Tuxedo Guppies are very good looking fish and are a close relative to the common guppy. These fish are commonly kept in aquriums indoors but can also be kept outdoors in ponds if the correct conditions are met.
Listed below is some quick information about this fish
| Temperament : | Peaceful |
| Colour : | Typically Black and White |
| Diet : | Fish Flakes, Blood Worm, Java Moss |
| Adult Size : | 2 inches or 6 cm |
| Lifespan : | 2-3 Years |
| Water Temperature : | 64° – 82° F or 18° – 27.7° C |
| Water Ph : | 5.5-8.0 |
| Tank Size : | Min 10 Gallon |
Overview
The Tuxedo guppy fish is one of the more interesting strains of guppy fish and is very popular with fish keepers due to them being easy to look after and will appeal to beginner fish keepers. They can also be kept with many other types of fish due to them being peaceful and non-aggressive to other fish.
Whilst these fish don’t require much maintenance you will need to know a few things about them if you are considering keeping these fish.
Typical Behaviour
Tuxedo guppies are active but peaceful fish that like to be kept in groups. The males will spend most of there time chasing the females and wiggling there tails to impress them.
These fish are not aggressive and as a result are compatible with most fish.
Appearance
Tuxedo Guppies have two contrasted colours between the front and back on their body. Usually they are black and white and it looks like they are wearing a tuxedo, this is where they get there name.
The most common colour is black and white but you can also get these guppies in the following colours
- Blue
- Red
- Yellow
Life Span
The average life span of a tuxedo guppy is 2 – 3 years. To maximise the life time of your fish it is very important to keep them in ideal water conditions which I will cover below.
Further from ideal water conditions you will need to make sure there stress levels are kept down and they are fed the correct amount and type of food.
Size
An average tuxedo guppy will grow to 2 inches or 6 cm in size. This makes them the perfect fish for most aquariums as they do not take up much space.
Most guppies will grow a bit smaller with a small amount growing a bit larger than 2 inches. For a guppy to thrive you need to keep them in ideal water conditions (Listed above) and feed them regularly.
Compatible Tank Mates
Tuxedo guppies are tropical fish and require warm water to live in (64° – 82° F) and a water Ph level of 5.5-8.0 so any fish you want to add to your tank will need to be comfortable with these conditions.
Perfect tank mates for tuxedo guppies include
- Mollies
- Catfish
- Platies
- Gold fish
- Sword tails
- Harlequin Rasboras
- Many More,,,
The tuxedo guppy is one of the most compatible fish you can get and is highly recommended for beginners.
Water Conditions
There are two water conditions you need to monitor, Temperature and PH levels.
Temperature
The Tuxedo guppy is a tropical fish and it needs water temperature of between 77f to 80f to thrive. Guppies can survive in water temperatures lower than 77f as they are able to easily adapt to water changes
These guppies can survive in temperatures of 64° – 82°F or 18° – 27.7°C but they will not thrive in these temperatures and are more likely to be open to diseases and less likely to breed.
You can keep Tuxedo guppies in an outdoor pond as long as the temperature stays above 64 F all year round. It is recommended to have a water heater to insure the water temperature.
I recommend that you monitor your aquariums water temperature by using a digital thermometer. You can purchase these from amazon
PH Level
The ideal PH Level for Tuxedo guppies is 7.8 to 8 The guppies will survive in PH levels outside this range but they will not thrive.
You can monitor your aquariums water using a PH water tester kit available on amazon
Oxygen level
Tuxedo guppies can not breath with out oxygen, they require adequate oxygen levels in the water to survive. If they are deprived oxygen it will affect there growth rate and are more likely to be open to diseases.
I recommend to install an air pump in to your aquarium as this will insure that the water is well oxygenated. You can pickup an air pump online from amazon.
If you are keeping your fish outdoors make sure the surface does not freeze over as this will prevent oxygen from entering the water.
Tank Size
You will need roughly 2 gallons of water for one adult tuxedo guppy. These guppies are expected to grow up to 2 inches in size when they become adults. It is recommended to have 1 gallon of water for every inch of fish you are keeping.
These fish also prefer to live in groups, It is not recommended to keep these fish on there own. So make sure you plan ahead how many fish you will keep and how many gallons you will require.
If you are looking to purchase a fish aquarium I recommend you check out the aquariums on amazon
Diet
How often do tuxedo guppies need to be fed? When feeding your tuxedo guppies you should give them enough fish flakes that they can eat for 30 – 60 seconds once or twice a day. If they take longer than 60 seconds to eat all the food then you are over feeding them.
What should I feed my tuxedo guppies? It is recommended to feed your tuxedo guppies fish flakes as this will provide a good balanced diet for them. If you want to feed your guppies a treat you can give them Blood Worm, Java Moss or vegetables such as broccoli.
What vegetables can tuxedo guppies eat? Tuxedo guppies can eat many different vegetables including, peas, green beans, broccoli, corn, cabbage, kale, spiinach leaves and cauliflower. Vegetables will add much needed nutrients to your fishes diet.
How long can tuxedo guppies live without food? Tuxedo guppies can survive for up to two weeks without food. Guppy fry will only be able to last for 3 days without food.
For more information about feeding guppies take a look at this articles
Breeding
Tuxedo guppies are one of the easiest fish to breed and is perfect for beginners. It is recommended to start of with a single male guppy and three to five female guppies.
The female guppies will be pregnant for around 20 – 30 days. You need to be careful as guppies will keep on getting pregnant and having more off springs and soon your aquarium will be over run with guppies.
Guppies will eat there fry (Baby guppies) so it is important to have many hiding places in your tank for them to hide.
Once you have enough guppies in your tank you should separate the male and female guppies so they can not reproduce again. For more information about guppy pregnancy view this article here
Cost Of Tuxedo Guppy
The typical cost of a tuxedo guppy is between 3 – 10 usd. The cost varys due to there being many different types / colours of this guppy. The most important factor for the cost of this guppy is the colour. Neon Blue and Black / White guppies are most popular and will cost you around 3 – 5 usd while Yellow Tuxedo Guppies are typically the most expensive which will cost you around 10 usd.
Diseases
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