Guppy
Poecilia reticulata · family Poeciliidae
The guppy (Poecilia reticulata) is a small, peaceful, freshwater livebearer from northeast South America, rated easy to care for. It lives at the top and middle of the tank and does best at 76–78°F in moderately hard water. The most important thing to know is that many commercially bred guppies are not hardy and are prone to finrot, so very clean water and frequent partial water changes matter most.
Edited by Marin Hale · last reviewed October 29, 2026 · How we check facts
Great for beginnersTropicalNano tank OKGroups of 3+
What can live with a guppy?
Verdicts against every species in our database, from our compatibility rules. How verdicts work
| Verdict | Species | Why | Tank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good match | Another guppy | No problems found: water, size, fins and temperament all check out. | 10 gal+ |
| Good match | Zebra nerite snail | No problems found: water, size, fins and temperament all check out. | 10 gal+ |
| Maybe | Angelfish | Adult angelfish may eat small guppies. | 30 gal+ |
| Maybe | Betta fish | Male guppies' long, colorful tails look like a rival betta and often trigger attacks, and guppies may nip back. Female guppies in a 20+ gallon planted tank work best. | 20 gal+ |
| Maybe | Cherry shrimp | Cherry shrimp prefer softer water (4–8 dGH) than guppies (9–20 dGH). | 10 gal+ |
| Maybe | Ember tetra | pH ranges only just overlap (7.0–7.0), so one of them will be outside its comfort zone if your water drifts. | 10 gal+ |
| Maybe | Neon tetra | pH ranges only just overlap (7.0–7.0), so one of them will be outside its comfort zone if your water drifts. | 10 gal+ |
| Maybe | Pygmy corydoras | pH ranges only just overlap (7.0–7.4), so one of them will be outside its comfort zone if your water drifts. | 10 gal+ |
| Avoid | Common goldfish | Common goldfish need cool water; guppies need tropical water. | — |
| Avoid | Fancy goldfish | Fancy goldfish need cool water; guppies need tropical water. | — |
| Avoid | Tiger barb | Tiger barbs nip fins, and guppies have long fins. | — |
Setup and care
| Heater | Yes. Set an adjustable heater to 76–78°F (24–26°C); guppies tolerate 72–82°F, and most rooms are cooler than that. |
|---|---|
| Feeding | Adults once or twice a day, as much as they eat in one minute; varied foods (bloodworms, brine shrimp, flakes, pellets); fry 3-5 small meals daily |
| Males vs females | Males are smaller with ornamental fins and colourful spots/stripes; wild-type females are grey |
| Male:female ratio | Several females to each male |
| Breeding | Adults may eat their own young |
Watch out for
- Avoid strong currents
- Needs moderately hard or harder water long-term
- Commercially bred stock often not hardy, prone to disease and premature death
- Overfeeding causes constipation
- Use gentle/sponge filtration so fry aren't sucked up
- Store-bought fancy guppies are weak and may need medication
Care tips
- Keep at least 3 guppies in a tank of 10 gallons or more, with several females to each male so the males don't harass them.
- Use gentle or sponge filtration and avoid strong currents, so the fish aren't stressed and fry aren't sucked up.
- Feed adults once or twice a day, only as much as they eat in one minute, because overfeeding causes constipation.
- Keep the water very clean with frequent partial water changes, and keep it moderately hard or harder (9–20 dGH) over the long term.
Questions
Do guppies need a heater?
Guppies tolerate 72–82°F and do best at 76–78°F, so the tank needs to stay in that range. Warmer water also shortens their lives, and at 82°F they live about 18 months.
What do guppies eat?
Guppies are omnivores and do well on a varied diet of flakes, pellets, bloodworms and brine shrimp. Feed adults once or twice a day, as much as they eat in one minute. Fry need 3–5 small meals daily.
What fish can live with guppies?
Other guppies and zebra nerite snails are fine. Use caution with angelfish, bettas, cherry shrimp, ember tetras, neon tetras and pygmy corydoras, and avoid common goldfish, fancy goldfish and tiger barbs. Tiger barbs nip fins, and guppies have long fins.
How can I tell male and female guppies apart, and will they breed?
Males are smaller, with ornamental fins and colourful spots or stripes, while wild-type females are grey. Guppies are prolific livebearers, so expect fry, and know that adults may eat their own young. Keep several females to each male.
How big do guppies get and how long do they live?
Adults reach about 1.5–2.5 inches and usually live 2–3 years. Stock from stores can be less hardy and may die sooner, especially fancy strains.
Sources
Each value is cross-checked across the references below. Where they disagreed, an editor chose a value and recorded why.
- Guppy (en.wikipedia.org)
- Poecilia reticulata (Seriously Fish) (www.seriouslyfish.com)
- Care Guide for Guppies – The Most Popular and Colorful ... (www.aquariumcoop.com)
- Guppy Care Guide: How to Keep Healthy, Long-Lived ... (www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk)
- Guppy Fish Care (Poecilia reticulata) (www.fishlore.com)
- GBIF taxonomy record
- Wikidata entry
Where each value comes from (19 facts)
| Fact | What each source says |
|---|---|
| Adult size editor decision | en.wikipedia.org: “males are typically 1.5–4 cm (0.6–1.6 in) long, while females are 3–7 cm (1.2–2.8 in) long” seriouslyfish.com: “Max size 60mm SL2.4in SL” aquariumcoop.com: “Guppies grow to an average of 2 inches long” practicalfishkeeping.co.uk: “Size: Females up to 5cm (2"), males typically remain smaller.” fishlore.com: “The majority of males reach 2 inches in length. ... Female fancy guppies tend to be 2.5 inches in length.” |
| Lifespan | en.wikipedia.org: “Total lifespan of guppies in the wild varies greatly, but it is typically around 2 years.” aquariumcoop.com: “At this temperature range, your guppies should have an average life span of two to three years.” fishlore.com: “Lifespan : 3 - 5 years” |
| Breeding type | en.wikipedia.org: “is classified as a livebearer” seriouslyfish.com: “Very easy. Livebearer.” aquariumcoop.com: “this hardy livebearer (or fish that gives birth to live young)” practicalfishkeeping.co.uk: “the young are born as free-swimming fry rather than spending their early development as exposed eggs” fishlore.com: “Guppies are livebearers and are not very hard to breed.” |
| Native to | en.wikipedia.org: “Native to northeast South America, it has been introduced to many environments” seriouslyfish.com: “native to northeastern South America and the southern Caribbean, including Venezuela and Trinidad” aquariumcoop.com: “Discovered in South America around the 1860s” practicalfishkeeping.co.uk: “Native to Venezuela, Barbados, Trinidad, northern Brazil and the Guianas” fishlore.com: “Originally from an island northeast of South America.” |
| Water type | en.wikipedia.org: “one of the most popular freshwater aquarium fish species” fishlore.com: “The Guppy is perhaps the most popular freshwater tropical fish species” |
| Telling males from females | en.wikipedia.org: “While wild-type females are grey in body colour, males have splashes, spots, or stripes” seriouslyfish.com: “Females are larger, plumper and generally exhibit dull colouration” aquariumcoop.com: “Males are very colorful and have a modified anal fin called a gonopodium” practicalfishkeeping.co.uk: “Females are often larger and more rotund, and their anal fin is rounded like a fan.” fishlore.com: “The female is usually larger, thicker bodied, with less color and a smaller cuadal fin (tail).” |
| Breeding | en.wikipedia.org: “also eating its own young, when kept in laboratory conditions” seriouslyfish.com: “Adult fish will eat the young so it is better to remove them after the fry are born” aquariumcoop.com: “They give birth approximately every 30 days and will predate on their own young” practicalfishkeeping.co.uk: “Guppy fry are almost inevitable if you keep female guppies.” fishlore.com: “Parents will eat their young if not separated.” |
| Temperature editor decision | seriouslyfish.com: “17–28°C63–82°F” aquariumcoop.com: “An aquarium heater is recommended to keep the water warmer at 76 to 78°F” practicalfishkeeping.co.uk: “Temperature: 22-28°C (72-83°F).” fishlore.com: “Temperature : 66°F - 84°F (19°C - 29°C)” |
| pH | seriouslyfish.com: “pH 7.0–8.5” practicalfishkeeping.co.uk: “Aim for stable conditions with the range of pH 7–8, and 9-20 dH.” fishlore.com: “pH : 7 - 8, harder water rather than softer” |
| Smallest tank editor decision | seriouslyfish.com: “Volume ~41litres~11US gal” aquariumcoop.com: “the smallest tank size we recommend is a 5-gallon aquarium for a trio of guppies” fishlore.com: “Aquarium Size : 10 gallon or larger.” |
| Temperament | seriouslyfish.com: “A very peaceful fish.” practicalfishkeeping.co.uk: “Temperament: Peaceful towards other species, although males can be overzealous towards females.” fishlore.com: “This is a mostly peaceful and hardy fish that is good for beginners.” |
| Long fins | seriouslyfish.com: “available in many aquarium-bred varieties with elongated finnage” practicalfishkeeping.co.uk: “The long fins of many captive strains make them particularly vulnerable to fin-nipping species” |
| Care level | seriouslyfish.com: “Difficulty6 of 8 measures Easy” fishlore.com: “Care Level : Easy, good for freshwater beginners when you have only one gender.” |
| Hardness (GH) editor decision | seriouslyfish.com: “Hardness 8–30dGH” practicalfishkeeping.co.uk: “Aim for stable conditions with the range of pH 7–8, and 9-20 dH.” fishlore.com: “Water Hardness : 10° to 20° dH,” |
| Male:female ratio | seriouslyfish.com: “It is advisable to keep several females to each male” aquariumcoop.com: “start with a ratio of one male for every two to three females” practicalfishkeeping.co.uk: “Keeping at least two females to every male is the minimum I'd recommend, but three females would be even better.” |
| Group size editor decision | aquariumcoop.com: “a 5-gallon aquarium for a trio of guppies” |
| Feeding | aquariumcoop.com: “Feed adult guppies once or twice a day, as much as they can eat in one minute.” practicalfishkeeping.co.uk: “offer a variety of flakes, granules, live and frozen foods and ensure some greenery is included” fishlore.com: “Give them flakes, freeze dried and live foods. Vary their diet for optimum colors and health.” |
| Diet | practicalfishkeeping.co.uk: “An unfussy omnivore, offer a variety of flakes, granules, live and frozen foods” |
| Swims | fishlore.com: “Tank Region : Middle to top” |
Editor decisions (5)
- Wikipedia: males 0.6–1.6 in, females 1.2–2.8 in; other sources say about 2–2.4 in.
- Aquarium Co-op's 76–78°F is the ideal; Practical Fishkeeping's 72–83°F is the tolerated range, which is what matters for tank mates.
- Aquarium Co-op: 5 gallons for a trio; FishLore 10; Seriously Fish ~11. 10 gallons fits a proper group with more females than males.
- Practical Fishkeeping 9–20, FishLore 10–20, Seriously Fish 8–30 dGH: guppies need moderately hard to hard water.
- Aquarium Co-op's trio is the usual minimum; keep more females than males.