Mosaic Guppy Care Guide
The Mosaic Guppy is a selectively bred strain of Poecilia reticulata with a mottled, multi-coloured tail; a hardy, peaceful livebearer.
Overview
The Mosaic Guppy is a selectively bred ornamental strain of the guppy, Poecilia reticulata (Peters, 1859), of the family Poeciliidae. The 'Mosaic' name refers to the irregular, mottled patches of mixed colour on the caudal fin. The base species is a small livebearing fish.
Taxonomy
- Family: Poeciliidae
- Genus: Poecilia
- Scientific name: Poecilia reticulata var. Mosaic
- Base species author: Peters, 1859
Habitat
The wild ancestor is native to South America: Venezuela, Barbados, Trinidad, northern Brazil and the Guianas. It occupies varied freshwater and brackish habitats from weedy ditches and canals to small streams and densely vegetated lakes and springs. The Mosaic strain is a captive-bred aquarium form.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 40 L
- Temperature: 22-28 °C (72-82 °F)
- pH: 7.0-8.5
- GH: 10-25 °dGH
- Lifespan: 1-3 years
- Water flow: low; planted aquarium preferred
Diet
The guppy is omnivorous. In the wild it consumes zooplankton, small insects and detritus. In the aquarium it accepts a varied diet of dried, frozen and small live foods.
Compatibility
It is a peaceful, mid-water livebearer suitable for community aquaria with other livebearers. Fin-nipping species should be avoided, as the long ornamental fins of fancy strains are vulnerable.
Breeding
The guppy is ovoviviparous. Females can store sperm and may produce young roughly every four weeks, with gestation of 4-6 weeks and litters of about 20-40 fry. Males mature at about 2 months and females at about 3 months. Breeding is easy and occurs readily in captivity.
Conservation status
The wild species Poecilia reticulata is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List (assessed 2020). The Mosaic strain is a domesticated aquarium form.