Cobra Multicolour Elephant Ear Female Guppy (Poecilia reticulata)

Recognise the fish and the offer

The Cobra Multicolour Elephant Ear Female Guppy (Poecilia reticulata) is a poeciliid livebearer from Venezuela, Barbados, Trinidad, northern Brazil and the Guianas. FishBase records females reaching 5 cm standard length. This peaceful aquarium fish suits a prepared beginner who can provide a mature filtered aquarium, stable mineral-bearing water and a planned social group. Cobra, multicolour and elephant ear are appearance labels rather than separate species, and the scientific identity is an accepted name recorded by Eschmeyer’s Catalog of Fishes.

Decide whether it fits your aquarium

“Easy” means the routine is straightforward once the aquarium is mature. It does not mean the fish can absorb ammonia, tolerate an unsuitable social plan or live without filtration. Experienced keepers will find the same fundamentals decisive: stable water, enough swimming length, sensible companions and close observation.

Understand the offer

One purchase supplies one animal. Plan the aquarium around the adult fish and its social group rather than the size of the fish on arrival.

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

The gallery images are representative of this type of animal rather than photographs of the exact animal supplied, so colours can look slightly different from the live animal.

FishBase places the species in the family Poeciliidae and records wild guppies in vegetated springs, ditches, canals, ponds and streams. In nature they feed on zooplankton, small insects and detritus. That ecological background helps explain their active foraging, but aquarium feeding should use safe, complete prepared foods rather than material collected outdoors. You can compare other patterns and explicitly stated sexes in our guppy collection.

Plan around the decisive adult, water and space numbers

FishBase records a female length of 5 cm standard length. Standard length measures the body without the tail fin, so the flowing finnage can extend beyond that measurement. Leave room for normal swimming, social movement and the distinctive broad fins rather than treating the adult body-length figure as spare stocking capacity.

Core planning figures

The Seriously Fish species profile starts aquarium planning from a 45 × 30 cm base and approximately 41 litres. OATA’s guppy-and-molly sheet gives group guidance of at least 45 litres and at least three fish. FishBase’s aquarium note instead uses a minimum length of 60 cm and a group of five or more. Our conservative decision is therefore a mature aquarium at least 60 cm long and five or more guppies where filtration, sex mix, water tests and other livestock leave enough capacity.

Litres still matter because a larger water volume can slow changes in temperature and waste concentration, but volume alone cannot show swimming length or usable footprint. A tall aquarium can hold many litres while giving little horizontal room. Likewise, a nominal 60-litre tank may lose usable water and space to substrate, decor and an internal filter. Measure the aquarium rather than relying only on its model name.

Use the numbers together

A 60 cm aquarium with mature filtration, zero ammonia and nitrite, suitable mineral content and no existing occupants can be considered for a small group. The same aquarium may be unsuitable if it already contains another social group, if one fish is repeatedly pursued, or if fry increase the population. Five is a conservative starting group, not a calculated maximum and not permission to add fish whenever a test result looks acceptable.

Our retailer care assessment is easy because the daily feeding and weekly maintenance are uncomplicated in a prepared system. The preparation is non-negotiable: cycle the filter, test the water, plan the group and keep a separation option. Read our complete Guppy Care Guide when building the wider plan.

Choose space for the whole social group

Start with the adult group rather than planning for one fish in isolation. Guppies are social fish, and FishBase’s aquarium note recommends five or more in an aquarium at least 60 cm long. Our house policy follows that more conservative combination where the aquarium capacity, sex plan and existing livestock allow it. Keeping five is not automatically safer than keeping three if the larger group is crowded into an unsuitable system; length, filtration, behaviour and water tests must all pass together.

Screen the aquarium in this order

1. Measure the internal length. Aim for at least 60 cm of horizontal aquarium length rather than estimating from litres.
2. Confirm usable space. Subtract the room occupied by internal equipment, bulky ornaments and dense planting.
3. Count every adult animal. Include established tank mates and the full social needs of their species.
4. Plan for population change. A female that encountered a male previously may later produce fry.
5. Watch the group. Persistent pursuit, missed meals, hiding or fin damage means the arrangement needs intervention.

OATA recommends at least 45 litres for a small group of the smaller livebearers, while Seriously Fish describes a 45 × 30 cm base of roughly 41 litres for the species. Those are useful lower references, but they do not override the 60 cm length used in our group screen. A longer aquarium provides more horizontal routes and makes it easier to create both open water and breaks in the line of sight.

Worked aquarium examples

A mixed community needs more than leftover litres. Give each social species enough group space, check whether adults can swallow or injure one another and make sure all fish can reach food without crowding. A calculated fish-per-litre rule cannot assess courtship, broad fins, territorial behaviour or biological-filter capacity.

Keep a separate, mature holding option ready before adding the group. It gives you somewhere safe to move a fish if chasing, illness or an unexpected brood changes the plan. A small uncycled container is not a substitute because it introduces the same ammonia risk that the main aquarium was prepared to avoid.

Mature the biological filter before the fish arrives

A guppy should enter an aquarium whose biological filter can already process waste. The RSPCA explains that fish release toxic ammonia, which filter bacteria convert first into toxic nitrite and then into safer nitrate. A filter running for an arbitrary number of days is not enough on its own; repeated water tests must show that the system can maintain zero ammonia and zero nitrite.

Prepare the system

1. Install the filter and operate it continuously so oxygenated water passes through the biological media.
2. Mature the aquarium before livestock arrives, following a measured process rather than using fish to start the cycle.
3. Test ammonia and nitrite and require both to read zero before adding the guppy.
4. Increase the population slowly so the bacterial colony can respond to additional waste and feeding.
5. Keep the filter running during routine use and check that its intake and flow remain unobstructed.

If this is your first setup, follow our guide to preparing and maturing a first tropical aquarium before choosing an arrival date. The important outcome is a tested biological cycle, stable temperature and suitable water chemistry, not simply an aquarium that looks clear.

Match flow to the fish

Seriously Fish advises avoiding strong currents, and broad-finned guppies should be able to hold position, turn and feed without being pushed across the aquarium. Direct the outlet so the tank has gentle circulation without turning the entire swimming area into a fast channel. Normal movement should look controlled rather than like repeated effort against the flow.

Flow that appears gentle can still create a dangerous intake for a small fish or fry. Fit a suitable guard where necessary and inspect it for trapped debris. Do not reduce movement so far that waste settles everywhere or the surface becomes stagnant; the aim is effective filtration with calm routes where the fish can rest and forage.

Protect the filter bacteria

Check the filter for blockages during maintenance. When media needs cleaning, rinse it lightly in aquarium water removed during a partial water change. Do not run it under the tap because chlorine or chloramine may kill the beneficial bacterial population established in the media. Avoid replacing all mature media at once for the same reason.

If ammonia or nitrite appears after fish have been added, treat that as an urgent water-quality problem. Check the filter, reduce further stocking, remove decaying food and make suitable conditioned water changes while monitoring the fish. Never interpret the guppy’s reputation for adaptability as permission to complete the nitrogen cycle with livestock present.

Hold stable mineral-bearing water within the routine range

Keep the aquarium at 22–28°C, pH 7.0–8.0 and 9–18 dGH. This is the overlap of FishBase’s recorded environmental values, the Seriously Fish aquarium range, OATA’s guppy-and-molly group guidance and the Tropical Fish Co routine range. Use these figures as the working target, then keep the actual aquarium stable rather than moving it rapidly towards a chosen midpoint.

Test before adjusting

Measure the aquarium and the tap water used for changes. Our water chemistry guide explains what temperature, pH, hardness and nitrogen-cycle results mean, while the water matcher can help compare your measured values with the working range. A water-company report is useful background, but test the water that actually reaches the aquarium because regional supplies can vary or be blended.

OATA advises that nitrate should not exceed 20 mg/L above the normal tap-water level. Compare the aquarium result with the replacement water rather than judging the tank number in isolation. A rising difference points towards accumulated waste and a need to review feeding, stocking or maintenance.

Use heating as a control, not a guess

In a UK home, use a thermostatically controlled aquarium heater whenever the room cannot keep the water within 22–28°C. Check the water with a separate thermometer instead of trusting the heater dial or room temperature. Place equipment so warmed water circulates through the aquarium, but keep at least one calm swimming route.

Do not make sudden corrections to temperature, pH or hardness. Rapid change can be more disruptive than a stable value already inside the working range. Condition new tap water to neutralise chlorine or chloramine before it enters the aquarium, and bring replacement water close to the aquarium temperature.

Although FishBase records the species in fresh and brackish environments, that does not make routine salt addition necessary. Add salt or minerals only for a measured purpose after checking their effect on every fish, invertebrate and plant in the aquarium. This guppy’s long-term plan should be neutral-to-alkaline, mineral-bearing water rather than soft, acidic conditions.

Balance open swimming water with cover and gentle flow

Build the layout around two needs: clear horizontal swimming routes and places where a fish can move out of another’s line of sight. Seriously Fish notes that a planted aquarium with floating vegetation is appreciated and that strong currents should be avoided. OATA likewise recommends plants and open swimming space, with gentler flow for long-finned fish.

Arrange the aquarium in zones

• Open route: leave an uninterrupted area where the group can swim, turn and feed without brushing against decor.
• Visual breaks: use plants or suitable ornaments to interrupt prolonged pursuit without forming a dead end.
• Calm area: provide a place away from the strongest filter output where broad-finned fish can hold position easily.
• Secure cover: use an aquarium lid or cover that prevents escape while allowing the equipment to operate safely.
• Safe edges: avoid sharp ornaments or rough artificial plants that can catch enlarged pectoral or tail fins.

Aquarium gravel or sand can be used as the substrate. Choose material that can be cleaned during water changes and arrange it so waste does not remain inaccessible behind large ornaments. Plants can provide shelter, but they do not replace filtration, swimming room or a plan for the group.

Fine or floating cover may increase the number of fry that survive. That can be useful only when you intend to manage a brood and already have the necessary space, food, filtration and rehoming plan. If population growth is not intended, do not treat dense planting as the complete answer; a female may still produce young, and the aquarium still needs spare biological capacity.

Watch the fish rather than defending the layout

After adding the guppy, look at how the entire group uses the tank. A successful arrangement allows every fish to cross the aquarium, reach food and rest without being trapped. Repeated cornering, hiding behind the filter, struggling in the current or abandoning a feeding area means the layout needs changing.

Move one element at a time so you can see whether the alteration helps. Redirecting an outlet may solve an exhausting current, while moving a plant may open an escape route. Adding more decoration is not always the answer: excessive structure can remove swimming space or allow one fish to control a narrow passage.

Keep the intake safe for every guppy and for any fry that may later appear. Check guards during maintenance because reduced flow can signal a blockage. The best layout supports normal behaviour while remaining simple enough to inspect, clean and adapt.

Feed a complete staple with controlled variety

Use an appropriately sized, nutritionally complete omnivore flake or granule as the staple. OATA advises feeding guppies and mollies what they can finish within a few minutes once a day. That schedule is group guidance; adjust the portion to the number of fish and the food’s directions while preventing uneaten material from settling and decaying.

Build the diet in the right order

1. Choose a complete staple. The main food should be suitable for small omnivorous tropical fish and small enough to take easily.
2. Add compatible variety. OATA identifies small live or frozen foods such as daphnia, small bloodworm or tubifex as options.
3. Include an algal component. The group sheet recommends a good-quality flake or granule with a high algae content.
4. Control the portion. Stop when the group has eaten within a few minutes rather than adding food until interest fades.
5. Check every fish. Spread food where necessary so a shy or pursued individual is not repeatedly excluded.

FishBase records wild guppies eating zooplankton, small insects and detritus, while Seriously Fish describes wild fish as primarily insectivorous. Those natural-history observations explain why small invertebrate variety can be useful, but they are not a reason to collect mosquito larvae, detritus or pond organisms. Use biosecure aquarium foods and store them according to their directions.

Read feeding as a group check

Watch who reaches the food, not merely whether the food disappears. One fast individual may consume more than its share while another hangs back. If a fish repeatedly misses meals, check for pursuit, illness, excessive current or food particles that are too large before increasing the total amount.

Remove uneaten food before it breaks down. Excess food adds waste, which raises the load on the biological filter and can contribute to ammonia, nitrite or nitrate problems. More food is not a safe shortcut to stronger colour, faster growth or better condition.

Use the same measured routine during the first week so appetite changes are easy to recognise. A sudden loss of interest, difficulty taking food or a change in body condition deserves attention alongside swimming, breathing and water-test results. Do not respond automatically by offering richer food.

Fry require food sized for their mouths and especially close water-quality control. Before deliberately raising young, prepare a mature nursery system and a responsible plan for housing or rehoming them. An uncycled container and heavy feeding create a dangerous combination of rapidly accumulating waste and limited dilution.

Use a repeatable weekly maintenance and health routine

OATA strongly recommends a 25% partial water change at least once every week and water testing at least once per week. Treat those as the baseline, then respond sooner if tests or behaviour show a problem. Condition replacement tap water, bring it close to the aquarium temperature and avoid abrupt chemistry changes.

Weekly checklist

• Test ammonia and nitrite and require zero mg/L for both.
• Record nitrate and compare it with the normal tap-water level.
• Confirm 22–28°C with an independent thermometer.
• Change 25% of the water at least once every week using properly conditioned replacement water.
• Siphon accessible solid waste from the substrate.
• Check the filter intake, outlet and media for restricted flow.
• Observe every fish while it swims, breathes and feeds.

Clean filter media only when needed and rinse it lightly in removed aquarium water. Avoid replacing all mature biological media together. If flow falls, identify whether debris, a clogged guard or damaged equipment is responsible rather than assuming the filter is still processing waste normally.

Act on changes rather than waiting for a diagnosis

A settled guppy should swim steadily, breathe regularly, hold its fins open, maintain a normal body profile and feed consistently. The RSPCA’s fish health guidance treats changes such as gasping, unusual swimming, spots, wounds, fin damage, altered colour or appetite loss as reasons to assess the fish and its environment.

If you see a warning sign, immediately test ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH and temperature. Inspect the filter, heater, recent maintenance, food and social behaviour. Record when the sign began and whether it affects one fish or the whole group. Isolate safely where appropriate, but do not move a fish into an unheated or uncycled container.

A symptom alone does not identify the cause. Do not choose salt, heat or medication merely because two conditions can look similar. Use the OATA fish-vet directory to find qualified help when disease, injury or persistent deterioration needs diagnosis.

Quarantine new livestock

A separate quarantine aquarium protects the established community and makes observation easier. It needs dedicated equipment, biologically supported filtration, suitable temperature and repeated testing. The MSD Veterinary Manual recommends at least 30 days of quarantine, with longer isolation where indicated. Keep equipment separate between systems to reduce transfer risk.

Never release aquarium fish, fry, plants, snails or water outdoors or into a surface-water drain. Rehome livestock responsibly and dispose of aquarium water where organisms cannot enter ponds, streams or other natural watercourses.

Prepare for arrival and the first month

Complete the aquarium, group plan and water checks before dispatch. The filter should be mature, ammonia and nitrite should read zero, temperature should sit within 22–28°C and the aquarium should meet the 60 cm length screen. Make sure someone is present to receive the parcel so live fish are not left unattended.

On arrival

1. Receive the parcel in person.
2. Start filming before opening, with the parcel still sealed and the outer box visible.
3. Open the parcel in one continuous take and show the fish still inside the sealed bag before anything is disturbed.
4. Float the bag for 20–30 minutes.
5. Release the fish without pouring the bag water into the aquarium.

Follow our delivery and Live Arrival Guarantee policy for the current receipt and reporting terms. Keep the continuous unboxing video and order number if the fish’s condition causes concern.

First-day checkpoint

Look for controlled swimming, regular breathing and the ability to move away from the filter flow. A new arrival may choose cover, but it should not be pinned by the current, lose balance or remain unable to reach a calm area. Check temperature and equipment immediately if behaviour is concerning.

Keep the feeding portion modest and watch whether the new fish can reach appropriately sized food. Do not add extra food merely because it does not eat immediately; uneaten food can damage water quality. If it is excluded by another fish, intervene in the social arrangement rather than relying on heavier feeding.

First-week checkpoint

Observe the fish at the same daily points: before food, during feeding and after the aquarium settles. This makes changes in appetite, pursuit, hiding, fin position and breathing easier to notice. Maintain the normal water-testing schedule, but test immediately if any warning sign appears.

Do not add another batch of livestock simply because the first fish looks settled. The biological filter needs time to respond to the increased waste load. Continue the planned maintenance routine and judge the group by both test results and behaviour.

First-month checkpoint

Review whether every fish can feed, rest and cross the aquarium without repeated pursuit. Recheck the sex and population plan because a female may produce fry after an earlier mating. Confirm that the aquarium still has usable space and that nitrate is not climbing rapidly between weekly changes.

If the group remains calm, the fins stay intact and the test results remain stable, continue the established routine rather than changing several variables. Consistency makes future problems easier to identify and protects the mature biological filter.

Screen every tank mate before mixing species

Seriously Fish describes Poecilia reticulata as peaceful and suitable for a quiet community, but compatibility depends on the exact species, adult size, water requirements, group sizes and individual behaviour. No named companion creates a universal promise. Screen the proposed combination before adding fish, then keep a mature separation option ready.

Apply six checks

1. Water overlap: both animals should live comfortably within 22–28°C, pH 7.0–8.0 and 9–18 dGH rather than meeting only at the edge of their ranges.
2. Adult size: neither animal should be able to swallow, trap or injure the other.
3. Fin safety: avoid species known to nip fins, including tiger barbs and serpae tetras.
4. Social space: the aquarium must hold the complete groups of both species, not one token individual of each.
5. Feeding access: every animal must reach suitable food without persistent displacement.
6. Exit plan: a mature holding system must be ready if observed behaviour changes.

OATA also advises that guppies should not be kept with animals that might nip their fins. The Elephant Ear form’s enlarged pectoral fins make controlled movement and intact finnage especially important. Avoid a companion merely described as peaceful if its individual profile reports fin-nipping, strong territorial behaviour or a need for very different water.

Use conditional matches

A companion requiring cool, soft or acidic conditions fails the water screen even if its temperament looks suitable. Likewise, a large aquarium does not cancel predation, fin-nipping or conflicting social behaviour. More space improves options but cannot guarantee a particular pairing.

After introduction, watch feeding, body condition, fin edges, hiding and routes through the aquarium. Repeated pursuit, cornering, torn fins, surface crowding or one fish missing meals calls for intervention. Rearranging decor may help with sight lines, but separation is the safer response when injury or persistent exclusion continues.

Make the stocking and compatibility assessment from the exact aquarium dimensions, measured water, established animals and the full adult needs of every proposed species. Similar shop labels such as “community fish” are starting points, not substitutes for that comparison.

Plan sex, fry and line identity before forming the group

This product supplies a female fish, but a female-only purchase does not guarantee that fry will never appear. Guppies are livebearers, and females can retain viable sperm after earlier contact with a male. Plan spare capacity and responsible rehoming before purchase rather than waiting for a brood to change the aquarium’s biological load.

Choose a group plan deliberately

For mature guppies, anal-fin shape is more useful than colour alone: males have a narrow modified anal fin called a gonopodium, while females have a broader, triangular anal fin. Domestic females may be colourful, so body colour is not a dependable sexing shortcut. The explicit female wording on this offer is the guarantee for the animal purchased.

Watch for repeated pursuit, cornering, hiding, missed feeding, weight loss or fin damage. Peaceful species can still produce persistent individual pressure. Provide sight breaks and enough horizontal space, but do not use plants as the only response when one fish cannot escape or feed normally.

Prepare for possible fry

Before young appear, decide whether they can remain in the main aquarium, move to a separate mature nursery or be responsibly rehomed. A nursery needs biologically supported filtration, suitable temperature and repeated water tests showing zero ammonia and nitrite. Heavy feeding in a small uncycled container is not a safe rearing plan.

Do not rely on adult fish or tank mates eating young as population control. Predation is variable and cannot calculate future stocking. Dense plants may increase fry survival, while sparse cover may reduce it, but neither layout replaces a capacity plan.

Keep guppies and Endler’s livebearers distinct when identity matters

The formal description of Poecilia wingei and Eschmeyer’s current entry treat Endler’s livebearer as a distinct valid species. Guppies and Endler’s livebearers can hybridise, so keep documented lines apart if preserving their identity matters. Do not represent hybrid descendants as pure examples of either species.

Revisit the whole plan whenever fry, a new companion or a change in behaviour increases demand on the aquarium. Recheck usable space, filtration, feeding access and nitrate movement rather than assuming that a previously suitable tank remains suitable after the population changes.

Answer the key buying and care questions

How large does the Cobra Multicolour Elephant Ear Female Guppy grow?

FishBase records female Poecilia reticulata reaching 5 cm standard length. Standard length measures the body without the tail fin, so flowing finnage may extend beyond it.

What size aquarium does Poecilia reticulata need?

Use a mature, filtered aquarium at least 60 cm long under Tropical Fish Co’s group policy. Seriously Fish gives a lower species reference of approximately 41 litres on a 45 × 30 cm base, but litres alone do not show usable swimming length.

How many Cobra Multicolour Elephant Ear Female Guppies should I keep?

FishBase recommends a group of five or more. Use that number only where aquarium capacity, the sex plan, filtration, water tests and other livestock allow.

Does this female guppy suit a beginner?

It can suit a prepared beginner under the Tropical Fish Co easy-care assessment, provided the aquarium is mature and filtered, ammonia and nitrite remain at zero and the social and population plans are prepared in advance.

What does Poecilia reticulata eat?

Feed an appropriately sized complete omnivore flake or granule as the staple, with safe compatible algal and small invertebrate variety. OATA advises offering only what the group finishes within a few minutes once daily.

What temperature and pH does this fish need?

Keep it at 22–28°C, pH 7.0–8.0 and 9–18 dGH, the overlap of FishBase, Seriously Fish, OATA and Tropical Fish Co guidance. Maintain zero ammonia and nitrite and change conditions gradually.

Is the Cobra Multicolour Elephant Ear Female Guppy aggressive or likely to nip fins?

Seriously Fish describes Poecilia reticulata as very peaceful. Avoid fin-nipping species such as tiger barbs and serpae tetras, and intervene if pursuit, exclusion or fin damage develops within any group.

Which animals can this female guppy live with?

Seriously Fish names other livebearers, rasboras, corydoras, small loricariids and tetras for a quiet community. Screen the exact species for adult size, shared 22–28°C, pH 7.0–8.0 and 9–18 dGH needs, feeding access and fin-nipping risk.

How does the Cobra Multicolour Elephant Ear Female Guppy arrive alive in the UK?

Film every delivery continuously from the sealed parcel: be present to receive it, start filming before opening, show the outer box and the fish still in the sealed bag, float the bag for 20–30 minutes, then release the fish without pouring the bag water into the aquarium.

Check the care references

• FishBase: Poecilia reticulata — identity, family, distribution, wild habitat, diet, recorded length and aquarium group note.
• Seriously Fish: Poecilia reticulata — aquarium footprint, water range, feeding, behaviour, sexing and compatibility.
• OATA: How to look after guppies and mollies — group water, feeding, maintenance, social and introduction guidance.
• RSPCA: Aquarium environment — biological filtration and the nitrogen cycle.
• RSPCA: Fish health and welfare — normal condition, warning signs and water-quality checks.
• Eschmeyer’s Catalog of Fishes: Poecilia reticulata — accepted scientific name and type information.
• MSD Veterinary Manual: Management of aquarium fish — quarantine and water-quality-led investigation.
• OATA: Find a fish vet — UK fish-vet directory.
• Description of Poecilia wingei — formal description of Endler’s livebearer as a distinct species.
• Eschmeyer’s Catalog of Fishes: Poecilia wingei — current valid-name entry for Endler’s livebearer.