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Guppy Care Guide
(Beginner-Friendly Fish Profile)

Orange snakeskin guppy male swimming in freshwater tank.

Overview

Guppies are one of the most popular beginner fish in the hobby thanks to their bright colors, peaceful nature, and easy care requirements. They’re active, fun to watch, and breed readily—making them a great choice for new aquarium owners who want a lively, low-maintenance tank.

Tank Requirements

  • Tank size: 10 gallons minimum (20+ gallons preferred for groups)
  • Temperature: 74–80°F
  • pH: 6.8–7.8
  • Water hardness: Medium to hard
  • Filtration: Gentle flow; sponge filters or low-flow HOB filters work well

Guppies are small, but they appreciate space to swim. A 10-gallon tank works for a small group, while a larger tank provides more stable water conditions and make it easier to maintain healthy parameters.

New to aquariums? Our Start Your First Tank guide walks through the full setup process step by step.

Behavior & Compatibility

Group of orange female guppies being chased by a male.

Guppies are peaceful, social fish that thrive in community aquariums. They are active swimmers and spend most of their time in the middle and upper areas of the tank.

They do best in groups of 3–6 or more. Males are more colorful and active, while females are larger and generally calmer.

When keeping males and females together, maintain a higher female-to-male ratio to reduce stress and constant chasing. Guppies can jump, so a secure lid is recommended.

Good tank mates include:

Avoid housing guppies with aggressive or fin-nipping species such as tiger barbs.

Diet

Guppies are omnivorous and will accept a wide variety of foods. A balanced diet helps support healthy growth, strong immune systems, and vibrant coloration.

Good food options include:

  • Quality flake or micro pellets
  • Frozen foods such as brine shrimp or daphnia
  • Live foods (optional, if available)
  • Occasional plant-based or veggie foods

Feed small amounts 1–2 times per day, only what they can consume within a few minutes. Avoid overfeeding, as excess food can quickly affect water quality.

Breeding

Guppies are livebearers, meaning they give birth to free-swimming fry rather than laying eggs and breed easily in home aquariums. Females give birth to live fry approximately every 30 days under stable conditions.

If you do not want to raise fry, keeping males only or limiting hiding places will usually prevent most babies from surviving.

If you are interested in breeding, adding plants such as Java moss or floating plants provides fry with cover. Fry can be fed crushed flakes or baby brine shrimp.

Why Guppies Are Great for Beginners

Guppies are one of the easiest freshwater fish to keep, making them an excellent choice for first-time aquarium owners.

They are:

  • Hardy and adaptable to a range of water conditions
  • Peaceful and compatible with many community fish
  • Colorful, active, and fun to watch
  • Easy to feed and maintain
  • Inexpensive and widely available

Because of their forgiving nature and lively behavior, guppies are often the fish that help beginners build confidence and enjoy the hobby early on.

Just Getting Started? Before buying equipment, see our Beginner Gear Checklist for a simple breakdown of what you’ll need.