Guppies are one of the most popular freshwater fish in the hobby, with their small sizes, compatibility, and of course, incredible patterns and colors. They have fantastic personalities too, being peaceful fish and also easy to look after that are readily available in almost all fishkeeping stores.
Sometimes the guppies can be somewhat overlooked by the more advanced aquarists, perhaps due to their beginner compatibility, and relatively low maintenance, especially for tropical fish. However, guppies are absolutely mesmerizing, with an abundance of incredible multicolors, patterns, and majestic swimming that will keep your eyes fixated on them all day long.
The only time that guppies behave aggressively towards each other is when they are kept in an all male tank with one or no females to compete over. So, make sure that you keep a good mixture of both male guppies and females.
Guppies have a somewhat unique reproduction as they are livebearers, which means that they do not lay eggs when they reproduce, instead, their eggs grow inside of them and when they eventually do give birth, they do so to live and freely swimming fish!
Due to this, many hobbyists will find themselves getting large guppy breeding communities, which is not only good for experience and personal gain, but it can be financially rewarding too, should you decide to sell the guppies. If your guppies do breed, make sure that you do not have any accidents with the guppy fry being eaten!
Guppy Tank Mate Requirements
We totally understand that you may not like all of our suggestions on this list. If so, it is up to you to choose your own guppy tank mates! One thing you must do, however, is read these requirements carefully to ensure that the fish you choose is completely compatible with your guppies.
- They must be peaceful by nature.
- They cannot be much bigger than guppies themselves 5.5 inches (14 cm) is the maximum length we would suggest as your guppies could become a snack otherwise.
- They must require the same water temperature as your guppies, which is 72 - 82°F (22 - 28°C).
- A pH level ranging between 6.8 and 7.8 is certainly needed.
- Non-aggressive eaters that will steal your guppies food.
If you can follow these requirements when determining your own guppy tank mates, you should do just fine, and your guppies will certainly thank you for it!
Here are the Top 8 Best Guppy Tank Mates
Below is our list consisting of the best guppy tank mates from our own experiences, as mentioned before, if you do not like any of our suggestions, make sure to follow the requirements above when choosing your own guppy tank mates.
1. Neon Tetra (Paracheirodon Innesi)
Neon tetras, much like the guppies, are a favorite amongst hobbyists and have been for a number of years. Their two primary colors consist of a neon blue and a deep red, in straight lines running across their bodies. They are small fish, much like guppies, however, they are slightly smaller, typically growing to a maximum of 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) long.
Their incredible coloration is on full display when they are in darker water, and they look sensational when in a large community aquarium. Somewhat overlooked by many, these beauties are truly a must-get freshwater fish, and suit living with guppies perfectly.
2. Female Betta Fish (Betta Splendens)
It is so important to understand that this suggestion is for female betta fish, not male betta fish! Females are a lot less aggressive than their male counterparts and are compatible with most peaceful fish communities.
The only downside to female betta fish is that they tend to not be as vastly colored or as beautiful as the males, but they are still incredibly stunning nonetheless. Do not let that discourage you from the female bettas, you will likely still find fantastic female betta fish that are colorful and pretty.
Again, similarly to the Guppies, these Bettas will typically grow to around 3 inches (7.6 cm) in length, which is an ideal size for the community you will create around your Guppies.
3. Rummy Nose Tetra (Hemmigramus Blehri)
Despite the rather amusing name, these tetra fish are always a fantastic addition to most aquariums. Their coloration and pattern are a sight to behold too, with an almost completely transparent body, deep-red face, and almost a zebra-patterned tail! They enjoy a planted environment, so having a rather heavily planted tank will reduce stress and bring much happiness to this fish - and you as the owner!
The Rummy Nose Tetra tends to grow to around 2 inches (5 cm) in length, which is a perfect size for a Guppy tank mate, and they are very much a community fish - peaceful by nature, and incredibly well-behaved. It is certainly advised to keep these in groups of 5 or more to keep them happy and stress-free.
4. White Cloud Mountain Minnow (Tanichthys Albonubes)
Despite having one of the most outrageous names in the entire freshwater fish hobby, they have one of the most peaceful and loveable personalities too! They come in a wide variety of different and stunning colors and are schooling fish, so they love being in big groups.
Purchasing a school with many different colors will look incredible in any aquarium. Again, like the majority of fish that enter this list, they are small in size, much like the Guppies, growing to around 2 inches (5 cm) in length.
5. Harlequin Rasbora (Trigonostigma Hetemorpha)
Another absolute fan favorite is the Harlequin Rasbora. These fish suit almost any kind of aquarium environment and they make for awesome Guppy tank mates. Not only are they fantastic for beginners and experts alike, but they are perfect community fish and model citizens.
These Rasboras come in many different and bright colors too, and if you find the right colors to complement your Guppies, then you will have yourself a very bright and beautiful tank. They are typically small fish, growing to a maximum of 2.5 inches (6.4 cm) in length usually.
The only downside to these fish is that they are pretty rare to find in pet stores, and you will most likely need to go to an actual fish store to locate them, and even then you could potentially find yourself out of luck.
6. Dwarf Suckers (Otocinclus)
The dwarf suckers are a member of the catfish family, in fact, they are one of the smallest members, only growing to a maximum of 2 inches (5 cm) long. Not only are these Dwarf Suckers a cool addition to any fish community due to their uniqueness, but they serve a pretty useful purpose too.
They are well-known for being brilliant algae eaters and they are respectful towards your aquarium ornaments and plants, as well as other fish. They need to be kept in small groups and are extremely compatible with guppies.
7. Kuhli Loach (Pangio Kuhlii)
Perhaps the strangest fish to enter the list is the Kuhli Loach. These fish take up the appearance of a snake-like eel, however, they are indeed in the loach family of fish. They are certainly one of the largest on the list too, reaching up to 4.5 inches (11.5 cm) in length. They are also sometimes referred to as a Coolie Loach or Leopard Loach.
The Kuhli Loaches are known for being fantastic tank mates of the guppy, this is due to multiple reasons. Their coloration is somewhat plain, with these fish often taking up a pale orange and dark brown color, and despite looking rather menacing, they have a very peaceful and playful personality and will be entertaining for you and your guppies.
8. Swordtail Fish (Xiphophorus Hellerii)
Swordtail fish is a truly incredible addition to the list, and certainly a fitting final entry. They are typically brilliant community fish as they are peaceful and fun, enjoying the company of their own, and other fish that happen to be in their community.
They are seriously awesome aesthetically too, usually sporting bright orange bodies with, you guessed it, a sword-shaped tail! They are the biggest fish on the list, growing to a maximum length of 5.5 inches (14 cm) with their tails often outsizing their bodies, so some careful consideration is certainly needed before purchasing them, and they should be kept in small mixed-sex groups.
Keeping them with smaller fish such as the guppies is a match made in heaven as they are super compatible, and their unusual patterns, colorations, and body shapes really do compliment one another.
Conclusion
In conclusion, guppies are an awesome fish for any experience level, and finding the perfect compatible tank mate has never been easier. Due to their awesome and varied coloration, you want the fish that accompany them to be flattering, and all of the inclusions on this list do just that.
It is important that if you wish to house your guppy with a fish that doesn't appear on this list you conduct thorough research using the requirements we have provided for you here! Owning a pack of guppies is incredibly rewarding and successfully housing them with compatible tank mates is even more so! Good luck.
