Female Guppy Mix (Poecilia reticulata) – 2.5–7cm & XL Size Grades

Choose the female mix for a planned guppy group

Female Guppy Mix is an assorted female form of Poecilia reticulata, a freshwater livebearer in the family Poeciliidae. Its native range includes Venezuela, Barbados, Trinidad, northern Brazil and the Guianas, and females reach up to 6 cm standard length. It suits a prepared beginner who can provide a mature, filtered aquarium at least 60 cm long, plan a social group of five or more and respond to possible fry or persistent pursuit. It is not a single named colour strain, so individuals may differ in body shade, tail colour and pattern.

Eschmeyer’s Catalog of Fishes accepts the name Poecilia reticulata. Do not confuse it with Endler’s livebearer: the formal description of Poecilia wingei treats that fish as a distinct species, and Eschmeyer’s current entry for Poecilia wingei retains that valid identity.

Understand exactly what you are choosing

• Purchase unit: one purchase supplies one animal in the size selected.
• Size labels: use the live selector to choose the relevant label: 2.5–3 cm, 3–4 cm, XL or 6–7 cm XXL.
• Pattern: the mix description allows variation rather than promising a particular tail or body colour.

Compare other strains through the current guppy collection, but build the social and population plan before choosing individual colours.

Plan the aquarium around adult size and social needs

The size choice describes the fish at dispatch. The size you select is the size supplied, not the adult size. Do not interpret XL as an adult measurement or use a dispatch size to calculate permanent stocking.

Sex is guaranteed only when the exact product or selected option explicitly states male or female. This Female Guppy Mix listing is sold as female.

Some gallery images are representative illustrations of this type of animal, and none shows the exact animal supplied, so pattern and colours can differ from the live animal. The first gallery image represents the listed mix, while several illustrative scenes show more ornate livebearers and should not be used to select a particular pattern.

Seriously Fish uses 60 mm standard length as its planning length for Poecilia reticulata; standard length excludes the tail fin. FishBase records 5 cm standard length, while domestic finnage can extend beyond the measured body. Planning around 6 cm standard length therefore gives a cautious allowance for the species rather than treating a size label as a growth promise.

Use length, footprint and litres together

OATA’s guppy-and-molly guidance gives pH 7.0–8.0 and 8–18 dGH for the group, not a species-specific optimum. Our routine temperature range is 22–28°C. These values stay within the wider species ranges recorded by Seriously Fish.

Our 60 cm and five-or-more screen is deliberately more conservative than choosing a tank by nominal litres alone. A 60-litre aquarium can be a candidate when it is about 60 cm long, mature, filtered, suitably furnished and lightly stocked. The same labelled volume may be unsuitable when it is short, already crowded, biologically immature or unable to give every fish feeding access and refuge.

This fish can suit a prepared beginner because routine food and water requirements are straightforward, but the easy care rating assumes a cycled aquarium, weekly testing, deliberate group planning and a response plan for fry or persistent pursuit. Read our complete Guppy Care Guide when checking the wider group before purchase.

Mature the aquarium before adding guppies

Start with a fully set-up aquarium, a working biological filter and stable tested water. The RSPCA explains that biological filtration supports bacteria that convert toxic ammonia first to toxic nitrite and then to safer nitrate. A filter running for a set number of days is not enough by itself; test results must show that the system is processing waste.

Complete these checks before choosing a delivery date

1. Measure the aquarium’s internal length and usable footprint. For a small guppy group, apply our minimum 60 cm length screen rather than relying on the volume printed on the box.
2. Run the filter and establish its biological capacity before fish enter the aquarium. Follow our guide to preparing and maturing a first tropical aquarium if this is a new system.
3. Test ammonia and nitrite. Both must read zero before livestock is introduced.
4. Measure temperature, pH and general hardness in the actual aquarium rather than estimating from room temperature or a regional description of tap water.
5. Treat replacement tap water with an appropriate conditioner before it enters the aquarium.
6. Confirm that the filter flow leaves open swimming room without pinning fish against decor or making them struggle continuously.
7. Prepare a secure cover, shelter, an observation light and a separate cycled space that can be used if an individual needs safe separation.

Add livestock gradually. Every extra fish and every increase in feeding raises the waste load, so the bacterial population must adjust. Adding a complete community at once can produce new tank syndrome: ammonia or nitrite rises because biological filtration cannot yet process the new load.

A worked example helps separate volume from readiness. A 60-litre, 60 cm aquarium with mature filtration, zero ammonia, zero nitrite and no existing livestock may be a reasonable candidate for an initial group of five. A second 60-litre aquarium with the same external label may fail the screen if it is shorter, recently set up, already occupied or showing measurable ammonia. Choose the aquarium from its dimensions, test results and total population rather than a fish-per-litre formula.

Hold stable mineral-bearing water within the routine range

Use 22–28°C, pH 7.0–8.0 and 8–18 dGH for routine aquarium care. OATA’s guppy-and-molly sheet gives 20–28°C, pH 7.0–8.0 and 8–18 dGH as group guidance. Seriously Fish gives the wider species ranges of 17–28°C, pH 7.0–8.5 and 8–30 dGH; our routine temperature range of 22–28°C stays inside those limits while avoiding the edges for everyday management.

Test the water used for the aquarium. UK tap-water chemistry varies by region and may change when water companies blend supplies. Read the current local water report, then measure the source and aquarium with suitable tests. Our water chemistry guide explains what each value means, while the water matcher helps compare measured values with the stated range.

Change conditions gradually

If a measurement sits outside the range, identify the cause before adding products. Check the source water, test method, recent water changes, decor and any mineral treatments. Make changes gradually so temperature, pH and dissolved minerals do not swing suddenly. Guppies occur in fresh and brackish habitats, but that does not make routine aquarium salt necessary. Add salt or minerals only for a measured purpose and only after checking every fish, invertebrate and plant in the aquarium.

Use a thermostatically controlled aquarium heater when the room cannot hold the water inside 22–28°C. Select equipment for the aquarium volume and room conditions, then trust the thermometer reading rather than the heater dial alone.

Balance planted cover with open swimming room

Arrange the aquarium around usable horizontal space. Guppies appreciate plants and floating vegetation, but they also need open water where every fish can swim and reach food. Keep a clear route across the aquarium and use plants or suitable ornaments to create several areas of cover rather than one crowded refuge.

Build a practical layout

• Open water: retain an unobstructed swimming lane across the 60 cm or longer aquarium.
• Sight breaks: position plants or smooth ornaments so a pursued fish can move out of view without becoming trapped.
• Surface cover: floating vegetation may give security, but leave enough open surface for feeding, gas exchange and observation.
• Substrate: aquarium sand or gravel is suitable when it can be cleaned during routine maintenance.
• Safe fittings: avoid sharp ornaments and rough artificial plants that could catch or tear fins.
• Secure top: fit a cover and close equipment gaps without restricting ventilation.

Seriously Fish describes this species as unfussy about decor but appreciative of a planted aquarium with floating vegetation, and it advises against strong current. Judge flow by behaviour: fish should be able to hold position, cross the tank and feed without being swept aside. Redirect the outlet or reduce excessive flow if the group bunches in a sheltered corner, struggles continuously or avoids a large part of the aquarium.

Cover does not solve every social problem. If one fish remains hidden, misses food or is repeatedly cornered, inspect group behaviour and water quality before adding more decor. Rearranging sight breaks may interrupt established pursuit, but persistent chasing or fin damage requires safe separation and a reassessment of group composition.

Dense planting may increase fry survival. That can be useful only when extra fish are part of a deliberate plan with suitable space, filtration, food and rehoming arrangements. Keep the main display easy to inspect so uneaten food, injuries and changes in swimming can be seen promptly.

Feed one measured daily portion without leaving waste

Use an appropriately sized, nutritionally complete omnivore flake or granule as the staple. OATA advises feeding guppies what they can finish within a few minutes once a day. Watch the whole group during that short period so confident fish do not take every piece while quieter individuals miss out.

FishBase records zooplankton, small insects and detritus in the wild diet. That natural history explains the species’ flexible feeding behaviour, but aquarium food should be biosecure, nutritionally complete and sized for the fish. OATA also suggests algae-rich food and small live or frozen items such as daphnia, small bloodworm or tubifex as compatible variety.

Use the response at feeding time

Do not feed by repeatedly adding food until interest stops. Guppies may continue investigating food while waste accumulates. Uneaten particles break down and increase the load on biological filtration, so portion size must reflect the actual group, aquarium and food.

Keep the staple dry, sealed and within its use period. Frozen food should remain frozen until the portion is prepared, and live food should come from a safe aquarium source. Follow OATA’s once-daily schedule, using the complete staple and compatible variety described above. Introduce any compatible variety in a controlled portion rather than replacing the complete staple with a single treat.

Plan the social group and possible fry before purchase

Guppies are social livebearers. FishBase advises keeping five or more and gives a minimum aquarium length of 60 cm. OATA advises at least three, while our more conservative house plan uses five or more where aquarium capacity, sex mix, filtration, test results and existing livestock allow.

This offer supplies females, but a female-only purchase does not guarantee that fry will never appear. A female that encountered a male earlier may retain viable sperm and produce young later. Build spare capacity and a responsible rehoming plan before adding females, even when no male will live in the aquarium.

Choose the group by behaviour as well as number

OATA suggests two females for each male in a mixed group to reduce pressure on females. Treat that ratio as a starting arrangement, not a promise of calm behaviour or manageable reproduction. Repeated pursuit, cornering, hiding, missed food or damaged fins requires intervention even when the numerical ratio looks correct.

If fry appear, do not rely on adults or tank mates eating them as population control. Dense plants can increase survival, so decide in advance whether the aquarium can support additional fish. A nursery must be a mature, heated and filtered system with zero ammonia and nitrite, appropriately sized food and frequent observation. A small uncycled container or prolonged confinement of a female is not a safe substitute.

Review capacity again after the first month. Count adult fish, juveniles and other livestock; check whether every animal can feed; compare current tests with the baseline; and decide whether the separation and rehoming plan remains realistic.

Maintain water quality with a repeatable weekly routine

At least once every week, change about 25% of the aquarium water. Use a siphon to remove visible waste from accessible substrate, and treat new tap water with conditioner before adding it. Match the replacement water closely enough to avoid a rapid temperature or chemistry change.

Follow the same sequence each week

1. Observe swimming, breathing, fins, body profile and feeding before disturbing the aquarium.
2. Test ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH and temperature. Check hardness regularly and whenever the water source or mineral treatment changes.
3. Record the results so a gradual change is visible before it becomes a crisis.
4. Siphon approximately 25% of the water while removing solid debris.
5. Inspect the filter intake and outlet for reduced flow or blockages.
6. Condition the replacement water and add it gradually.
7. Recheck equipment, cover gaps and fish behaviour after maintenance.

Do not run biological filter media under the tap. Chlorine or chloramine may harm the bacterial population that processes waste. When cleaning is necessary, rinse the media lightly in water removed from the aquarium and preserve as much mature media as possible. Avoid replacing all media at once unless the equipment instructions and water-quality plan make that essential.

If ammonia or nitrite rises above zero, treat it as an urgent water-quality problem. Stop adding livestock, check the filter and recent feeding, remove decaying material, and make suitable conditioned water changes while monitoring repeatedly. Do not hide a rising result with extra food, salt or medication.

A larger aquarium can make changes slower, but volume does not replace testing or maintenance. Stable results come from mature filtration, controlled feeding, regular water changes and a population the aquarium can support.

Introduce arrivals slowly and respond to warning signs

Prepare the aquarium and complete the day’s water tests before the parcel arrives. Make sure someone is present to receive the live fish because the parcel cannot be left unattended. Follow the current delivery and Live Arrival Guarantee policy, including its reporting steps and time limits.

On arrival

1. Receive the parcel in person and start filming before it is opened, with the sealed parcel and outer box visible.
2. Open the parcel in one continuous take and show the fish still inside the sealed bag before anything is disturbed.
3. Float the bag for 20–30 minutes before releasing the fish.
4. Never pour the bag water into the aquarium.

A newly introduced fish may pause or seek cover, but continuing surface gasping, loss of balance, clamped fins, wounds, spots, fluffy growths or erratic swimming needs action. The RSPCA fish-health guidance supports checking water quality and escalating concerning changes rather than selecting treatment from one symptom.

Use a water-first response

Test ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH and temperature immediately. Inspect the filter, heater, recent maintenance, food and interactions with other fish. Record the signs and timing. Isolate safely where appropriate, using mature filtration and dedicated equipment rather than an uncycled container. Contact us for health changes that appear on arrival and follow the policy reporting process; for diagnosis and treatment, use the UK fish-vet directory.

The MSD Veterinary Manual recommends at least 30 days of quarantine, with longer isolation where indicated. A quarantine aquarium needs biologically supported filtration, stable suitable water, separate nets and siphons, and repeated testing. Do not share wet equipment between quarantine and the display aquarium.

During the first week, confirm that the fish swims steadily, breathes regularly and reaches food. During the first month, compare body condition, fins, behaviour and water results with the arrival baseline. Never release guppies, fry, plants, aquarium water or wet substrate outdoors or into a natural waterway.

Screen every tank mate before combining groups

Poecilia reticulata is described by Seriously Fish as very peaceful, but temperament alone does not make another animal compatible. Screen the exact species, adult size and social group against the mature aquarium rather than relying on a broad community-fish label.

Check six points in order

1. Water overlap: both animals should live routinely within 22–28°C, pH 7.0–8.0 and 8–18 dGH, not merely tolerate one shared edge.
2. Adult size: neither animal should be able to swallow, trap or injure the other.
3. Fin behaviour: avoid fin-nipping species. Seriously Fish specifically names tiger barbs and serpae tetras as unsuitable examples.
4. Space: include the adult footprint and social group of every species, plus open swimming room and refuge.
5. Feeding: each animal must reach an appropriate diet without persistent competition.
6. Exit plan: keep a mature separation option ready because individual behaviour can change.

Peaceful livebearers, rasboras, corydoras, small loricariids and tetras appear in the species profile as community possibilities, but each exact species still has to pass the water, size, group and feeding screen. A family name is too broad to promise compatibility. Some corydoras, for example, may need conditions that do not overlap closely enough with the routine guppy range.

Small shrimp or young invertebrates may be eaten, while larger invertebrates have their own water and social requirements. Treat every invertebrate combination as a case requiring exact identification rather than assuming that “shrimp-safe” or “snail-safe” applies universally.

Before stocking, total the existing adult fish, the planned guppy group and the full groups required by proposed tank mates. If the result removes open swimming room, pushes filtration beyond stable test results or leaves no response to fry, change the plan rather than adding animals to meet a calculated maximum.

Use observed behaviour to confirm or reject the plan

Compatibility remains conditional after introduction. A combination that overlaps on paper may still fail because one individual pursues another, guards food, damages fins or occupies the only refuge. Observe the full aquarium at feeding time and during normal swimming rather than judging from a short calm period.

Apply the screen to common proposals

Another livebearer group: first compare adult size, sex mix, fry production and the space required by both groups. Similar appearance does not reduce the biological load or guarantee calm courtship.

A small shoaling fish: confirm that its full social group fits after five or more guppies are included. Check for fin-nipping behaviour and make sure both groups can feed without one dominating the surface.

A bottom-living catfish: compare the exact temperature, pH and hardness range and retain suitable floor area. The guppies’ use of upper water does not create unlimited capacity below.

A betta: do not use this as a default combination. Display, territorial and long-fin interactions vary between individuals, and extra planting cannot guarantee safety.

Shrimp or snails: identify the species and life stage, then check mineral requirements, adult size and predation risk. Young or small shrimp may be eaten.

When uncertainty remains after applying these checks, contact us with the aquarium dimensions, water results, current livestock and the exact proposed species for a stocking assessment. Keep the separation aquarium ready even after a plan passes that assessment.

Answer the key Female Guppy Mix questions

How big does Female Guppy Mix get?

Allow for an adult size of up to 6 cm standard length. Standard length excludes the tail fin, so plan the aquarium around the 6 cm body-length figure rather than a dispatch size.

What size aquarium does Female Guppy Mix need?

Use a mature, filtered aquarium at least 60 cm long for one small group. Seriously Fish gives a 45 × 30 cm base and about 41 litres, while OATA gives at least 45 litres for a small group of smaller livebearers.

How many Poecilia reticulata should I keep together?

FishBase advises a group of five or more. Use five or more where aquarium capacity, sex planning, filtration, test results and other livestock allow, and check that every fish can feed and avoid pursuit.

Does Female Guppy Mix suit beginners?

It can suit a prepared beginner who provides a mature filtered aquarium, zero ammonia and nitrite, stable suitable water, a planned social group and a response plan for chasing, illness or fry.

What does this fish eat?

Feed an appropriately sized, nutritionally complete omnivore flake or granule once daily. Offer only what the group finishes within a few minutes, remove leftovers and use compatible algae-rich or small invertebrate foods for variety.

What temperature and pH does Poecilia reticulata need?

Keep 22–28°C for routine aquarium care. OATA’s guppy-and-molly group guidance gives pH 7.0–8.0 and 8–18 dGH, with zero ammonia and nitrite; change temperature or chemistry gradually.

Is this fish aggressive or likely to nip fins?

It is described as very peaceful, but individual pursuit and competition still need monitoring. Avoid fin-nipping species such as tiger barbs and serpae tetras, and separate fish if chasing, cornering or fin damage persists.

Which kinds of animals can it live with?

Peaceful livebearers, rasboras, corydoras, small loricariids and suitable tetras may work after the exact species passes checks for water, adult size, group space and feeding. Small shrimp or young invertebrates may be eaten.

How does this fish arrive alive in the UK?

Film every delivery continuously from the sealed parcel before it is opened, showing the outer box, the parcel being opened and the fish still in the sealed bag. Someone must be present to receive it; float the bag for 20–30 minutes before release and never pour the bag water into the aquarium.

Check the identity, care and welfare references

• FishBase: Poecilia reticulata — identity, distribution, recorded environment, wild diet, adult length and aquarium group note.
• Seriously Fish: Poecilia reticulata — aquarium footprint, water ranges, decor, feeding, compatibility and sexual dimorphism.
• OATA: How to look after guppies and mollies — UK group husbandry, feeding, maintenance and water-quality values.
• RSPCA: Aquarium environment — biological filtration and waste processing.
• RSPCA: Fish health and welfare — normal condition, warning signs and escalation.
• MSD Veterinary Manual: Management of aquarium fish — quarantine and water-quality-led investigation.
• OATA: Find a fish vet — UK veterinary directory.
• Eschmeyer’s Catalog of Fishes: Poecilia reticulata — accepted scientific identity.
• Poeser, Kempkes and Isbrücker: description of Poecilia wingei — distinction of Endler’s livebearer.
• Eschmeyer’s Catalog of Fishes: Poecilia wingei — current valid-name entry.