: from high mountain streams to muddy swamps and canals. Some populations also exist in brackish water bodies. However, the fish feel most comfortable in places with dense vegetation.

A little history about guppies

The history of the small guppy fish begins with the settlement on the island of Trinidad, near the delta of the South American Orinoco River, by the family of Robert Guppy, a lawyer by profession. The son of a lawyer, Robert John Lechmer Guppy, a paleontologist, was fond of botany and collected beautiful tropical flowers in the vicinity of the capital of Port of Spain, Trinidad. The St. Anna River flowed through this town, in the upper reaches of which, in 1866, small fish were found. Later, but in the same year, Lechmere Guppy caught a few specimens and took them with him to England. Under the strict supervision of Lechmer Guppy, the fish successfully survived a four-week sea voyage and were presented at the British Museum of Natural History, the director of which was the famous scientist of that time, Dr. Elbert Gunther. The fish were described as belonging to the genus Girardinus and named after the Guppy who found and delivered them, Girardinus guppyi. ( interesting fact, these fish are kept and sow the day in the British Museum.) However, Elbert Günther did not know that seven years earlier these fish were described by Professor Wilhelm Karl Hartwig Peters from specimens obtained from Venezuela, the length of which was 39 mm, and the height of the body in females 9 mm, which is why the name Poecilia reticulate Peters existed from 1859 until 1861. And in 1861, the Italian researcher F. De Filippi (De Filippi), studied the preserved specimens of small guppy fish obtained from Barbados and described a new genus Lebistes, and the fish was named Lebistes poeciloides. Subsequently, in accordance with the rules of scientific priority, they were named Lebistes reticulatus (Peters, 1859). Under this name, fish are mentioned in aquarium literature until 1963. In 1963, under the guidance of ichthyologists D. E. Rosen and R. M. Bailey, the last revision of viviparous fish belonging to the pecilli (the results of which were published in 1963 in the Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History), on the basis of which the guppy fish was returned the original name Poecilia reticulate Peters, 1859.

In the countries of continental Europe, the pronunciation of the word Guppy, distorted in the German manner, as “Guppy”, has taken root. And here is the correct one English name fish consumed in the USA, Canada, Great Britain and Australia - Guppy.

Subsequently, this fish could be found in the literature under the following names: Millions Fish, Million Fish, Fancy Guppy, Ornamental Guppy, Rainbow Fish, Fancy Millions Fish Guppy.

Description of guppy

The wide variety of colors within the species, the ability to reproduce easily and quickly, has allowed breeders to create an incredible variety of breeds with all kinds of color combinations and patterns.

Guppy is a small fish with an elongated body structure. Like platies, mollies, and swordtails, they are members of the family of platies, which have teeth in the upper and lower jaws.

The length of the male guppy does not exceed 3 cm, the female - 6 cm. The body of the male is elongated, slender, somewhat flattened laterally. The body of the female is also elongated, with a more flattened posterior part laterally. The male guppies are much brighter and have not only a beautiful pattern, but also luxurious tails and fins, while the fins of the females are short and the color is weak. In males, the anal fin has become a fertilization organ - the gonopodium.

The life expectancy of this wonderful fish in the wild is quite variable, with an average of about 2 years. Under favorable conditions in the aquarium, the fish lives from 1 to 3 years. It is worth mentioning that, like neon, the life of guppies decreases with increasing temperature, due to the acceleration of metabolism.

Over the years of keeping guppies in aquariums and careful selection, many types of guppies have been obtained, the care and maintenance of which is not at all so simple. At present, it is very difficult to classify guppies, since as a result of numerous crosses, more and more new breeds are bred every year. The basis for the classification of guppies are body color (mainly in males), size, shape and color of the fins. The name of the fish is obtained solely by the color of the tail fin: so if the guppy has a yellow body color and a red tail, then it will be called a red guppy.

Female wild guppies have exceptionally transparent and colorless fins, and the body of the fish is gray with a greenish, bluish or olive tint. Subsequently, breeders obtained females with colored fins, as well as with 8 different body color options:

Albinos (recessive)- characterized by a complete absence of pigmentation. In albinos, the ability to synthesize melanin is completely suppressed. characteristic feature- Red eyes;

White (double recessive)- obtained in the process of crossing light and blue guppies;

Golden (recessive)- characterized by twice the amount of black pigment content, unlike gray. And the presence of dark edges on the scales distinguishes it from light guppies;

Cream (double recessive) - obtained in the process of crossing light and golden guppies.

Light (recessive)- for which the complete absence of dark pigment in the skin is characteristic;

Gray (natural)- obtained by crossing gray guppies with representatives of any other background color, which in the first generation receive only gray offspring;

Silver (double recessive)- obtained in the process of crossing golden and blue guppies;

Blue (recessive)- characterized by the absence of yellow and red pigments on the skin, however, red spots with yellowness may appear on the fins.

You can choose guppies not only by color, but also by the shape of the caudal fin. Consider the main standards of fin shapes recognized by breeders:

1. Fan-tailed (fan-tail) - the shape of the caudal fin - the sector of the circle (open fan). The length of the caudal fin is from 8/10 to 5/10 of the body length. Angles at the base from 90, not less than 75. The rear end of the caudal fin is rounded and convex. The upper and lower margins of the caudal fin are either rounded or straight;

2. Fan-tailed acute-angled - the shape of the caudal fin is a horizontally elongated isosceles triangle. The length of the caudal fin is from 8/10 to 5/10 of the body length. Angles at the base from 30 to 55. The posterior end of the caudal fin has straight edges. The dorsal fin is narrow with a pointed end;

3. Fan-tailed cut - the shape of the caudal fin is an isosceles triangle. The length of the caudal fin is from 8/10 to 5/10 of the body length. Angles at the base from 70, not less than 50. The rear end of the caudal fin has straight edges. The dorsal fin widens from the base and has a blunt end;

4. Top sword (top sword) - the shape of the tail fin is oval. The length of the caudal fin is from 6/10 to 9/10 of the body length. The angles at the base of the caudal fin between the upper and lower rays of the "swords" and the body axis form an angle of 15 or are parallel to the body axis. The dorsal fin is narrow with a pointed end.

5. Lower sword (bottom sword) - the shape of the tail fin is oval. The length of the caudal fin is from 6/10 to 9/10 of the body length. The upper and lower rays are very similar in shape to "swords". The angles at the base of the caudal fin between the upper and lower rays of the "swords" and the axis of the body are at least 15. The dorsal fin is narrow with a pointed end;

6. Double sword (double sword) - the shape of the tail fin is oval. The length of the caudal fin is from 6/10 to 9/10 of the body length. The upper and lower rays are very similar in shape to "swords". The angles at the base of the caudal fin between the upper and lower rays of the "swords" are at least 30. The dorsal fin is narrow with a pointed end;

7. Veil-tail - the shape of the caudal fin is a skirt. The length of the fin is from 8/10 to 5/10 of the length of the body, the width is ¾ of the length of the caudal fin. The posterior end is concave with pointed upper and lower margins. The dorsal fin is narrow with a rounded end;

8. Spade-tail - the shape of the caudal fin is a bayonet shovel. The length of the caudal fin is ½ of the length of the body, the width is 8/10 of the length of the caudal fin. The upper and lower edges of the fin are parallel. The dorsal fin is straight with a sharp end;

9. Lyre-tailed (lary-tail) - the shape of the caudal fin is lyre. Fin length less than 4/10 of body length. The lower and upper rays are curved and pointed. The dorsal fin is curved with a pointed end;

10. Needle-tailed (pin-tail) - the base of the caudal fin is round. The length of the caudal fin is 4/10 of the length of the body. The dorsal fin is thin with a pointed end;

11. Round-tail - the shape of the caudal fin is round. The length of the fin is 5/10 of the length of the body. The dorsal fin is rounded and extends to the caudal fin;

12. Pointed or spear-tail - the shape of the caudal fin is a sharp spear. The length of the caudal fin is 8/10 of the length of the body, the width is 6/10 of the length of the caudal fin. The dorsal fin is curved with a pointed end;

13. Flag-tailed (flag-tail) - the shape of the caudal fin is a rectangle rounded at the base of the fin. The length of the fin is from 8/10 to 5/10 of the body length, the width is 4/10 of the length of the caudal fin, it has straight edges. The dorsal fin is narrow with a pointed end;

Small in size, but overly active guppies require a small aquarium. For three guppies, a capacity of 18 liters is quite suitable. When choosing an aquarium for guppies, it is worth considering their very good fecundity. The number of females should be 2-3 times more than the number of males.

Although the temperature range of keeping guppies is quite wide, you need to ensure that the temperature is stable 20 - 26 C; gH up to 25; pH in the range of 6.5 - 8.5, but around 7.0 is better. Sharp changes in temperature and water characteristics (pH, gH) have a bad effect on the condition of the fins of males. Therefore, water should be replaced more often, but in small volumes (no more than a third). It is useful to add table salt (1 tablespoon without a slide per 10 liters of water). Strong currents should also be avoided. As a substrate, it is worth leaving a preference for fine gravel of a dark color, which will only emphasize the beauty and brightness of the fish. The presence of snags and stones will give the aquarium natural look. Preferably moderate lighting with a duration of up to 12 hours a day.

It is worth mentioning that a sharp change in temperature and chemical composition water, mainly pH, can be detrimental to guppies, and keeping them in old water for a long time reduces their resistance to disease. Therefore, it is unforgettable to test the water with specialized tests or take on board the Indian fern - a wonderful indicator of well-being. If the fern grows near the bottom, then the situation in the aquarium is good. If the situation worsens, the roots of the plant begin to rot, and it floats to the surface, or even dies.

Of the plants, we can advise the mentioned Indian fern, Caroline cabomba, nitella, Riccia floating, Brazilian perennial, Canadian elodea, shoot-bearing limnobium, etc.

In a 100 liter aquarium with constant aeration and filtration, regular water changes, you can keep up to 300 male guppies, or about 100-150 females.

Guppy Compatibility

They are compatible with any peaceful species of fish, however, their veiled - sedentary forms - cannot be kept even with such non-aggressive fish as barbs. Therefore, purebred guppy species are best kept in a species aquarium. The aquarium should not contain plants with hard leaves and objects with sharp edges (stones, driftwood), which can damage the fins of the fish.

Based on experience, we can unequivocally say that guppies get along and are compatible with the following fish: (be careful, they can pinch and offend guppies. Especially adults), all , , , (speckled catfish), , small , , , .

We draw your attention to the fact that you should remember not only the compatibility of the fish, but also the capacity of the aquarium. Do not overload the aquarium with fish, especially since guppies breed like rabbits. Also, it is desirable when selecting fish, always take into account the water parameters that will be comfortable for everyone.

What to feed guppies

Guppies are omnivorous, but prefer live food: small bloodworms, daphnia, artemia, coretra, cyclops, tubifex. They always willingly eat squid, sirloin marine fish, finely chopped pieces of meat (beef), liver, heart, cereals, dry and vegetable feed.

Guppies should not be overfed, as fish are prone to obesity and then lose their ability to reproduce. The frequency of feeding is determined by the age of the fish, preferably 2-3 times a day. Fry are fed three times a day in small portions. After determining and separating the sexes, they switch to two meals a day.

Feeding aquarium fish guppies should be correct, balanced, varied. This fundamental rule is the key to the successful keeping of any fish, be it guppies or astronotus. The article "" talks about this in detail, it outlines the basic principles of the diet and feeding regimen for fish.

In this article, we note the most important thing - feeding fish should not be monotonous, the diet should include both dry food and live food. In addition, it is necessary to take into account the gastronomic preferences of a particular fish and, depending on this, include food in its diet either with the highest protein content or vice versa with herbal ingredients.

Popular and popular food for fish, of course, are dry food. For example, all the time and everywhere you can find on the aquarium counters the food of the Tetra company - the leader of the Russian market, in fact, the range of food of this company is amazing. Tetra's "gastronomic arsenal" includes individual foods for a certain type of fish: guppies, goldfish, cichlids, loricariids, labyrinths, arowans, discus, etc. Also, Tetra has developed specialized feeds, for example, to enhance color, fortified or for feeding fry. For example: Tetra Guppy is a balanced food for all types of guppies, consisting of mini flakes made especially for the small mouths of guppies and other live-bearing fish. High content vegetable ingredients and minerals contributes to the improvement of palatability and the active growth of guppies. The composition of the feed includes special color enhancers for bright colors.

You can find detailed information about all Tetra feeds on the official website of the company -.

It should be noted that when buying any dry food, you should pay attention to the date of its manufacture and shelf life, try not to buy feed by weight, and also store food in a closed state - this will help to avoid the development of pathogenic flora in it.

In addition to all of the above, I would like to dwell on the method of preparing a specialized mixture for the proper nutrition of guppies of any age - the “Modified Gordon Formula” (MFG). To prepare the mixture, you will need 454 g of beef liver, 454 g of dried artemia, about 84 g of oatmeal, 2 tablespoons of table salt. We separate all the veins from the liver and finely chop, pour cold water and grind in a mixer for 3-4 minutes. Then add salt and mix. The result should be a liquid mixture. Now we fall asleep dried brine shrimp and mix until smooth, and only then we begin to add oatmeal until a pudding-like consistency is obtained. The resulting mixture is placed in small jars and sterilized in boiling water for 45 minutes. The paste will thicken and lighten a little. We close banks. The prepared mixture can be kept in the aquarium for up to 8 hours without disturbing the water parameters, after which the residues, if any, are removed from the aquarium.

Remember that if you are going somewhere for a long time, do not feed your guppies. An adult guppy fish can withstand up to a month of starvation.

Breeding and reproduction of guppies

Guppies are viviparous fish. That is, they do not spawn, but give birth to full-fledged fry. The fry need a separate aquarium, because they are in danger of being eaten in the first minutes after birth: these fish are prone to cannibalism!

As a spawning ground for breeding guppies, you can use any container: a plastic basin (5 liters), a small round aquarium (5 liters) or just a three-liter jar. Naturally, any of the containers must be perfectly clean.

Pictured is a pregnant female guppy

The female's pregnancy lasts approximately 5-6 weeks. Your main task is to monitor the growth of the female's abdomen. As soon as you see that the anus of the female is a little swollen, reddened and a dark spot appears on it - immediately transplant the fish into a separate aquarium! Sometimes it is recommended to transplant the male along with the female. I see absolutely no point in this: the female is already fertilized, and the male will only interfere. By the way, the peculiarity of guppies breeding: once a fertilized female, she herself, without re-fertilization, can bring out offspring several times).

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To breed guppies, you need to prepare an aquarium: in a container with a volume of 5 liters, put a little Riccia, as well as some dense plants. Water temperature should be + 26-27C, hardness and acidity are left, as in the general aquarium. All this time, feed the female with bloodworms: she will need strength. Depending on the age of the female and male, from 20 to 100 fry are born. At the moment when the female gave birth to the last fry, she must be transplanted.

The fry are born in a thin caviar shell that breaks after birth. The fry do not need parental care: they stay in a flock near the very surface of the water, where it is warmer, and constantly ask for food. The best food for them is infusoria, it should be fed to babies at least 4-5 times a day. As they grow, the number of feedings decreases to two times a day, and the food itself becomes more “adult”: brine shrimp nauplii, chopped bloodworms, etc.

When breeding guppies Special attention give to the little ones. The fry don't grow very fast, but that's not the problem. The fact is that the fry grow unevenly. In this case, smaller and weaker individuals run the risk of dying of starvation: strong and healthy fry simply do not allow weaker ones to eat. Therefore, you should sort the fry by size and seat them in different banks.

Sometimes, during childbirth, "force majeure" circumstances may arise: the female cannot be born. In this case, you need to help her: do a water change in the spawning ground (50%) and raise the temperature to 28 С+29 C. In this case, the female guppy will definitely give birth.

Fish reach sexual maturity at the age of 4-5 months.

About guppy breeding

Guppy has long been a wonderful specimen, providing ample opportunities for breeders. Modern selection allows you to get fish almost, if not completely, identical in all main features: color, shape and size. And if the number of sustainable variations is in the tens, then the total number of guppies bred and sold through a network of pet stores around the world is in the millions. Guppies, like other popular livebearers, have been leaders in commercial ratings in Europe, the USA and Japan for many years.

Breeding new breeds is painstaking and routine work, requiring separate rearing of males and females in separate aquariums. Along the way, it is necessary to regularly and necessarily cull specimens with defects in development, shape, color and other breeding traits. Each fish is caught and evaluated in terms of compliance with all breeding traits.

Upon reaching sexual maturity, females and males of guppies begin to unite, at first only in pairs, and only after, as the necessary signs are fixed, in groups. Very often, only the first three litters of fish are used, since all subsequent litters produce weaker and smaller fish, which in turn requires more effort for their full cultivation.

One of the most important factors responsible for the successful selection of elite guppies is water quality, which in this case has three main indicators: purity, acidity, hardness.

Guppy diseases

Remember, prevention is better than cure. Therefore, it is necessary to provide the fish with everything necessary and recreate the natural habitat as fully as possible. And most importantly, do not forget to quarantine new fish.

Personal experience and useful tips:

Everyone probably knows these fish, even those who have never seen aquariums. We can say that these fish are the fish of all the children of the former USSR (were in all Soviet aquariums))). The fish is very beautiful and unpretentious. The tail fin is its beauty. The unpretentiousness of the fish lies in the fact that it can withstand "difficult conditions of detention." I have seen a guppy tank with no aeration, no filtration, no plants, no proper feeding, etc. - horror, a terrible dream of an aquarist. However, guppies managed not only to survive in such an aquarium, but even tried to reproduce. So to scoff at the fish, of course, is not worth it !!!

Interestingly, guppies reproduce - they are viviparous and actually do it on their own without any special stimulation. I recommend taking 3-4 females for 1 male, otherwise the females are simply driven. Fry can not be planted from a common aquarium, but then there must be floating plants on the surface of the water, for example, duckweed. The fry will hide behind these plants.

And do not confuse TYPES and BREEDS of guppies. There are only 8 types of guppies:

This is a common guppy Poecilia reticulata,

Guppy Endler Poecilia wingei (with 2 natural morphs - red and green)

And 5 species of Micropecilia (each with 2 color morphs).

The common guppy has more than 60 breeding (artificial) breeds. And all other species do not have breeding breeds.

Poecilia reticulate at one time it was imported into most third world countries to fight malaria, tk. these fish successfully exterminate larvae and adult Anopheles mosquitoes that carry malaria.

There are standards, developed International Council by selection of guppies. This Council constantly (about 6 times a year) supplies all its representatives with various kinds of information about the results of competitions, new directions in selection and part of genetics, organizes various international competitions, improves the criteria for evaluating guppies.

Currently created and there are various national and international standards for guppy breeding forms. International exhibitions and championships are regularly held in Europe, America and Asia, which have become world centers for the mass, commercial breeding of guppies for export.

In 1911 the first guppy exhibitions in the world were organized in Leipzing and St. Petersburg, in which anyone could take part, presenting 10 males of their own breeding.

In Moscow since 1957, regularly at the end of the first week of January by the "Guppy" section of the Moscow City Club of Aquarists. N. F. Zolotnitsky, exhibitions and competitions of guppies were held, in which everyone could take part. Unfortunately, during the perestroika years, this activity was suspended.

All of the above is just the fruit of observing this type of aquarium fish and collecting various information from owners and breeders. We would like to share with visitors not only information, but also lively emotions, allowing you to more fully and subtly feel the world of aquarism. Register on, participate in discussions on the forum, create profile topics where you will talk about your pets in the first person and firsthand, describe their habits, behavior and content, share your successes and joys with us, share experience and learn from experience others. We are interested in every bit of your experience, every second of your joy, every realization of a mistake that makes it possible for your comrades to avoid the same mistake. The more of us, the more pure and transparent droplets of goodness in the life and life of our seven billionth society.

For guppies breeding in an aquarium? natural process. How often your fish will produce offspring and how viable fry will depend on general conditions content.

Breeding guppies can be a lot of fun, as fish of different colors interbreed well, resulting in unique, new guppies.

How to distinguish between a female and a male guppy

In this species of fish, sex determination does not cause difficulties.

Males, as a rule, are smaller than females and slimmer - from 2 to 4 cm, their tail is much larger, and the anal fin has turned into a gonopodia (the tube through which fertilization occurs).

Guppy females are relatively large - up to 6 cm, they have a noticeable belly and a paler shade.

How do guppies breed in an aquarium? Peculiarities

guppy fry care

Babies are born already fully formed fish, so caring for guppy fry is no more difficult than caring for adults.

It is recommended to feed the offspring in the first month with finely ground branded flakes for fry (not to be confused with low-nutrient dry food!) up to four to five times a day. From the second or third month, their diet is exactly the same as that of adults.

The water temperature should be in the range of 24-26.5°C.

With good care, guppy fry grow quickly and begin to color by 4-6 weeks. Grown up babies are transplanted into a common aquarium. By about 4 months, guppies become sexually mature.

Guppy endler: breeding in an aquarium

Unlike ordinary guppies, in pygmy guppies, guppi / guppy Endler, reproduction has the following features:

Women's fashion and beauty

How to distinguish male and female guppy fry. How long does a guppy fry grow? How long does a guppy pregnancy last?

Guppy breeding

Females with species differences

Guppy Endler

Breeds and breed types of guppies

Species history

Breeding and reproduction

Mistakes of beginner guppies

breeds

Compatibility

Guppy diseases

guppy endler

guppy fish

Females with species differences

Guppy Endler

Breeds and breed types of guppies

How do guppies breed in an aquarium? Peculiarities

guppy fry care

Guppy endler: breeding in an aquarium

Description

Is it difficult to keep guppies?

Feeding

Compatibility

How to distinguish a male from a female

reproduction

Duration of pregnancy

How to determine pregnancy

Behavior before childbirth

When and where to deposit

Postpartum care for babies

Introduction

Features of care and maintenance

What should an aquarium look like?

Water Requirements

Soil and algae requirements

Lighting

The difference between a female and a male

Guppy diseases

guppy species

Classification according to color

Classification depending on the shape of the tail and fins

How to distinguish a pregnant female guppy?

Guppy genera

Postpartum behavior and fry conservation

How to care for guppy fry?

Guppy fry: how to determine the gender

How to distinguish between a female and a male guppy

How do guppies breed in an aquarium? Peculiarities

guppy fry care

Guppy endler: breeding in an aquarium