Tuxedo Guppy Fish – All You Need to Know

Guppies make great pets for almost anyone. They’re low-cost, low-maintenance, easy to breed, and highly adaptable. They get along well with other species, and they’re very nice to look at. Guppies also come in such a wide variety of species, each with its unique characteristics.

You can find guppies in any possible combination of patterns, colors, color distribution, and tail shapes and sizes.

With so much variety, it becomes almost impossible to decide which one to choose. In this article, I’m going to talk about one of the most popular guppy species— the Tuxedo Guppy. We’re going to see why this species makes a great choice for guppy enthusiasts. Hopefully, this will help you come one step closer to finding the perfect guppy for your aquarium.

We’ll discuss everything concerning Tuxedo Guppies, from their origin to their particularities, maintenance requirements, price, water parameters, and more! Keep reading to discover more about this fascinating and endearing guppy species!

What’s The Origin of Tuxedo Guppies?

The name “Tuxedo Guppy” comes from, you guessed it, the tuxedo suit. But what does that have to do with these guppies? Well, fish of this species have beautiful pale fins and heads, while the bottom half of their body is a dark contrasting color. The sharp contrast and color distribution make them look like they’re wearing a tuxedo. Pretty cool!

Geographically speaking, like most other guppy species, Tuxedo Guppies are native to South America. That’s right! You can actually find them in the wild, where they inhabit brackish, tropical waters. However, most of the Tuxedo Guppies you’ll find in pet shops are a little different than their wild counterpart.

While Tuxedo Guppies as a species actually occur in nature, the ones that are commercially available in pet stores and specialty shops are man-made. Not that this is a bad thing. These guppies are selectively bred for size, vibrancy, and color diversity, so you get more beautiful Tuxedo Guppies to choose from! You wouldn’t be able to find the same wide color palette in wild Tuxedo Guppies.

Tuxedo Guppy Price

Considering their unique appearance and wide variety of colors, you’d expect these guppies to be quite expensive. However, for the most part, this species comes at affordable prices. Depending on your desired color combo and the breeder’s offer, you could find Tuxedo Guppies ranging between $3-10.

Such a purchase won’t break the bank, especially if you plan to keep just 3-5 guppies. Even gorgeous fish like Neon Blue Tuxedo Guppies cost $5 on average. Yellow Tuxedo Guppies are another example— they’re a bit pricier at an average of $7, but still far from big bucks.

Besides color combinations and breed popularity, other factors could increase or decrease the price. Larger fish are typically more expensive, especially if they’re selectively bred for size. Mature fish are also a bit more expensive than fry because you’re also paying for the extra time and resources invested in their health and development.

Tuxedo Guppy Size

Like most other guppies, adult Tuxedo Guppies reach an average length of 2 inches. You can also find Tuxedo Guppies that are smaller than that, or even larger than that. Females are also a bit larger than males. Given their size, Tuxedo Guppies are a great choice for all tanks.

Whether you have a nano-tank or a large-sized aquarium, you can always fit at least a few guppies in there. Tuxedo Guppies need around 5 gallons of water each, so you can add 3 guppies in an average 15-gallon aquarium. With good filtration, you might even be able to keep a couple more.

Lifespan of Tuxedo Guppies

Most healthy Tuxedo Guppies can live up to 2 years, which is similar to other guppy species. However, there are a few factors that can either increase or decrease your guppies’ lifespan. Living conditions and maintenance care are the most important things to remember.

By living conditions, I mean making sure your guppies’ stress levels are low, and that they have suitable water parameters. Maintenance includes frequent water changes and tank cleanings. You must also make sure to feed your guppies a nutritious, varied diet. All guppies need a combination of fresh, frozen, live, and dried food to meet their nutritional needs.

The way you set up your tank can have a huge impact on your guppies’ wellbeing. You must avoid overcrowding the tank with too many fish. And don’t keep incompatible species or tankmates together. Adding live plants and decorations is also necessary to reduce stress levels in fish.

Tuxedo Guppy Breeding

Tuxedo Guppies don’t need any special preparations to breed. Like other guppy species, they’re prolific breeders. This can be either a great thing or a difficult feat to manage, depending on what you want from your guppy tank. If you plan to breed these guppies for profit, then this is great news.

If you intend to breed your Tuxedo Guppies, all you need to do is keep males and females in the same aquarium. It’s really that simple. Feed them, change the water like you usually would, and just let them do their thing. It won’t take long before they start breeding.

The gestation period lasts around 21-30 days. To save as many fry as possible, you should move the pregnant guppies to a different tank where they can give birth. That’s because adult guppies sometimes eat their young. It’s also much easier to move the adult fish to and from a separate tank than it is fishing out small guppy fry. You don’t want to risk hurting the fry because they’re still fragile until they’re fully developed.

Because guppies breed in large numbers every month, you can sell some of the younger guppies and still have plenty to keep for yourself, if that’s what you want. If you don’t want to sell any guppies, then you’ll have to start controlling the guppy population at some point. That is unless you want to end up with more guppies than water in your aquarium. I only advise keeping male and female guppies together if breeding is your goal.

Tuxedo Guppy Tank Size

Tuxedo Guppies and regular guppies are very similar in terms of size. Therefore, you can expect similar space requirements. For each Tuxedo Guppy, you’ll need around 5 gallons worth of tank space. This means you can keep Tuxedo Guppies even in a 10-gallon nano-tank, but I’d advise against this.

It’s tempting to downsize to a more compact, easier-to-manage aquarium. But Tuxedo Guppies don’t do well alone or in too small numbers. They like interacting with other fish and living in groups. For this reason, I recommend keeping at least 3-4 guppies. The best size aquarium for this would be a 20-gallon one.

Tuxedo Guppy Water Parameters

In the wild, Tuxedo Guppies live in a tropical climate. The closer you can get to mimicking their natural environment, the better. Taking this into account, it’s no surprise that Tuxedo Guppies naturally thrive in warmer water. The best temperature range for them is between 77-80°F, especially if you want to encourage their breeding and appetite.

They’re highly adaptable, and they can also survive in slightly lower temperatures, but you’ll still need a heater regardless of which temperature range you choose. The water pH can be neutral or slightly alkaline at around 7.8-8 points, and most tap water falls right within this range. The water should obviously be dechlorinated and free of ammonia or nitrites.

Feeding Tuxedo Guppies

Tuxedo Guppies and regular guppies aren’t any different when it comes to diet. You can base their diet around high-quality flake food, but remember that variety is best. I recommend feeding them some live food as well as some pellets from time to time.

Tuxedo Guppies are omnivorous, so you can feed them a wide range of foods, including plants. Algae wafers are especially good because they contain important fatty acids, vitamins, and pigments that help your guppies keep their vibrant colors.

By far the favorite foods of guppies are brine shrimp and bloodworms. Not only do these foods pack a powerful nutrient punch, but they’re also very high in protein and low in fat. They’re perfect for a balanced adult guppy diet.

With regards to feeding frequency, I’d say once to twice per day is fine. The most important thing to remember is to not feed them too much, because guppies tend to overeat and gain unhealthy weight rather quickly.

Do Tuxedo Guppies Get Along with Other Fish?

Absolutely! Tuxedo Guppies make peaceful and friendly tank mates. They get along well with other guppies, as well as other species. Tuxedo Guppies don’t get territorial, and they actually like being around other fish, rather than alone. So, if you want a mixed aquarium, you can safely add Tuxedo Guppies together with other species.

Any small-sized, friendly fish is a good choice. You don’t want fish that are too small, because guppies might end up eating them. Fish that are too big could in turn be a danger for the guppies in your tank. My favorite fish to keep together with guppies include Mollies, Gouramis, Platies, Tetras, and Corydoras.

Wrap-Up

Hopefully, you found this article informative. If you were wondering whether Tuxedo Guppies make good pets, now you know! This species is affordable, peaceful, and oh so beautiful. Their requirements aren’t that different from those of regular guppies, and you can even keep them together with other fish.

Overall, there is no downside to choosing Tuxedo Guppies for your aquarium. If you want a unique-looking fish, this is an excellent option. They also have a decent lifespan. If you feed them a good diet and provide them with proper care, they will be there to uplift your mood for a long time to come.