Poecilia reticulata (Guppy)

This fish offers very varied livery and shapes.

The poecilia reticulata, also known as Guppy, is a small freshwater fish native to the Americas. Guppies are often considered as popular aquarium fish due to their relatively small size and their wide variety of colors and patterns.

The Guppy body is lying and covered with bright scales. Males tend to be more colorful than females, with sharp stains and colored stripes on their body and tail. The females are generally smaller and dull than males, with a less developed tail. Guppies can reach a length of about 6 centimeters when they are adults.

Guppies are omnivorous fish that feed on small insects, crustaceans and aquatic plants. They were also known to eat fish and frog eggs. Guppies are generally peaceful and can coexist with other species of fish in a community aquarium.

Guppies have rapid reproduction and can produce hundreds of small in the space of a few months. Females have the capacity to reproduce every month and can give birth to small living, rather than laying eggs like most fish. The males are responsible for the custody of eggs and small ones during the early stages of their lives.

The guppies are widely widespread in the Americas and they are found in the fresh waters of many countries, especially in Brazil, Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago. They have also been introduced into many other regions of the world, where they can sometimes become invasive species.

Due to their rapid reproduction and their wide variety of colors, guppies have been the subject of many genetics studies. They were also used as laboratory animals for the study of the biology and physiology of fish.