Guppy male "dumbo ear" - Poecilia reticulata

Guppies are the evergreens of aquaristics and have a huge fan base. Poecilia reticulata, as the guppy is scientifically called, originates from South America. Above all their bright colors, their various appearances and above all the easy care, which forgives quite the one or other faux pas, makes them so interesting particularly for beginners into the aquaristics. But even enthusiasts will find it difficult to get rid of them, and so the Guppy is almost the entry-level fish. As the Guppy is very easy to breed, you will get a pure male group, which does not lose any of its charm compared to a mixed-sex group. For ambitious breeders we have of course also the suitable females in our store!

The care of an all-male group has several advantages; apart from no uncontrollable reproduction, the animals are not under permanent power, because they are permanently busy with courtship. Also within their group they remain more peaceful, since they do not have to assert themselves constantly against competitors.

The great Guppy "Dumbo Ear" gets its name from the enlarged pectoral fins, which look like small elephant ears. In addition, this breeding form has a great cobra pattern that runs over the fins. On their actually gray base color they show iridescent colors that iridesce depending on the incidence of light.

The aquarium for the Guppy should be at least 54 liters. The substrate hardly plays a role, also he is to be accustomed to almost all water values. Partially dense plant groups increase his well-being, but also offer young or lower-ranking animals protection and a retreat.

Almost every 3 weeks a female Guppy gives birth to up to 20 young, which develop in her belly and are released alive. Because she is able to store semen once fertilized, she can self-fertilize and give birth again even without a male a few times after that. A same-sex group of fish can put a stop to this. Natural predators, as well as their own parents, can somewhat curb population density.

Just like Endler Guppies, the Dumbo Ear is a live-bearing toothcarp and can crossbreed with it, which in turn creates fertile hybrids. Therefore, these two should not be kept together if possible. Other lively fish such as Tetras, Platies, Mollies, but also Loricariids or Corydoras can be socialized with it very well. The Guppy Dumbo Ear is the perfect candidate for a community aquarium. Although it can also be kept with well reproducing dwarf shrimps, such as the Neocaridina but it may happen that a young one disappears from time to time. However, it is better not to keep the Guppy with dwarf shrimp, because it sleeps on the bottom and thus offers the crab the opportunity to pinch it in the sensitive fins, which can lead to injuries and inflammations.

In the aquarium, the guppy can be fed with conventional dry food such as flake food or granulated food for omnivorous ornamental fish. They also nibble on algae cover or growth, so they are happy to eat scalded vegetables such as cucumber, Peppers or Pumpkin. From time to time they can of course also be fed with live and frozen food such as Artemia, Daphnia the Cyclops are spoiled.

Our food recommendation: The NatureHolic Main Feed is a professional staple food for all aquarium fish. Main feed we supply in the form of soft granules, which thanks to its grain size of half a millimeter can be easily absorbed by small to medium-sized fish. The soft consistency resembles the texture of insect larvae in nature and protects the fish mouth from micro-injuries.

Our plant recommendation: For planting, use NatureHolic InVitros. These are free of snails, planarians and other unwanted co-inhabitants. Also free of algae spores, bacteria and fungi.

Expert Tip: We recommend for fish keeping the NatureHolic 3 Phase Liquid. The care set offers the best all-round protection for your animals. It ensures optimal conditions for successful breeding and keeping.