Tequila Sunrise Guppy (Poecilia reticulata)

The Tequila Sunrise Guppy (Poecilia reticulata) is a selectively bred fancy guppy named for its sunrise colors: yellow toward the front of the body, warming into orange and red in the tail of the males. It is peaceful, busy and beginner friendly, and it adds warm color to a tank full of blue and green fish. Shade and tail shape vary between fish and breeding lines. Browse the rest of our freshwater fish and supplies.

Care Guide

• Tank size: a 10 gallon is a fine starter tank for a small group, and a 20 gallon gives a busier community room to grow. Guppies swim the whole tank, so length helps more than height.
• Water: 72 to 82°F, pH 7.0 to 8.5, moderately hard to hard. Guppies are hard water fish, and soft, acidic water is where most guppy trouble starts.
• Diet: omnivore with a small mouth. A micro pellet or flake staple, plus baby brine shrimp a few times a week, keeps color strong. Feed small amounts twice a day.
• Group: peaceful and social. Keep at least three. With males only, three or more spreads the chasing so no single fish gets worn down. With females in the tank, plan on two or three females for every male.
• Aquascape: plants and gentle flow. Long tails tire quickly in a strong current, and floating plants or a bunch of Guppy Grass give tired fish and any fry somewhere to rest.
• The real risk: fancy guppies are line bred and less tough than wild guppies. Stable, clean, hard water and steady temperature prevent most losses, while skipped water changes and big swings cause them.

Specifications

Compatibility

Guppies fit almost any calm community of small fish. Good neighbors we carry include Panda Corys, Pygmy Corys, Ember Tetras, Otocinclus, Racetrack Nerite Snails and adult Neocaridina shrimp, and other fancy guppies like the Navy Blue Cobra Guppy and Purple Queen Guppy.

What goes wrong: fin nippers such as tiger barbs and serpae tetras shred guppy tails, and anything with a mouth big enough (angelfish as they grow, larger cichlids) will eat them. Bettas often attack guppies because the long tails look like a rival. Guppies also cross freely with Endlers, so keep them apart if you want either strain to stay true.

Recommended Foods & Supplies

• Hikari Fancy Guppy, a small pellet made for guppy color and growth, as the daily staple
• Xtreme Nano Slow-Sinking Pellets for a mixed tank of small fish
• Ocean Nutrition Instant Baby Brine Shrimp as a treat that brings out color
• Guppy Grass, a fast growing plant that gives cover and soaks up nitrate
• Seachem Prime for every water change

FAQ

Is this a male or a female?
We sell the Tequila Sunrise Guppy one fish at a time, and we have both males and females from this strain. Add a note to your order or tell us at pickup which you want, and we will net the right one. Males carry the full color and long fins; females are larger with a plainer body.

Why does my new Tequila Sunrise Guppy look pale or keep its fins clamped?
Usually stress from the move. Give it a few days with the lights a little dimmer, stable temperature and small meals. If the fins stay clamped past a week, test the water: soft water, ammonia or nitrite are the usual causes, and guppies show it fast.

How many should I get?
At least three. Guppies are social, and a group spreads any chasing so no single fish gets worn out. If you keep males and females together, keep two or three females for every male.

Will I end up with baby guppies?
If a female shares the tank with any male guppy, yes, and quickly: guppies are livebearers and a female can drop fry every month or so. Keep males only if you do not want fry. Dense plants like Guppy Grass let some fry survive; without cover, most get eaten.

Can it live with my betta?
We do not recommend it. Many bettas attack guppies on sight because the long, colorful tails look like another betta, and a guppy cannot outrun a determined betta in a small tank.