Guppy male "red tuxedo" - Poecilia reticulata

Especially the males of the Red Tuxedo Guppies are a beautifully colored color form and really shine in the aquarium. The Poecilia reticulata originates from South America. As one of the oldest aquarium fishes at all, the Guppy has a very long tradition and is almost for every aquarist one of the very first fishes that were kept. However, it is also still very popular with enthusiasts. Especially its easy keeping, but also the unbelievable reproduction rate did not earn it the name "million fish" for nothing. Therefore you acquire here a pure male group, in order to prevent such. Of course, you will also find suitable females in the store if you want to breed the pretty Guppies.

A same-sex group loses nothing of the charm of the lively and great animals, quite the opposite! A pure male troop lives much healthier and also longer, since they do not have to constantly court females or assert themselves against competitors. Also none of them will risk a "fat lip".

The great Red Tuxedo Guppy features intensely bright red fins. Its body features great rainbow colors that sparkle and glisten depending on how it swims under the lighting. The belly is bright, hence its name, as Tuxedo means "suit".

His new home should not be less than 54 liters. He has no great demands on the furnishings and substrate, but the mixture of dense planting in places and other hiding places in the form of roots or stones serve in any case his well-being. Also its swimming space should not come too briefly, because it swims absolutely also sometimes a few courses. It can be kept in medium hard water and needs a heater only if the aquarium temperature is below 22-28 °C. The males differ mainly in the way they can swim.

The males differ from the females mainly by their great coloration. They also have a gonopodium, a so-called mating organ, in the females the anal fin is rounded. A female Guppy gives birth to up to 20 young almost every 3 weeks. They belong to the so-called live-bearing toothcarps, where the eggs develop in the mother's abdomen. She releases live young fish. After mating by the male, she may self-fertilize several times and give birth to more young. A same-sex group of fish can stop this. Natural predators, as well as their own parents, can somewhat curb population density.

Endler Guppies and Poecilia reticulata can produce fertile hybrids, therefore these two species should not be kept together. For socialization with the Red Tuxedo Guppy, however, other bright fish such as Tetras, Platies, Mollies, but also Loricariids or Corydoras can be socialized with it. Guppies are hard to imagine a beautiful community aquarium without. Also it can be kept with well reproducing dwarf shrimps, like the Neocaridina but it can happen that now and then a juvenile disappears in its mouth. 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 protracted injuries and inflammations that heal only poorly.

Omnivorous guppies can be fed conventional dry foods such as flake food or granular food for omnivorous ornamental fish in the aquarium. 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 NatureHolic Guppyfeed is a fine soft granulate with 0.5 mm grain thickness, which is suitable as a staple food for all aquarium fish and especially for guppies. The soft consistency of the food beads is reminiscent of that of natural insect larvae. It protects the sensitive fish mouth from micro injuries caused by hard or sharp-edged food. In addition to animal food, guppies also need a vegetable component in their diet. As special additives we add garlic extract and the leaf powder of the miracle tree Moringa olifera to NatureHolic Guppyfeed. These herbal additives are attributed positive effects on the immune system and the colorfulness of the colorful fish.

Our plant recommendation: For planting, use NatureHolic InVitros. These are free of snails, planaria 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.