Translations:Adventist Youth Honors Answer Book/Nature/Fishes/11/en

Guppy

Poecilia reticulata

Guppy (Poecilia reticulata)

Where found: Guppies are native to Trinidad and parts of South America, specifically Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Brazil, Guyana, Netherlands Antilles, Trinidad and Tobago, the US Virgin Islands, and Venezuela.

Description: The guppy (Poecilia reticulata) is one of the most popular freshwater aquarium fish species in the world. It is a small member of the Poecilidae family (females 4-6 centimeters long, males 2½–3½ centimeters long) and like all other members of the family, is live-bearing.

Reproduction: Guppies are highly prolific livebearers. The gestation period of a guppy is 22-30 days, with an average of 28 days. After the female guppy is inseminated, a dark area near the anus, known as the gravid spot, will enlarge and darken. Guppies prefer water temperatures of about 28 °C for reproduction. The female guppy drops of between 2-100 fry, typically ranging between 30 and 60. After giving birth, the female is ready for conception again within only a few hours.