How to Keep Guppies: Mastering Water Quality, Feeding and Breeding Basics Is Key

Guppies, also known as millionfish, are a small tropical ornamental fish named for the male's broad, brightly colored tail fin. They are gentle in temperament and highly adaptable, belonging to the livebearing group of fish that give birth directly to fry, making breeding easy. They are an ornamental fish very well suited to home keeping and to beginners.

Keeping guppies starts with stable water quality and water temperature. The suitable water temperature is generally between 22 and 28 degrees Celsius, and the temperature difference when changing water should not be too large; each time just replace part of the old water, with no need to change the whole tank. The water should stay neutral or slightly alkaline, and equipping a filter helps keep the water clean and reduces the occurrence of disease.

As for feeding, the key is small amounts given frequently. You can choose small pellet food or flake food, occasionally supplemented with live food such as brine shrimp for extra nutrition. Each feeding should be finished within a few minutes; too much leftover food easily spoils the water quality and instead affects the fish's health.

Guppies have strong breeding ability. When the female's belly is visibly swollen and her gravid spot turns black, she is close to giving birth. You can plant more aquatic plants in the tank or use a breeding box to provide the fry with hiding space and avoid their being eaten by larger fish. In daily care, also pay attention to observing the fish's condition; if white spot, fin rot and similar problems appear, they are mostly related to fluctuations in water quality, and promptly changing and conditioning the water is the foundation of prevention and treatment.