The maroon guppies display a solid maroon/red colouring. These fish are small, easy to breed, peaceful, and suitable for community tanks or nano aquariums, but breeding requires protection for fry as adults may eat them. They need stable water conditions, with a minimum tank size of 40 litres, and are best kept in groups.
Care and maintenance
Tank:A minimum of 40 litres is recommended for a pair.
Water conditions:They are "hard water" fish, preferring a pH of 7-8. Stable water temperature is crucial, so consider a heater in colder months and a fan or air conditioning in warmer months to prevent temperatures from exceeding 28°C.
Substrate and plants:A sand or gravel substrate works well. Lots of plants provide hiding places for fry and make the fish's vibrant colours stand out.
Social needs:Guppies are social and should not be kept alone. They are best housed in groups of at least three. If keeping males and females together, provide two to three females for every male to avoid overbreeding the females.
Breeding and fry care
Easy to breed:Guppies are livebearers that give birth to live, fully formed fry. They are a great beginner-friendly species to breed.
Fry protection:The adults will eat their young. To protect the fry, use a breeding box and/or have plenty of floating plants so the fry have a safe place to hide and grow.
Diet
Omnivorous:They eat most small-sized aquarium foods.
