For any amateur pet owner who wants to start up their own huge aquarium, there is nothing greater than getting guppies. They are the quintessential fish that add colour and quantity to that fish tank in your house. Everyone loves a guppy or two, because they are hardy fish which can thrive in most environments. They serve as wonderful pets too, because they are of low maintenance.
It never hurts to start off with easy fish like guppies to grow and breed and then to move on with other exotic species. We all have experiences where we may have gifted or received guppies as pets from others. So what is so amazing about guppies that make them so popular? Why do people prefer them as pets? Simply put, here are 5 fun facts about guppy fish that you should definitely know and which would probably answer all the questions above.
- Rainbows and sparkles: Well not so much the sparkles, but you are bound to be surrounded by multi-coloured fish if you get the guppies! You probably didn’t know this, but guppies have a nick name known as Rainbow fish because of the variety of colours that they are found in. Would it really matter if your guppies sparkled? As long as they were spotted in beautiful patterns which just add to their sheen, it really would not matter. It is the male guppy fish which are endowed with beautiful colours and varied patterns such as mosaic, cobra and eve tuxedo! That is not all there are twelve different varieties of tails a guppy could possess. Just imagine all the varieties you could be presented with. So, if you want to add some colour in your life and, fish tank of course, guppies would be your perfect pet pals as they slink back and forth in the way that guppies are wont to do.
- Friendly fish: We’ve heard if fighting fish that cannot be kept on groups because the males will start turf wars, until the loser concedes defeat. Well, when it comes to guppies, you do not have to worry. Guppies are extremely social creatures who love company of other guppies. A guppy would be really bored unless it has another 2-3 fish along with it. Just imagine! A tank full of guppy fish that are multi coloured! That would really add to the appeal of your fish tank and would even give you a new hobby, watching your guppy fish interact with each other as they cajole and play with one another. Watching fish is said to be therapeutic, so while your guppies are happy with others like them around, you are going to get free therapy sessions instead of spending a wad of money on a therapist.
- Guppy babies and breeding: If you end up having male and female guppy fish, they will mostly end up mating and your tank will be blessed with new entrants. None other than baby guppies that would be swimming around. Remember; while it is quite easy to be blessed with baby guppies, there is not any guarantee that they will survive unless you take good care of them. So as soon as the baby guppies are born, move them over to a different tank so that the babies are not eaten by their parents. It has been observed that the mother would eat the babies unless they are separated soon. Guppies are one the easiest fish to breed and what started out as growing guppies for fun could even evolve into becoming a professional guppy breeder. A career in fish? Well, that isn’t something you see every day!
- No more pests! : We are no strangers to mosquitoes that haunt us every day and create general mayhem with their blood sucking abilities. Growing guppies, you could have your own natural mosquito repellent. Guppies are much valued because they feed on small insects and algae that are naturally found in the water. Mosquito larvae are no exception to the guppies’ diet, as they feed on them, ensuring that the infestation of mosquitoes is reduced. The breeding of malaria carrying mosquitoes can be reduced if you grow guppies in areas where you find stagnant water around. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to realize that you could save yourself from malaria because of the guppies that you grow in your backyard pond?
- No fuss, guppies are fun: If you are looking for fish that aren’t very fussy and can survive in varied range of living activities, guppies are definitely your go to fish. Even if guppies are fresh water fish, they can soldier on and survive in salt water too because of their amazing hardy nature. It isn’t only restricted to the salinity of the water, as they can survive even in varied water temperatures. Basically, your guppies would be low maintenance as you would not have to regulate the salinity or temperature of the water. With their fish feed and regular tank cleaning, your guppies should be fine. You don’t have to install state of the art facilities in your home aquarium if you only have guppies, as they are indeed not a fussy fish.
Aren’t guppies just wonderful? Start slow, start small and you could be a guppy breeder one day! Imagine being surrounded by all those little fish that swim around chasing each other. Isn’t it just delightful?