Add a royal touch to your planted aquarium with the breathtaking Purple Queen Guppy (Poecilia reticulata). Renowned for its rich violet hues, iridescent sheen, and flowing caudal fin, this premium strain is a standout centerpiece fish for both beginners and experienced aquarists. Active, peaceful, and hardy, the Purple Queen Guppy brings non-stop motion and vivid coloration to any freshwater community setup.

Quick Overview & Care Guide

• Origin & History: While ancestral wild guppies originate from coastal streams and rivers of northeastern South America and the southern Caribbean (such as Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela, and Guyana), the Purple Queen Guppy is a specialty, selectively bred strain developed by master breeders for its distinct deep purple and metallic coloration.

• Care Level: Easy. Extremely hardy and adaptable to standard tap water parameters once acclimated.

• Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons for a small trio or colony. A 20-gallon long aquarium is ideal if keeping a mixed community or a larger breeding group.

• Water Parameters:

  • Temperature: 72°F – 82°F (22°C – 28°C)

  • pH: 6.8 – 7.8

  • Hardness: Moderate to hard (8 – 20 dGH)

• Tank Environment: Provide a well-planted aquarium with species like Java Moss, Anubias, Amazon Swords, and floating plants such as Water Lettuce or Frogbit. Floating plants diffuse bright LED light and provide shelter for newborn fry. Maintain gentle water movement using a sponge filter or baffled hang-on-back (HOB) filter to protect their delicate fins.

• Diet & Feeding: Omnivorous and eager eaters. Feed a balanced staple of high-grade micro pellets, spirulina flakes, and color-enhancing granules. Supplement 2–3 times weekly with live or frozen treats like baby brine shrimp, daphnia, and bloodworms to maximize color vibrancy and fin development.

• Ideal Tank Mates: Peaceful community species thrive alongside Purple Queen Guppies. Excellent options include:

  • Neon, Cardinal, or Ember Tetras

  • Harlequin Rasboras

  • Corydoras Catfish & Otocinclus

  • Dwarf Neocaridina Shrimp and Nerite/Mystery Snails

  • Avoid: Fin-nipping or aggressive species such as Tiger Barbs, aggressive cichlids, or large predators that can swallow them or shred long fins.

• Breeding: Like all livebearers, Purple Queen Guppies reproduce easily in captivity. Keep a ratio of 1 male to 2–3 females to prevent female stress. Females have a gestation period of roughly 28 to 30 days and give birth to 20–50 free-swimming fry. To maximize fry survival, provide dense plant cover (Java moss, hornwort) or transfer gravid females to a dedicated breeding tank.