Overview: Considered as one of the most widely used freshwater aquarium fish in the world, Guppies are extremely popular among aquarists due to its adaptability to a wide range of ecological and environmental conditions. These colorful fishes come in a variety of names based on their appearances. The 7colored butterfly guppy is one of them and as the name suggests this is a brightly colored fish painted in seven hues with a tail that resembles a butterfly. The males are smaller than the females and are brightly colored with ornamental fins. The females, on the other hand, are dull colored without the ornamental caudal and dorsal fins. The colored butterfly guppy is hardy and peaceful in temperament and hence an excellent choice for beginners. 7 colored Guppies can grow up to a maximum length of 2 inches.
Distribution and Habitat: Native to Barbados, Brazil, Jamaica, Antigua and Barbuda, Trinidad & Tobago Islands, Venezuela and other parts of North and Central America. In its natural habitat, the 7colored butterfly guppy is found abundantly in the freshwater streams and pools along the coasts of South America. In some cases, they have shown tolerance towards the brackish water and colonized brackish water habitats.
Temperature: The 7 colored butterfly guppy prefers warm tropical temperatures between 19 and 29 degree Celsius.
Water conditions: The 7 colored butterfly guppy thrives in water with pH levels between 7 and 8 and hardness between 10 to 20 dH. In aquariums, it can tolerate salinity up to 150% that of normal seawater.
Breeding: The 7 colored butterfly guppies are rapid livebearers. They are polyandrous in nature, which explains their high rate of proliferation. The gestation period could range between 21 to 30 days
Feeding: The adult 7 colored butterfly guppies feed on live food like brine shrimp or Daphnia, guppy flakes and frozen dry food. Guppy fry likes to snack on live food like baby brine shrimps, micro worms, infusoria, etc.
Lifespan: The young fry of 7 colored butterfly Guppy takes approximately 3 or 4 months to mature into adult guppies. Females can reproduce till 2 to 3 years. Total lifespan of the 7colored butterfly Guppy is usually around 2 years, which largely depends on their habitat. Guppies in high-predation habitats usually have longer lifespans since their reproductive lifecycle is longer than the ones living in non-predation habitats.
Did you know?
Due to their natural shoaling tendency, 7 colored butterfly guppies should not be kept solo in an aquarium. At least 10 of them from both the sexes are considered ideal.
