Guppies are perhaps the most popular type of freshwater fish in an aquarium. Fortunately, they are also quite easy to breed. Guppies are hardy fish that can adapt easily to minor fluctuations in water quality.
However, these fluctuations should not become common practice, as they cause some stress in the fish. The water temperature in an aquarium for guppies should be maintained between seventy-two and eighty-two degrees.
The level of H.P. should be kept between 7.0 and 8.2. As you can see, these specifications are much more forgiving than those for some tropical or marine fish. Guppies mature quickly and are usually only an inch and a half to two inches long. Their small body and fan-shaped feathery tail add a lot of interest to the aquarium. They are simply fun to watch.
As with any type of aquarium, there are three basic elements to caring for fish. Diet is very important. Guppies should be fed in very small quantities, up to three times a day. Guppies will eat just about anything, but their main diet should be frozen or flake foods.
This precaution is especially important when there are baby guppies in the aquarium, as guppies eat their young. The next most important element of caring for any fish is proper water regulation. Specific temperatures are listed above, but frequent water changes are also important.
Usually, every one to two weeks, as needed. If the water starts to smell bad or turn cloudy, that's a good indication that it's time to change it. If water changes are done gradually, i.e. changing about a third of the tank at a time, the fish will be minimally disturbed.
The last thing you need to do to keep fish healthy is to make them happy. Try to recreate their natural environment. It is recommended to keep a variety of plants in the aquarium for guppies to take refuge in.
There should be about 1 to 2 inches of the substrate at the bottom of the aquarium. Colored rocks or crushed dead coral make a nice addition to the aquarium and can help fish feel more comfortable.
A few varieties of guppies are the Fantail, Flagtail, Spadetail, Deltatail, and Roundtail. The names of all these different types of guppies focus on the tails because they are so conspicuous and unique.
The tail itself is usually about one-third the size of the whole fish. It is quite possible to have guppies cohabit with other types of fish. However, be careful when mixing these, as guppies are easy prey due to their fanciful tails. Guppies breed very quickly, usually every three to four weeks.
They breed with each other, so the aquarium can very quickly be filled with many different color varieties. It is entirely possible to have an attractive aquarium without having any other fish. If you don't want species to interbreed, just keep them in separate aquariums.
