Kingdom : Animalia Class : Actinopterygii Family : Poeciliidae Scientific Name : Poecilia Reticulata Size(L) : 4cm - 7.6cm (1.5in - 3in) Life Span : 2 - 4 years Skin Type : Scales Distinctive Features : Brightly coloured body and fins and give birth to live young
- The guppy is a small species of colorful fish found in the South American Lakes.
- There are around 300 different types of guppies found across South America.
- They are quite popular aquarium fish as they are easy to keep, small and colorful.
- They are colorful and have elaborate patterns on their tail fins.
- The female guppies are larger than the males with a small, patterned tail.
- Whereas the male guppies are slightly smaller with longer fin tails with fewer markings.
- Distinctively, the female guppies give birth to live young ones as their eggs are incubated and hatched inside their bodies.
- About 100 baby guppies, called fry, are born at a time and are immediately able to fend for themselves.
- The guppy fry grows into an adult in a couple of months.
- They get their name as the million fish because of their ability to procreate multiple times through stored sperm.
- Interestingly, they help in slowing down the spread of malaria by eating the mosquito larvae before they can fly.
- Therefore, as a means of mosquito prevention, they have been introduced to other countries.
- Guppies are omnivores, feeding mainly on algae, brine shrimp and a wide range of organic matter.
- Their natural predators are birds like kingfishers and larger fish.