Guppies are viviparous fish. What are the types of guppies

Probably one of the most popular fish that you can see when you go to any pet store or even to the market are everyone's favorite guppies. Small in size, with a large tail and a bright color - they immediately attract attention. In addition, many types of guppies are among the first inhabitants of aquariums, both for beginners and experienced aquarists. Breeding and keeping these fish is so simple that in most cases it turns into a favorite hobby. Let's take a closer look at these fish.

Habitat in the natural environment

The historical homeland of guppies are the islands located in South America, Venezuela, Brazil. These fish live in fresh, clear and running water. But sometimes they can be seen in coastal waters without impurities in them. sea ​​salt. As for nutrition, such fish prefer live food, namely bloodworms, larvae and small-sized insects.

Given their passion for small insects, some aquarists even populate certain areas with large numbers of malarial mosquitoes with them so that guppies destroy its larvae. In addition, these fish have a clear division into males and females. As a rule, males have a more pronounced appearance than females.

guppy species

These fish got their name in honor of the person who first discovered and made public this discovery to the world community. His name was Robert Guppy. Such a significant event took place on the island of Trinidad back in 66. At the moment there is great amount varieties of these fish, each of which has its own distinctive features. Consider some types of guppies in more detail.

Guppy - green cobra

In addition to their high popularity, all types of guppies are very unpretentious and easy to care for. And this is not to mention their exceptionally peaceful nature, which allows them to get along well with the numerous inhabitants of the vessel. This type of fish is no exception. These fish are breeding forms. As for the maximum size, males are usually somewhat smaller than females. So, the largest size of a male can reach 40 mm, and females - 60 mm. Concerning appearance these fish, photos of which can be seen below, first of all, it is worth noting their green color, from which their name actually came from. Also, if you look at the tail fin, it looks a lot like a skirt. Its length, as a rule, is 5/10 of the distance of the body. Its back part is slightly concave, and at the top and bottom there are small roundings on the edge. The fin, which is located on the back, not only has a narrow end, but is also very strongly raised from the very base to the top. Also, small spots are placed in a chaotic manner throughout the body of the guppy, giving the skin a slight resemblance to a snake.

guppy blue metallic

Guppy species never cease to amaze with their diversity. And this statement is fully confirmed by small fish with a gray tint, a slight greenish-olive tint and rounded air fins, a photo of which everyone can see below.

As a rule, the life expectancy of these fish does not exceed 3-4 years, but it is noteworthy that, living outside their natural environment, they can grow several times larger. Also in the aquarium, these fish can be found in all layers of water.

Guppy Black Prince

Living exclusively in fresh water- This fish is simply mesmerizing with its appearance. A rich dark shade, covering almost the entire body with white patches on the head, gives the impression of a dark mantle with a crown, which actually laid the foundation for the name of this species, the photo of which can be seen below.

It is worth emphasizing that the black tint in the female is not as pronounced as in the male.

Also, situations sometimes arise when they try to sell these fish as black monks, whose abdomen has a bright white color. But do not be deceived by the resemblance, as these are completely 2 different species.

guppy blue neon

Striking with their beauty - these fish first appeared in the aquarium back in the 30s of the last century. But even though quite a few years have passed, such varieties of guppies continue to be very popular. The first descriptions of this fish appeared only in 61. And they were found in the rivers of South America, Paraguay and Brazil.

If we talk about the external structure, then these fish have a rather flattened body, flattened on the sides. The main external color is gray interspersed with olive hues, and the fins are transparent. It is interesting that females cannot boast of such harmony as males, but their body itself is more rounded and with a characteristic bend not far from the tail. The maximum size of these fish, as a rule, does not exceed 40 mm. A photo of this fish can be seen below.

If we talk about food preferences, then these fish are best eaten:

1. Not a very large moth.
2. Coretra.
3. Live and dry food.

Important! Such fish take root best if kept in pairs.

As for breeding, it is better not to do it in a common aquarium, but to prepare a special vessel, closed from direct hits. sun rays. It is better not to raise the water level above the 200 mm mark.

Guppy Endler

As already mentioned, the types of guppies are simply amazing with their diversity and colorfulness. But among them there is one that is rightfully considered a real miracle. And this applies specifically to these fish, shown in the photo below.

These fish have received such a high demand not only due to their small size, but also for their extraordinary beauty and unpretentiousness. Maximum size these fish very rarely exceed 35 m. As for the appearance, the females not only look less bright, but they also have a monochromatic color. Also, a small spot appears on the back of the abdomen during the maturation of the embryo.

In most cases, these fish are more comfortable in upper layers water in the aquarium.

Important! Bright and prolonged lighting in the aquarium negatively affects the color intensity of these fish.

Although many types of guppies are different external forms and coloring, but there are basic rules for keeping them in an aquarium. So they include:

1. Maintaining the water temperature in the aquarium within 22-25 degrees. But sometimes, in some cases, these fish can live for some time at a value of 19 degrees. As for rigidity, their parameters should be in the range of 12-18 dH.
2. The presence of a large amount of vegetation, which will significantly increase the likelihood of survival of fry during the reproduction of these fish in a common aquarium.
3. Using a filter. As a rule, the internal one will do.

Compatibility

These fish, due to their peaceful nature, get along well with almost any neighbors. Certain difficulties can arise only if larger fish are introduced, which may begin to offend guppies.

1. Mecherotov.
2. Gourami.
3. Pangasius.
4. Barbus.

The ideal option would be to purchase such fish as:

1. Congo.
2. Speckled catfish.
3. Tarakatam.
4. Rasbory.

reproduction

As a rule, these fish do not experience any difficulties with breeding in captivity. And this is not at all surprising, given that female guppies are viviparous fish. So, the fry that were born, whose photos cannot but be liked, at first are forced to hide from other inhabitants of the aquarium. But already after a dangerous period, they are actively included in the underwater life in the aquarium. As for certain requirements for stimulating guppies to reproduce, it is worth noting the constant availability of clean water, abundant food and, of course, the presence of a male and a female.

But remember that parents can also cause the death of their children by successfully eating them without the presence of natural protection in the form of vegetation or accumulations of stones.

The most picturesque and interesting fish in home aquarium- it's a guppy. Many types of guppies are sold in any pet store. They are a decoration of any home aquarium and thanks to their small size, bright varied colors and a large beautiful tail, these fish create an impressive effect swimming in spotted flocks near the surface of the water. Their life expectancy can reach three and a half years.

Differences between males and females

The female is viviparous and does not lay eggs, like most fish, but immediately gives birth to a live fry. It is larger than the male and reaches from 3 to 7 centimeters. You can distinguish it from the male by color, which is not so juicy, and if the female has caviar, then her abdomen is enlarged. Individuals living in nature have transparent and colorless plumage and grayish scales, aquarium breeding species have a more picturesque color.

Males are much smaller than females and can be distinguished from 1.5 to 4 centimeters in size by a mobile copulatory feather, which is called a gonopodia and can be with or without a claw, this is a reproductive organ. Thoroughbred males are endowed with large beautiful and long plumage, and the coloring is much brighter and more magnificent than that of the female. Thanks to such large feathers, his small body seems larger.

Habitat in nature

In 1886, this breed of fish was brought from the island of Trinidad, where the fish live in a transparent
fresh water and feed on live food (larvae, mosquito pegs, mosquitoes, moths and small insects). AT natural conditions they are much smaller in size, they give birth to live fry. They belong to the order Cypriniformes, family Placilia and have rhombic scales (reticulum) in the form of a grid.

They are found in South America on the islands of Barbados, Trinidad, in the north of the Amazon, Brazil, and Venezuela. They are completely unpretentious and can survive in different conditions. That is why they can sometimes be found in various cool water bodies. The wild population lives in the Moscow River in the Lyubertsy region and even severe frosts do not frighten them.

Types and varieties of Guppies

Types of tails and fins

The tail may have different shape and length. The longest in needle-tailed individuals and can be equal to the length of her body. The dorsal fins of all species are sharply raised at the base. Can be:

• Flag-tailed - looks like a flag;
• Needle-tailed - round tips;
• Spear-tailed - similar to the shape of a spear;
• Veil-tailed (Skirt) - the tail unit resembles the shape of a veil or skirt;
• Double sword - both upper and lower are similar to the shape of a sword with pointed ends;
• Lyretail - shaped like a lyre;
• Upper sword - tail upper rays are pointed and shaped like a sword;
• Acute-angled - fan-tailed - have an elongated triangle shape with straight upper and lower edges;
• Triangel (fan-tailed edging) - a triangular tail and similar to a not fully opened fan;
• Fantails resemble a beautifully opened fully fan with a rounded tip.

Popular breeds

All types of guppies are artificial breeding varieties of ordinary ones, there are more than 60 of them. The most common types that can be found on sale are blue guppies with yellow, red tails and breeds such as German red blond, red fireworks, Berlin gold, tomato, etc. d.

• Guppy carnation carpet. The tail of this fish resembles torn edges famous flower and have orange-red or orange with dark, dark patches like an intricate rug.
• Venezuelan Japanese and "havana guppies" are dwarf guppies with a pronounced colorful color and multi-colored black, red, golden, green, blue stripes and spots.
• Veil guppies "Black Prince" or "Black Monk" - this variety was bred in Moscow and is one of the most spectacular forms. These individuals have a pronounced black color of the tail, their head has whitish silver and golden tones, fins can be with silver, blue, purple and golden hues. Pedigree veil guppies "black prince" may be pure black with the same gloomy eyes.
• The Red Dragon King Guppy is an all scarlet (bright red) body that can be up to four centimeters long. An elite individual has not only red fins and a body, but also eyes. Also in the spectrum of this breed there are golden, white and dark blotches and coatings.
• Brindle - characterized by a richly colored tail of predominantly orange and yellow shades with paint similar to the skin of a tiger. The tiger king has a rich defiant coloring and a magnificent fan tail.
• The green cobra is one of the most beautiful and popular breeding forms in Russia, the body is colored greenish-golden with a silvery sheen and resembles the scales of a cobra. The plumage of the tail is yellow-green with brown stripes and spots, resembling the skin of a snake. Usually this category has a round dark plaque-like spot at the base of the head.
• Guppy Berliners. Blue to dark purple scales, white head and tail feathers. Dorsal - orange and fiery.
• Guppy mix - this breed is obtained by mixing different categories of elite fish and is distinguished by a deep and clear color of aquarium luxury categories.
• Neon guppies have a sky blue tail, more often they are silvery golden and white belly and feathers. The spectrum contains white, dark, greenish blotches and overflows on the back of a silvery neon stripe.
• Guppy Sunset micarif. Their bodies are up to four centimeters long and have a silvery neon hue, the fins of this population are usually pale yellow or lemon yellow and tail feathers with a red edging that resembles a candle flame.

Breeding and selection

These are tenacious, active and strong fish. Experienced aquarists and guppy breeders are engaged in the creation of new elite breeds to participate in regional and national exhibitions, to achieve the largest possible sizes and clear patterns.

In an ordinary amateur in an aquarium, fish breed, some time after settling, as a certain period of getting used to a different habitat should pass. Reproduction can be stimulated by abundant nutrition and clean water. With fry in the stomach, the female walks up to 40 days, during this time it is recommended to put her in another aquarium. Fry can be up to 150 pieces, depending on its age.

• After the birth of the fry, it is necessary to transplant them into a smaller container, and after about a month, transplant an already large aquarium.
• Cannot be kept in the same aquarium different types and breeds and it is desirable to cross females and males of the same color.
• The average water temperature should be 18 degrees, these fish do not like warm water. The presence of a filter in the aquarium.

Guppies are considered one of the most popular fish bred in the aquarium. They are a subspecies of the Pecilian fish family, which has more than 170 various kinds freshwater, viviparous fish. They are native to Central, North and South America, where they are found in tropical waters. Optimum temperature water for keeping these fish is 25 ° C, although they will easily survive in cooler water. Guppies can live not only in fresh water. There are facts that they adapted to living in moderately salty water.

Male guppies differ from females in shape, size and color. Males grow 1.5-4 cm in size. Their color is usually bright, and their fins are long. Color and length depend on the breed. Their difference from females is the gonopodium, which is a phallic-shaped anal fin.

Female guppies are larger - 2.8-7 cm. At the same time, they have an enlarged abdomen, where you can see the eggs. Their fins are much smaller than those of males.

Guppies

For 80 years, during which guppies are bred in aquariums, 13 various forms this fish. All of them differ in the size and shape of the tail. Types of guppies with photos and names are presented below. Distinguish:

Round-tailed. Their tail has round shape, the length of which is half of the total body length of the fish. The fin on the back rises sharply near the base, and its end, which has a rounded shape, reaches the base of the tail.

Flagtails. In this species of guppy, the caudal fin looks like a slightly rounded rectangle that is adjacent to the caudal fin. The edges of the caudal fin are even. The dorsal fin sharply rises immediately from the base, and the sharp and narrow edges are pointed at the ends and reach almost to the middle of the caudal fin of the fish.

Guppies have varieties needle-tailed tail length is approximately 2/5 of the total body length of an adult fish. Its base is round. Rays located in the middle of the fin and have the shape of an elongated needle. The fin, located on the back, is thin, rises sharply immediately from the base, while the end of the dorsal fin in an adult male reaches the first third of the tail.

spadetail guppy gives out a tail fin, which outwardly resembles a bayonet shovel with a rounded front end. And its edges are parallel to each other. The length of the tail is almost half the length of the body. The fin on the back is straight, rising at the base, it reaches the caudal fin.

Speartails. The name itself suggests that the tail of such fish is similar to the tip of a spear, which gave the name to this variety of guppies. The long tail is about 2/5 of the total body length. If you look at the dorsal fin, you can see it is curved and with a sharp end that touches the middle part of the caudal fin.

Guppies that are called "Lower Sword" differ from others in the caudal fin, which has an oval shape. And the rays of this fin below resemble the shape of a sword and are slightly elongated. The dorsal fin has a sharp end, reaching almost half of the caudal fin.

Guppies whose caudal fin is the opposite of the "Lower sword" appearance are called "Upper Sword". The shape of the fin is oval except for the upper ray, which is elongated. At the base of the caudal fin, the upper ray of the "sword" forms 15 degree angle or parallel to the axis of the body. The minimum length of the tail is equal to the length of the body, and the ideal is at least 6/10. The beam must be even and horizontal, sharp at the end, without rounding. The oval base of this species does not exceed 4/10 of the body length.

The dorsal fin of this species has a sharp end and reaches the end of the first third of the caudal fin.

Guppies known as "Double Sword" in addition to the oval caudal fin, they have upper and lower rays similar to elongated swords. The angle between the rays of the fin-sword and the base of the caudal fin is 30 o. In this case, the tail has straight edges. The pointed dorsal fin of such guppies reaches almost half of the caudal fin with its end.

Distinctive feature lyrebirds guppy has become a tail fin that looks like a lyre. The fin on the back, rising sharply upwards, reaches the end of the first third of the caudal fin.

Guppies known as skirt or veil tail got its name due to the tail fin that looks like a skirt. As for its length, it is equal to half the total length of the body of the fish. The edge of the caudal fin has a concave shape, at the same time, its edges are rounded on all sides. The dorsal fin of the veil-tailed guppies, rising sharply upwards, reaches almost to the beginning of the second third of the tail.

Acute-angled and elongated fins resembling an isosceles triangle have fantail guppies. From the side, the fins look like a folded fan.

Fins can be compared with a partially opened fan fan-tailed edged guppy fish. In such fish, all edges of the caudal fin are distinguished by perfectly even outlines. The dorsal fin of these guppies reaches 1/3 of the total length of the tail of the fish.

tail fin fantails guppy fish, looks like an open fan with a rounded rear end. At the same time, the top and bottom edges are straight or slightly rounded. The dorsal fin widens towards the end.

There are a lot of breeding forms of fish, so it was not possible to classify all varieties of guppies, photos and names.

The closest to wild forms of fish are considered Guppy Endler, whose species are divided into 3 classes: N - fish that live in the wild, P - have a similar phenotype with Endlers, but their origin has not been proven, K - Endler's guppies crossed with viviparous fish of other species.

Color variation of guppy breeds

Due to the fact that the shape, color and types of guppies are so diverse, it is very difficult to name new breeds of fish. It is customary to give the name of the breeds according to the most striking features, but in this case, different breeds may fit one description. Therefore, the breeders decided to call them so that it was more or less clear who they were talking about.

• Blond- indicates the pigmentation of the body of the fish "blonde".
• Gold- The color of the body is golden.

• Albino- Differs in bright red eyes.
• Glass- differs by the absence of body pigment and black eyes.
• Savage- has a gray body (from 30 to 90% of the total area) and spots that may have red, green or blue hues.
• Neon – top part The case has a mother-of-pearl shade of white, yellow, purple, blue or green.
• Glass features a uniform pearlescent gray body color with a green or blue tint.
• Pearl has a “blonde” body with a uniform mother-of-pearl shade of yellow or blue.
• Moscow or metallic- a male of a uniform mother-of-pearl color along the entire length, most often blue or green.
• half black- the back half of the body is dark in color, while the front has light colors.
• Berlin characterized by a semi-black body with a solid dark red back and caudal fin.
• Canadian with semi-black body and white caudal fin and back.
• Japanese it can be with a back and tail of any shade, and its body is always semi-black.
• Spanish guppy has a tail with a yellow base and red edges.
• Panda distinguished by a semi-black body with a white front and a black, round tail.
• Smaragdine– on the body of a light green shade there is a mosaic pattern.
• Reticulated or cobra with a mosaic body and tail, having a shade of snake skin.
• Martin differs from other guppies in its strongly elongated body and fins.
• Leopard with a leopard-colored caudal fin (orange with black spots).
• Torch or mikarif has a yellow tail fin with a red border.
• Multicolor- practically does not have a gray tint on the body (no more than 30%), the whole body is in multi-colored spots.
• Color fog characterized by a one-color tail, which has stains or not bright patterns towards the edges.
• semi-filigree so named for back with a "filigree" color, while the front part is more like "glass".

Regardless of the type and breed of fish, they will not require special skills from the aquarist. On sale, you can most often find fish with red, blue or yellow tails. The most common hippie breeds are:

• Tomato - a pronounced bright red color.
• Breed Red blond has a red color with a tint that is called "blonde".
• Berlin gold characterized by red and golden colors.
• red albino has a red color with a characteristic shade of albino.
• red neon- pearl red with neon color.
• For the breed red filigree characteristic red color with a filigree color.
Red clove- Intense red.
• Fish breed red fireworks have a distinctive feature - red color with a "firework" color.
• Breed name Pearl red speaks for itself. These guppy breeds combine solid red tail fins that can be of different shades. They are distinguished by the pigmentation of the body.
• Breed blue neon It has a pearlescent shade of blue.
• blue carpet guppies are distinguished by a rich blue color.
• blue albino- blue with a hint of "albino" guppies.

The guppy breed is also common - Half black blue. They can be distinguished from each other by the color of various shades of blue.

Among the yellow popular guppies, breeds can be distinguished:

• yellow blond having a yellow color with a hint of "blonde".
• Golden- fish of a pronounced golden hue.
• yellow carpet guppy.

No less popular breeds of yellow flowers:

• Semi-black yellow(yellow with black patches).
• Torch(Intense bright yellow).
• yellow fireworks (distinctive feature is yellow with small patches).

Much less often you can see guppies with fins of green, purple, black, white, orange or turquoise shades.

White-tailed breeds include:

• Semi-black white(the black body is combined with a snow-white tail fin).
• Japanese blond.
• Pearl white(also known as Snow White).
• Canadian white neon.

Among the blacktails, the breed most often sold Black Prince.

Guppies with an orange tail tint: orange filigree and Orange carpet have common feature – Orange color with different kind its distribution.

Purple Guppy Breeds: purple filigree (purple with the color "filigree"), purple neon(purple mother-of-pearl shade), as well as Purple glass.

Greentails include green albino and Green neon. Very nice looking fish Sea wave , the body and tail of which are painted in different colors, smoothly turning into each other.

Which can become an exciting activity is not difficult. But at the same time, you need to know some subtleties that can keep the breed pure for novice aquarists or get something new for professional breeders.

Fans of observing the underwater kingdom believe that the most popular aquarium fish are guppies. These babies are a subspecies of the Peciliev family, numbering more than one hundred and seventy of the most diverse species of viviparous freshwater fish.

There are varieties of guppies (we will present the photo and name in this article) that can adapt to life in moderately salty water.

Distribution in nature

This breed of fish was brought to Europe from the island of Trinidad, where they live in fresh clear water and feed on live food (mosquito pegs, larvae, moths, mosquitoes, small insects). AT vivo guppies are much smaller than aquarium ones. Species of guppy fish are found in the north of the Amazon, in Venezuela and Brazil, South America on the islands of Barbados, Trinidad.

They are unpretentious and can live in different conditions. For this reason, they can sometimes be found in small cool ponds. Surprisingly, the wild population also lives in the Moscow River in the Lyubertsy region, and these exotic fish are not even afraid of severe Russian frosts.

Gender differences

All varieties of guppies (you can see the photo in this article) have some General characteristics. First of all, this concerns gender differences. A viviparous female does not lay eggs, like the vast majority of fish, but gives birth to live fry. She is noticeably larger than the male - the length of her body ranges from 3 to 7 centimeters. It can be distinguished from the male by its coloration, which is not so saturated and bright, and if the female is expecting offspring, then her abdomen is enlarged. In individuals living in natural conditions, colorless caudal fins and grayish scales, inhabitants of aquariums, breeding species, have a brighter color.

Males do not exceed four centimeters in length. They are distinguished by a movable copulatory feather called a gonopodia. It can be with or without a claw. This is the reproductive organ. Thoroughbred males have large, beautiful and long plumage. Thanks to him, a small body seems much larger.

guppy species

Varieties of guppies, photos and names of which can be found in almost every aquarium guide, are striking in their diversity. In this article, we will introduce you the most popular ones.

Poecilia reticulata

This is the most common aquarium view belonging to the family of Pecilian fish. Individuals of small size, whose life expectancy in the aquarium is three years. This species was bred by crossing wild specimens.

micropecilium

Fish from the Peciliev family has a beautiful multi-colored color. She has a more pointed mouth, and some members of the species have stripes on the sides and a round spot near the tail. Males grow up to four centimeters, females - up to five. These fish love lightly salted water and prefer to live in a separate aquarium. Owners need to be aware that this species cannot be crossed with common guppies.

Guppy Endler

This close relative of the common guppy was first described in 1937 by Franklin F. Bond, who discovered it in Laguna de Patos Lake (Venezuela), but then the fish did not become popular. Moreover, until 1975 it was considered extinct. To date, there are a huge number of subspecies of this fish. We will present the species of Endler aquarium guppy below.

The females of this species are usually golden or the males have bright coloration all over their bodies. Endler's guppies are much smaller than their counterparts, their size does not exceed four centimeters. Such a fish lives no more than one and a half years.

Types of tails and fins

Today, guppies can be divided into two categories: by color and by the type of fins and tails. The tail plumage may have different length and form. It is the longest in needle-tailed individuals - it is equal to the length of the body. The dorsal fins of all species without exception are raised at the base. According to the type of tails, fish are divided into:

• needle-tailed - with rounded tips;
• flag-tailed - resembling a raised flag;
• veil-tailed (or skirt) - plumage resembles a veil;
• spear-tailed - looks like a pointed spear;
• lyrebird - has the shape of a lyre;
• double sword - lower and upper feathers look like a pointed sword;
• upper sword - tail upper rays are pointed and have the shape of a sword;
• triangel - a triangular tail that resembles an incompletely opened fan;
• fan-tailed - resembles an open fan with a rounded tip.

Guppies: varieties by color, photo

All existing species guppies are selective, artificially bred varieties of ordinary fish. By color, the most common are blue with red, yellow tails, as well as red fireworks, German red blond, Berlin gold, tomato and others.

yellow german guppies

The fish have a distinct yellow color: from light yellow to bright lemon. The breed, bred by German breeders, has a delicate golden hue, the scales shimmer different colors- from saturated ultramarine to light blue, the head of the fish is white.

Moscow blue guppies

They have a characteristic rich and brilliant blue color: from pale blue to the color of a dark night sky. Breeding categories have lush plumage, and body size reaches 4 and 5 centimeters.

Moscow blue-green

They have a blue-green color with black, blue, golden and white patches. The head is silvery, light.

Red blond

The fish got its unusual name because of the bright red color that prevails in the color of the tail. The head is white and the body is whitish with a golden tinge.

carnation carpet

This fish has a tail that resembles the ragged edges of a flower. It is colored orange-red or orange with dark patches, reminiscent of the intricate pattern of a carpet.

Venezuela Japanese

A dwarf variety of guppy with a colorful color. It has multi-colored red, black, green, golden, blue spots and stripes.

Black Prince

This spectacular fish was bred in Moscow. Individuals are distinguished by the black color of the caudal fin. Head with whitish silver and gold tones. Fins can also be golden, silver, purple and blue.

Red Dragon

A completely scarlet variety of guppy. Her body can reach (and even exceed) four centimeters. Elite representatives of this species even have red eyes. There are individuals with white, dark and golden patches.

tiger king

The fish has a richly colored tail in orange and yellow tones, reminiscent of the skin of a tiger. He is a fan type.

green cobra

One of the most popular breeding forms in our country. This type of guppy has a greenish-golden color with a silvery sheen on its body, which is very reminiscent of the scales of a cobra. The tail is in yellow-green tones with brown stripes and spots, which also suggest an association with a snake.

Guppy Berliners

Mainly colored in various shades of blue color: from blue to deep purple. The head and tail feathers are white. The dorsal fins are fiery orange.

Guppy mix

This variety of aquarium guppies was obtained by crossing various elite fish. It has a clear and deep color of luxury categories.

neon guppies

This look is distinguished by a silvery neon stripe on the back. The tail is painted sky blue, the belly and feathers are golden and white. Dark, white, greenish blotches and overflows are clearly distinguishable.

guppy sunset

The bodies of these fish, no more than four centimeters long, are painted in a neon silver shade, the fins are usually lemon yellow, and the tail feathers have a red edging, reminiscent of a flickering candle flame.

Guppy Endler: varieties

And now, as promised, we will tell you about the varieties of the smallest guppies - Endler. Among them there are interesting specimens.

Blue Star

Representatives of the species are distinguished by a blue back and bright orange wings of the gills. In all individuals, regardless of gender, the tail has a fan shape, in males the lower rays are painted in dark colors. They are transformed into a small xiphoid process.

blue kite

This species gets its name from the intricate snakeskin pattern that runs along the sides of the body. The caudal fin is painted blue, and the upper part of the tail is framed by a white stripe.

Campona El Tigre

A subspecies of the Endler guppy living in the tributary of the El Tigre, in Venezuela. Currently, there is no reliable information that this fish has been preserved in natural conditions, but it is quite common in amateur aquariums. This species does not have blue tones in its color. The dominant color is light green.

Campona No. 3

On the body of this fish there are all the colors inherent in Endler's guppies, but male individuals have signs that are characteristic only of this subspecies. This is a black xiphoid process on the upper rays of the tail, and on the side there is a dark vertical stroke.

Campona No. 7

This variety of guppies differs from its relatives in the presence of flowers unusual for many other species. The peculiarity of this subspecies is the “snake pattern” on the abdomen near the pectoral fins, and the upper part of the tail is colored bright yellow with a dark spot.

Campona No. 9

A fish, on the body of which the primary colors are arranged randomly, in the form of spots. Interestingly, each male has its own individual pattern. They are united only by the fact that the fin extended by the back is always yellow color. Males use it to attract females - they raise it high and turn it around a little, thereby attracting attention to themselves.

Campona No. 17

Significantly different from other species with a bright red upper sword. In males, a round dark spot can be seen on the side, and another one, the same, is located at the end of the tail.

Campona No. 25

Dominant fish orange in color. On the tail are black and yellow longitudinal strokes. The "peacock eye" is clearly visible on the caudal fin, and its edge is framed by a snake pattern, which is often called cobra.

We have presented you the most popular types of guppies. The fish, the varieties, the photos of which you see in this article, are really wonderful. They will decorate any aquarium, and even a beginner in this field can take care of them.

These are active, strong and tenacious fish. They are not too demanding on the composition of water, but it is desirable that the pH is normal - 7.2, water hardness - 15 dH. To avoid sudden changes in water temperature, install a heater that will constantly regulate it. Guppies feel great at a temperature of +26°C.

Lighting

Guppy care requires proper lighting. It is a source of vitamin D, and its deficiency can provoke a curvature of the spine of your pets. Constant lighting will not bring benefit either. For fry, daylight hours should last no more than four hours, for adult fish - eight. Lighting must be turned off at night.

Scenery

They not only decorate the aquarium, but also serve as a shelter for fish. Pour gravel or sand at the bottom, in which it is easier to place live plants and various designs. Do not forget to arrange shelters: caves, pipes, grottoes, etc.

Feeding

These are omnivorous fish that must receive both vegetable and protein foods. At home, you can feed them processed food products: flakes and granules, live and frozen food (bloodworm, daphnia, mosquito larvae, brine shrimp, tubifex). You can give fresh, finely chopped vegetables (zucchini, tomatoes, lettuce, spinach).

Guppy (lat. Poecilia reticulata or Guppy- freshwater viviparous fish of the family Pecilia (Poeciliidae).

Synonym — Millionenfisch.

- the most popular and unpretentious aquarium fish. In a home aquarium, it 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 mixing them.

Guppies have a pronounced sexual dimorphism - males and females differ in size, shape, and color: The size of males is 1.5-4 cm. The body is slender. Pedigree individuals often have long fins. The coloring is often bright. Males have a specialized organ - gonopodia - a phallic-shaped anal fin.

The size of females is 2.8-7 cm, with an enlarged abdomen, in the anal region of which eggs are visible. The fins are always proportionately smaller than those of the 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.

Guppy lives in fresh and brackish waters of Venezuela, Guiana, north of the Amazon, in northern Brazil, on the islands of Barbados and Trinidad.

They are acclimatized on all continents (to combat the larvae of malaria mosquitoes, they are settled in warm water bodies around the world).

A population of feral guppies constantly lives in the Moscow River, in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bdischarge of warm waters in Lyubertsy and in other places - apparently, this population originates from fish released by aquarists. In the areas of the Volga cities (Tver, Yaroslavl, Rybinsk, Nizhny Novgorod), self-reproducing populations of feral guppies were noted in the areas of heated water discharges, as well as in the settling ponds of treatment facilities.

The Guppy genus got its name in honor of the English priest and scientist Robert John Lemcher Guppy, who in 1886 made a report to members of the Royal Society, in which he spoke about fish that did not spawn, but gave birth to live young. After that, he was laughed at.

Guppy breeds

For eight decades, 13 forms of guppies have been bred, differing in the size and shape of the caudal fin. These are round-tailed, flag-tailed, needle-tailed, spade-tailed, spear-tailed, “lower sword”, “Upper sword”, “double sword”, lyre-tailed, skirt-tailed or veil-tailed, fan-tailed sharp-angled, fan-tailed edged and fan-tailed. Now about each in more detail:

The shape of the tail fin is round. Its length is 5/10 of the body length. The dorsal fin rises steeply at the base, with its rounded end reaching the beginning of the caudal fin.

The caudal fin is shaped like a rectangle, rounded at the base of the fin adjacent to the caudal peduncle. Its length is 8/10-5/10 of the body length, height (width) is 4/10 of the length of the caudal fin. The posterior end of the caudal fin, its upper and lower edges are straight. The dorsal fin rises steeply at the base. Narrow, pointed end, reaching the first third of the caudal fin.

The base of the caudal fin is round, its length is 4/10 of the body length. The middle rays are elongated in the form of a needle. The total length of the caudal fin is equal to the length of the body. The dorsal fin rises steeply at the base, thin, with its sharp end reaching the first third of the caudal fin.

The shape of the tail fin resembles a bayonet shovel. The upper and lower edges of the fin are parallel, the anterior end adjacent to the body is rounded. The length of the caudal fin is ½ of the length of the body, the height (width) is 8/10 of the length of the caudal fin. The dorsal fin rises steeply at the base, straight, with its sharp end reaching the end of the first third of the caudal fin.

The shape of the tail fin resembles the tip of a spear. Its length reaches 8/10 of the body length, height (width) - 6/10 of the length of the caudal fin. The dorsal fin rises steeply at the base, is curved, its sharp end reaches the end of the first third of the caudal fin.

6. "Lower sword". The shape of the caudal fin is oval, the lower rays are elongated in the form of a sword. The lower rays of the "sword" at the base of the caudal fin form an angle of at least 15° with the body axis. The ideal and minimum length of the caudal fin is equal to and not less than 6/10 of its length. The oval base should not exceed 4/10 of the body length. The lower rays of the caudal fin form a "sword", its end is sharp. The "sword" is straight. The dorsal fin rises steeply at the base. Narrow, straight, the end of the fin is sharp. The sharp end of the dorsal fin reaches the end of the first third of the caudal fin.

7. "Upper sword". The shape of the caudal fin is oval, the upper rays are elongated in the form of a sword. The upper rays of the "sword" at the base of the caudal fin form an angle of 15° with the body axis or are parallel to the body axis. The ideal and minimum length of the caudal fin is equal to the length of the body and not less than 6/10 of its length. The oval base should not exceed 4/10 of the body length. The upper rays of the posterior end of the caudal fin form a "sword", its end is sharp. The "sword" is straight. The dorsal fin of the base rises steeply. Narrow, straight, the end of the fin is sharp. The sharp end of the dorsal fin reaches the end of the first third of the caudal fin.

8. "Double sword". The shape of the caudal fin is oval, the upper and lower rays are elongated, they resemble swords in shape. The angles at the base of the caudal fin between the upper and lower rays of the "swords" are not less than 30°. The ideal and minimum length of the caudal fin is equal to the length of the body and not less than 6/10 of its length. The oval base should not exceed 4/10 of the body length. The posterior end of the caudal fin ends with "swords" above and below, their ends are sharp. The upper and lower edges of the caudal fin are straight. The dorsal fin rises steeply at the base. Narrow, straight, the end of the fin is sharp. The sharp end of the dorsal fin reaches the end of the first third of the caudal fin.

The tail fin is shaped like a lyre. The length of its round base does not exceed 4/10 of the body length. The lower and upper rays are curved, pointed; their length reaches 8/10 of the body length. The dorsal fin rises steeply at its base. Its curved sharp end reaches the end of the first third of the caudal fin.

The shape of the tail fin resembles a skirt. Its length is from 8/10 to 5/10 of the body length, height (width) - ¾ of the length of the caudal fin. The posterior end of the caudal fin is concave, its upper and lower edges are rounded. The dorsal fin rises steeply at the base, the narrow, rounded end reaches the end of the first third of the caudal fin.

The caudal fin is an elongated horizontally isosceles triangle or an almost folded fan. Angles at the base of the caudal fin 45° or more, but not more than 55° and not less than 30°. The ideal and minimum length of the caudal fin is 8/10 to 5/10 of the body length. The posterior end of the caudal fin, its upper and lower edges are straight. The dorsal fin rises steeply at the base, narrow, with its pointed end reaching the end of the first third of the caudal fin.

The caudal fin is an isosceles triangle or a partially open fan. The angles at the base of the caudal fin are 70° or more, but not less than 50°. The ideal and minimum length of the caudal fin is 8/10 to 5/10 of the body length. The posterior end of the caudal fin, its upper and lower edges are straight. The dorsal fin of the base rises steeply. Wide, wider at the end than at the base, the end is blunt, reaching the end of the first third of the caudal fin.

The caudal fin is shaped like a sector of a circle or an open fan. The angles at the base of the caudal fin are 90° or more, but not less than 75°. The posterior end of the caudal fin is rounded and convex. The upper and lower edges of the caudal fin are slightly rounded or straight. The ideal and minimum length of the caudal fin is 8/10 to 5/10 of the body length. The dorsal fin rises steeply at the base. Wide, wider at the end than at the base, the end is rounded, reaching the end of the first third of the caudal fin.

The main types of guppies:

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— Guppy Berliners.

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— Guppies Reticulated.

Some other breeds:

(with a multi-colored body and a red-black "rug" on the tail).

Guppy "Yellowtail".

Guppy "Dragon Head".

Guppies are unpretentious fish, but they can reach their maximum bloom only when favorable conditions. Although they can live and reproduce even in 3 liter jar. Offspring of the most thoroughbred parents in bad conditions will not reach their brightness, nor their pomp of fins. The recommended capacity of the aquarium is 20 - 50 liters, and the water level is at least 15 cm. There should also be a border of about 5-7 cm to prevent fish from jumping out (if the aquarium is closed with a lid, it is important not to forget about forced aeration). Without lighting, guppies, like many animals, do not grow well and are poorly colored. You can put the aquarium so that in the morning or in the evening direct rays of the sun fall into it for a short time. undemanding plants, like nayas and hornwort, will grow well. An aquarium with guppies is often decorated with soil (coarse-grained sand or small pebbles) with plants planted in it. These fish do not burrow and do not damage plants. The design should be such that there is enough space for swimming.

The optimum constant water temperature is +24 °C. They survive in the range from +18° to +30°C. At low temperatures, guppies grow large, live 3-3.5 years, but they can easily get sick.

The duration of pregnancy of females is lengthened, fry are born large. At +18 °C, the development of caviar may completely stop and the reproductive function is at rest.

At high temperatures they live 1 year or less, grow small. The duration of pregnancy of females becomes shorter, fry are born small.

Water hardness (dGH) 10 - 25 °, acidity (pH) - 7. Guppies adapt better to hard water and tolerate salinity well (in sea ​​water you can constantly keep adult guppies).

Every week, the water is drained along with the waste products of the fish (remains of uneaten food and detritus) and topped up.

Important! In a decorative aquarium, it is permissible to keep only male guppies when offspring are not required.

feeding guppies

Guppies are omnivorous fish, they need small food of both animal and vegetable origin. These are mainly plankton (protozoa, rotifers), philodina (asplanch), crustaceans (cyclops, daphnia, moina, mosquito larvae), coretra (bloodworm), neuston (mosquito chrysalis), lower plants (chlorella, spirulina), as well as some algal fouling. They tolerate dry food well.

Quantity daily allowance feed is given approximately in the following calculation:

- for one adult male give 1 pc. small bloodworm (about 8 mm long);

- for one female give 3-5 pcs. small bloodworm (depending on the age and size of the fish).

Important! For adult fish, you need to arrange one or two fasting days per week (when the fish are not fed). Adult guppies can endure fasting for a month without compromising their health when normal conditions content.

Guppy breeding

Pregnancy of the female lasts 30-40 days. The fry are kept for the first week in the nursery where they were born, and then they are transferred to larger containers. At the age of one month, the fry begins to "determine", that is, the difference between males and females becomes noticeable. In females, the so-called birth stain becomes visible - a darkening in the anal area (in breeds with a light background color, the birth stain is poorly distinguishable). At 2-3 months, the anal fin begins to change in males, turning into a gonopodium.

After determining the sex, the fry of males and females are seated in separate aquariums and grown there. From farmed fish choose the best manufacturers. The most active males with a short veil. Selected producers will be placed in one aquarium for 10-15 days. Litter is received after about 4 weeks. One fertilization is enough to get several litters. The number of fry in the litter depends on the quality and age of the female and ranges from 10 to 150 pieces. Usually, shortly before the birth of fry, females are planted in a separate aquarium. Since females tend to eat their offspring, floating plants are placed in the aquarium.

Starter food - brine shrimp, chopped tubifex, mashed dry food.

To avoid uncontrolled reproduction of guppies, it is necessary to separate the juveniles by sex and keep them separately. AT winter period it is possible to maintain the temperature of the water with guppies within +18.0 ° C, which will allow not only to avoid unnecessary spawning, but also to give the females a rest from childbirth.

Compatibility of guppies with other aquarium animals

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.

Guppy breeding techniques

For breeding guppies, the perfecting three-line breed content is most often used. This means that 3 containers with a volume of about 20 liters contain 3 pairs of producers. For their offspring, 6 feeding aquariums with a volume of about 100 liters are used in which males and females are kept separately. Also, for growing fry and juvenile guppies, additional containers are used, the number of which varies in each case. After the producers complete their reproductive life, they are replaced by their own best offspring. In this case, the female from the first parental pair is planted with a male born from the third pair of sires. A female from the second pair of spawners to a male from the first pair of spawners. The female from the third pair of spawners to the male from the second pair of spawners. Such a shift is done at each change of generations of fish to reduce the effect of inbreeding, as a result of which the health of subsequent generations, size and color deteriorates, but nothing more. This problem is solved in the best option- exchange of unrelated fish of the same breed with other guppy breeders from other cities and even countries. At worst, mixing with another breed is used.

Mistakes of novice guppy lovers

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.

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.

Guppy diseases

Guppies are quite strong fish and suffer relatively little from the diseases common to tropical fish. noted mycobacteriosis (fish tuberculosis). At the same time, the fish looks emaciated (the back is curved, the abdomen is retracted). To prevent the disease, it is necessary to observe prevention (keep the aquarium clean, do not overpopulate it, quarantine newly acquired fish, etc.). Fish that are ill and suspected of having mycobacteriosis are destroyed, the aquarium and equipment are disinfected, and the plants are disinfected with bicillin-5.

In order not to risk and prevent the loss of a valuable variety due to disease, it is advisable to always leave a “double” to preserve the gene pool. Therefore, it is necessary to keep 3-4 pairs of young fish of this variety or its line in a separate vessel (a 5-liter jar is enough) on some dry or artificial feed, enchitrea, scraped beef, sea fish fillets, cereals (semolina, etc.), bread with adding lettuce, spinach, etc., without giving them natural food and using separate equipment (nets, hoses, etc.). These guppies will not be large and beautiful, but if the main producers are lost, the variety or line can be restored with the help of fry received from them.

Often in guppies, more often in fry, there is scoliosis (curvature of the spine). The etiology of the disease has not been studied. It is assumed that it occurs as a result of prolonged inbreeding (closely related breeding, injuries, disruption of the normal development of the egg when the pregnant female is fed dry food, long-term oxygen starvation. Sometimes females develop scoliosis after hatching fry, which is apparently associated with a sharp change in intra-abdominal pressure.

guppy fin disease

In scarf forms of guppies, especially in females, it is quite often observed fin rot- disintegration of interradial tissue. The disease is treated in a common aquarium using bicillin-5, malachite green with copper sulfate, biomycin (treatment lasts 1.5-2 months or more), white streptocide (10-20 g per 100 liters of water for 2-3 months) ; in a separate vessel, the main violet K, malachite green, bicillin-5 are used.

In males of veiled forms, especially fan-tailed ones, it is often observed frayed tail fin: its trailing edge becomes uneven due to the exit of rays to the limits of the membrane. The edge of the fin can be trimmed with a sharp razor, covering the gill covers of the male with cotton soaked in water. After such an operation, the tail will grow back, but its end will be unnaturally even, and the regenerated part will be pale in color (although there are exceptions).

It is often observed in males fin compression. The reason for this is, apparently, the monotonous feeding after they reach puberty, unsatisfactory and unstable conditions of detention. For treatment, you can use the sea or table salt(1-2 g/l).

Quite common among males is a disease called amateurs. "red scab", in which a bright red coating appears at the end of the caudal fin, gradually eating up the entire tail. The affected part must be cut off with a sharp razor, and salt (2.5 g / l) should be added to the water. The treatment of this disease can also be carried out with the help of levomycetin (80 mg/l, exposure 24 hours).

But the real scourge for guppies is quite often observed in veiled males. longitudinal splitting of the fin (the so-called “split”). Most of all, the split is noted in black red-tailed and carpet males. The etiology of this disease is unknown; perhaps it is genetically determined. But, in addition, it is probably caused (or provoked) by abrupt changes in the environment, in particular water temperature and especially pH, which is often observed when fresh water is added to the in large numbers, transportation, transplantation of fish from one aquarium to another.

The reason may be a lack of vitamin D, mechanical damage from sharp objects or hard-leaved plants, as well as unsatisfactory living conditions, diseases. If the split extends to no more than a third of the tail, the fish can sometimes be saved. She needs to cut off the affected part or transfer it to a separate container (it can be in an opaque jar that is afloat in the aquarium so that the water temperature in it does not change dramatically), where the fish becomes less active. For the fastest healing of the fin, as well as for prevention, a 5% alcohol solution of iodine is added to the water (1-2 drops per 10 liters). You can also dissolve 0.1 g of iodine and 10 g of potassium iodide in 100 cm3 of boiling water and add the solution to the aquarium water at the rate of 0.5 cm3 per liter.

In female guppies, it has been repeatedly noted hermaphroditism: along with the ovary, they also had a testis. As a result of self-fertilization, offspring were born in which 97% of the individuals were females (and also hermaphrodites, which in turn gave offspring from females), and a few males had chromosomes characteristic of females. Most of these males, genetically female, are sterile. Single individuals in which testicles develop, when crossed with normal females, produce only females in the offspring.

Often, guppies, like most and some other species, are noted cases of spontaneous transformations of females (even already spawning ones) into males. Such “redefined” males (genetically they are females) can have significantly big sizes than normal. Much less often there are cases of spontaneous transformation of males into females.

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