Female Elephant Ear Guppy (Poecilia reticulata)

Identify the female elephant-ear guppy

The female elephant-ear guppy is a selected trade form of Poecilia reticulata, a livebearing fish in the family Poeciliidae. FishBase records its native range as Venezuela, Barbados, Trinidad, northern Brazil and the Guianas. Plan for an adult female body length of up to 6 cm standard length. This peaceful social fish can suit a prepared beginner who has a mature, filtered aquarium and can maintain its group, water and population needs.

The accepted scientific name is recorded by Eschmeyer’s Catalog of Fishes. “Elephant ears” is the trade-form description attached to this offer rather than a separate species. Aquarium varieties can differ markedly in colour and finnage, so use the identity, adult measurements and care requirements rather than expecting every individual to carry identical markings.

Understand the offer

• Purchase unit: sold individually, with one animal supplied for one purchase.
• Dispatch size: 3–4 cm. This is the size at dispatch, not the final adult measurement.

You can compare other forms through our guppy collection, while keeping each animal’s stated sex and identity separate.

Reference: FishBase species account.

Plan around the adult size and water

Seriously Fish uses up to 6 cm standard length as its aquarium planning measurement for Poecilia reticulata; FishBase records 5 cm standard length for females. Standard length excludes the tail fin, and selected domestic finnage varies, so allow swimming room beyond the body measurement.

Our complete guppy care guide uses a conservative house plan: a mature, filtered aquarium at least 60 cm long for one small social group, with five or more guppies where the sex plan, filtration, water tests and other animals allow. The 3–4 cm dispatch size must not be used to calculate a smaller permanent home.

OATA’s guppy-and-molly sheet gives group guidance of at least 45 litres for a small group of smaller livebearers, 20–28°C, pH 7.0–8.0 and 8–18 dGH. We narrow routine temperature to 22–28°C while retaining pH 7.0–8.0 and 8–18 dGH, all within the wider species ranges described by Seriously Fish.

Know what this individual offer means

Sex is guaranteed only when the exact product or selected option explicitly states male or female. This Female Elephant Ear 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.

Decide whether your aquarium is ready

We classify guppy care as easy for a prepared keeper, but that assessment assumes a mature biological filter, stable mineral-bearing water, a planned social group and time for weekly maintenance. An uncycled bowl, a lone fish or an aquarium chosen only from its litre label does not meet those conditions.

Proceed when these conditions are in place

• The aquarium is at least 60 cm long, with open horizontal swimming room and planted or furnished cover.
• Ammonia and nitrite test at zero, temperature is stable at 22–28°C, and the measured pH and hardness fall within the intended range.
• The aquarium has room for five or more guppies without exceeding its capacity once other animals and possible fry are considered.
• Every proposed companion has compatible adult size, water needs, feeding behaviour and temperament.
• A separate, cycled space is ready if persistent chasing, illness signs or unexpected fry require intervention.

Rework the plan when a key check fails

A larger aquarium usually gives more room for cover, social spacing and stable conditions, but volume alone never creates a fixed entitlement to add a particular number of fish.

Hold stable mineral-bearing water

Maintain 22–28°C, pH 7.0–8.0 and general hardness of 8–18 dGH for the routine aquarium. Seriously Fish describes a wider species range of 17–28°C, pH 7.0–8.5 and 8–30 dGH, while the OATA group values narrow pH and hardness and our house range narrows the lower temperature. The routine values therefore remain inside the wider range rather than extending beyond it.

Measure before changing anything

1. Test the aquarium and its source water for pH and hardness rather than assuming every UK tap supply is alike.
2. Use an aquarium thermometer to measure the water itself. Fit a thermostatically controlled heater when the room cannot keep the aquarium within 22–28°C.
3. Confirm zero ammonia and zero nitrite before adding the fish.
4. Keep nitrate no more than 20 mg/L above the normal tap-water level.
5. Treat replacement tap water with a suitable conditioner before it enters the aquarium.

Our aquarium water chemistry guide explains what each measurement means. Record the actual results and use the water matcher to compare them with the routine range.

Change conditions gradually. Guppies occur in fresh and brackish environments, but that does not make aquarium salt a routine requirement. Add salt or minerals only for a measured purpose after checking the needs of every fish, invertebrate and plant sharing the system.

Build a filtered 60 cm home

A mature biological filter is essential because fish waste produces toxic ammonia. The RSPCA’s aquarium guidance explains how beneficial bacteria convert ammonia to nitrite and then to safer nitrate. Prepare and test that system before livestock enters it; our first tropical aquarium guide sets out the preparation sequence.

Use length, footprint and volume together

Seriously Fish presents a 45 × 30 cm base and approximately 41 litres for this species, while OATA gives at least 45 litres for a small group of smaller livebearers. Our more conservative group screen requires an aquarium at least 60 cm long. A tank must therefore pass the length, biological capacity, group and water checks rather than merely exceeding one litre figure.

The species profile uses four to five aquarium volumes per hour as a filter-rating reference. For a measured 60-litre water volume, that arithmetic gives 240–300 litres per hour. Treat this as a starting comparison for the filter rating, then watch the fish: they should swim normally, reach food and rest without fighting the current.

Arrange smooth furnishings so fins cannot catch on sharp edges. Plants and other cover should break lines of sight without filling every swimming route. If one fish remains cornered or excluded after a layout change, intervene rather than adding more decoration and hoping the social problem resolves itself.

Test the usable space before adding the group

Measure the aquarium’s internal length and inspect the space left after the filter, heater, plants and ornaments are in place. The nominal volume does not show whether the fish can cross the aquarium freely, move out of another fish’s line of sight or reach the feeding area without entering strong flow. Complete this check with the aquarium filled and operating so the assessment reflects the finished home rather than an empty glass box.

• Trace a clear horizontal swimming route through the aquarium without forcing the fish through a narrow gap.
• Place cover where a pursued fish can leave view, while keeping more than one route back into open water.
• Check every ornament and artificial plant for rough or sharp surfaces that could catch extended fins.
• Watch loose plants and food particles to identify any area where the current is much stronger than elsewhere.
• Confirm that the filter intake cannot trap a small fish and can be made safe if fry appear.

A useful worked check is to compare the open area with the occupied area from the front and above. If plants and ornaments leave only one narrow corridor, remove or reposition some furnishings before adding livestock. If the aquarium has open water but nowhere for a fish to break visual contact, add suitable cover without blocking that route. Once the group is present, use its behaviour as the final test: normal use of both open water and shelter supports the layout, while repeated cornering, difficulty reaching food or constant effort against the current means the arrangement needs changing.

Build a social group and population plan

Guppies need companionship. FishBase gives an aquarium group of five or more, while OATA advises at least three; our house policy uses five or more where aquarium capacity and the sex plan allow. Count the whole planned group, not only this one female, before deciding whether the aquarium has enough swimming room and filtration.

Choose the group structure deliberately

A ratio is a planning tool, not a guarantee of calm behaviour. Watch for repeated pursuit, cornering, hiding, missed meals, weight loss or fin damage. If one animal cannot avoid another, use the prepared separation space and reassess the group rather than treating continuous harassment as normal livebearer activity.

Female guppies may store viable sperm for several months. A female-only purchase therefore prevents new mating in that group but cannot rule out later fry from an earlier encounter. Decide in advance how young fish would be housed, fed and responsibly rehomed, and include their potential waste and space needs in the aquarium plan.

Check the group after every addition

• Confirm that all fish emerge and feed.
• Watch whether one individual controls the open water or feeding area.
• Look for fins remaining open and undamaged.
• Test ammonia and nitrite after the increased feeding and waste load.
• Stop adding fish if behaviour or water quality deteriorates.

Increase the population gradually. The biological filter’s bacteria must respond to each additional waste load, and adding several animals too quickly can allow ammonia or nitrite to rise.

Feed small, complete portions

Use an appropriately sized, nutritionally complete omnivore flake or granule as the staple. OATA recommends a good-quality flake or granule with a high algae content for guppies and mollies, with small live or frozen foods such as daphnia, small bloodworm or tubifex as compatible variety.

FishBase records zooplankton, small insects and detritus in the wild diet, while Seriously Fish notes that aquarium strains accept most foods. Those natural-history details explain the need for varied omnivorous nutrition; they are not a reason to collect wild detritus or rely on one treat food.

Use one controlled daily feed

1. Offer only what the group can consume within a few minutes once a day.
2. Spread the portion where every fish can reach it instead of dropping the whole amount into one contested point.
3. Watch the quieter fish and confirm that they swallow food rather than repeatedly missing it.
4. Remove uneaten food before it breaks down.
5. Reduce the next portion if fragments remain after the feeding window.

Overfeeding raises the amount of uneaten food and fish waste entering the filter. If ammonia, nitrite or nitrate rises, review the portion, removal of leftovers, group size and maintenance together rather than changing food at random.

Prepare for arrival and acclimatisation

Complete the aquarium, group and water checks before dispatch. Arrange for someone to receive the parcel because live fish must not be left unattended, and keep the tested aquarium at 22–28°C with zero ammonia and nitrite.

Follow the arrival sequence

1. Start filming before the parcel is opened, showing the sealed parcel and outer box.
2. Open the parcel the same day in one continuous take and show the fish still inside the sealed bag.
3. Float the bag for 20–30 minutes before releasing the fish, following our delivery and Live Arrival Guarantee policy.
4. Transfer the fish without pouring the bag water into the aquarium.

Temperature matching is only one part of preparation: the destination aquarium must already be mature, filtered and within the intended pH and hardness range.

Use clear first-week checkpoints

If the fish gasps at the surface, sits on the bottom, swims erratically, loses balance or shows a sudden change in colour or appetite, test the aquarium immediately and follow the health response below.

Keep a weekly maintenance rhythm

Carry out a 25% partial water change at least once a week. Use a siphon to remove solid waste from the substrate, condition replacement tap water for chlorine or chloramine, and introduce it without creating a sudden temperature or chemistry change.

Complete these checks every week

• Test ammonia and nitrite and keep both at zero.
• Measure nitrate and keep it no more than 20 mg/L above the normal tap-water level.
• Confirm temperature with an independent aquarium thermometer.
• Check pH and hardness often enough to recognise drift or a change in source water.
• Inspect the filter for blockages and confirm that flow remains suitable.
• Observe every fish feeding, swimming and using cover.

When filter media needs cleaning, rinse it lightly in aquarium water removed during the partial change. Do not wash mature media under the tap because chlorine or chloramine may damage the beneficial bacterial population responsible for processing waste.

Review the first month as a whole

Compare test results and observations across several weeks rather than reacting to one isolated reading. A stable plan produces zero ammonia and nitrite, controlled nitrate, regular feeding and fish that can swim, rest and avoid pursuit. If the same warning sign returns, address its cause before expanding the group.

Respond to health changes early

A settled guppy should swim steadily, breathe regularly, hold open undamaged fins, maintain a normal body profile and feed consistently. The RSPCA’s fish health guidance treats changes in behaviour, appearance and feeding as reasons to check welfare and water quality rather than as diagnoses by themselves.

Act on these warning signs

Record the date, test results, recent maintenance, food, new arrivals and visible signs. Do not choose salt, extra heat or medication from one symptom alone. A qualified diagnosis avoids exposing the fish and its tank mates to an unsuitable treatment; OATA maintains a UK fish-vet directory.

Use a biosecure quarantine plan

The MSD Veterinary Manual recommends at least 30 days of quarantine, with longer isolation where indicated. Use a separate system with dedicated equipment, biologically supported filtration, stable 22–28°C water and repeated testing for zero ammonia and nitrite.

A quarantine aquarium must still meet the fish’s welfare needs; a small uncycled container is not a safe substitute. Keep nets, siphons and other wet equipment separate, and move livestock only when its condition and the receiving aquarium have been assessed.

Screen every tank mate before mixing

This guppy is described as peaceful, but peaceful temperament does not guarantee a successful mix. Avoid fin-nipping species: Seriously Fish specifically identifies tiger barbs and serpae tetras, while OATA advises against keeping guppies with fish likely to nip their fins.

Apply all six checks

1. Water overlap: both animals should thrive within 22–28°C, pH 7.0–8.0 and 8–18 dGH, without holding either at the edge of its range.
2. Adult size: neither animal should be able to swallow or physically injure the other.
3. Fin behaviour: reject a mix involving persistent nipping, display conflict or harassment.
4. Social space: include the full group requirements of both species when judging the usable 60 cm or larger footprint.
5. Feeding access: every animal must be able to reach suitable food without being excluded.
6. Separation: keep a cycled alternative ready if behaviour changes.

Quiet community fish such as compatible livebearers, rasboras, corydoras, small loricariids and some tetras may pass this screen in a suitably sized aquarium. Those group names are starting points rather than universal recommendations: exact species, adult size, water range and temperament still decide the outcome.

No species name removes individual variation. Judge the actual behaviour during the first hours and days, then continue checking because social dynamics can change as fish settle or grow.

Work through common community plans

Other livebearers

Some livebearers may share compatible water and peaceful behaviour, but account for their adult size, social group and reproductive potential. A mixed-sex plan can increase pursuit and produce fry, so the aquarium needs capacity and separation options beyond the initial fish count.

Rasboras, tetras and bottom-dwelling fish

Some rasboras, corydoras and small loricariids are described as possible companions, but exact water needs and group sizes must overlap. Screen every tetra for fin-nipping behaviour; serpae tetras are specifically unsuitable, and a general “tetra” label cannot override that risk.

Bettas and ornamental long-finned fish

A betta–guppy combination is not a sensible default. Territorial responses, display behaviour and long-fin interactions vary between individuals, and a larger planted aquarium cannot guarantee safety. Use separate plans unless the exact animals pass a careful behavioural and space assessment with immediate separation ready.

Shrimp and other invertebrates

“Invertebrate” is too broad to promise compatibility. Adult size, moulting vulnerability, feeding competition and water chemistry all matter, and small shrimp or young may be eaten. Treat any proposed species as a separate assessment rather than assuming peaceful fish will ignore it.

Endler’s livebearers

Endler’s livebearer is the distinct species Poecilia wingei, formally described in the species description by Poeser, Kempkes and Isbrücker. A laboratory hybridisation study confirms reciprocal P. reticulata × P. wingei hybridisation through F1 and F2 generations. Keep documented lines apart if preserving their identity matters, and do not represent hybrid descendants as pure examples of either species.

If you want a stocking and compatibility assessment, ask us with the aquarium’s internal dimensions, measured water values, filter details, existing livestock and intended group sizes. Those details allow a useful screen; the litre label by itself does not.

Answer the main buying questions

How big does Female Elephant Ear Guppy get?

Female Elephant Ear Guppy reaches the 6 cm standard-length planning figure used for adult females; standard length excludes the tail fin.

What size aquarium does Female Elephant Ear Guppy need?

Use a mature, filtered aquarium at least 60 cm long; Tropical Fish Co applies this conservative group plan alongside OATA’s minimum of 45 litres for a small group of smaller livebearers.

How many Female Elephant Ear Guppy should I keep together?

Plan five or more guppies where aquarium capacity and the sex plan allow; FishBase gives five or more, while OATA advises at least three.

Does Female Elephant Ear Guppy suit beginners?

Female Elephant Ear Guppy can suit a prepared beginner who provides a mature filter, zero ammonia and nitrite, stable suitable water, a social plan and weekly maintenance.

What does Female Elephant Ear Guppy eat?

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

What temperature and pH does this guppy need?

Maintain 22–28°C under Tropical Fish Co’s routine guidance; OATA’s guppy-and-molly guidance gives pH 7.0–8.0 and 8–18 dGH, with zero ammonia and nitrite.

Is this fish aggressive or likely to nip fins?

This guppy is described as very peaceful, but group behaviour still needs monitoring; avoid fin-nipping species such as tiger barbs and serpae tetras.

Which kinds of animals can this guppy live with?

Compatible livebearers, rasboras, corydoras, small loricariids and some tetras may suit a quiet community after their exact water, adult size, social-space and feeding needs have been screened.

How does this guppy arrive alive in the UK?

Someone must be present to receive it. Film every delivery continuously from the sealed parcel as it is opened, showing the fish still in the bag; float the bag for 20–30 minutes, then transfer the fish without pouring the bag water into the aquarium.

Check the reference library

• FishBase: Poecilia reticulata — identity, distribution, wild biology, environmental records, length and aquarium group note.
• Seriously Fish: Poecilia reticulata — aquarium dimensions, water ranges, feeding, behaviour and sex differences.
• OATA: guppies and mollies — UK group guidance covering water, feeding, social care, maintenance and compatibility.
• RSPCA: aquarium environment — biological filtration and waste processing.
• RSPCA: fish health and welfare — normal condition, warning signs and welfare response.
• MSD Veterinary Manual: aquarium fish management — biosecurity and quarantine duration.
• OATA fish-vet directory — UK veterinary directory.
• Eschmeyer’s Catalog: Poecilia reticulata — accepted scientific identity.
• Description of Poecilia wingei — formal distinction from P. reticulata.
• Experimental hybridisation in Poeciliidae — reciprocal P. reticulata and P. wingei hybridisation.