Galaxy Koi Guppy - Poecillia reticulata

Galaxy Koi Guppy (Poecilia reticulata)

The Galaxy Koi Guppy is a colourful captive-bred fancy guppy strain, prized for its bright koi-style red, orange and white colouration, patterned body and decorative galaxy-style spotting or marbling through the fins. Males are usually smaller and more intensely coloured, while females are larger and fuller-bodied. Hardy, active and peaceful, this variety is a great choice for a well-maintained freshwater community aquarium with stable, moderately hard to hard water.

Common Name:
Galaxy Koi Guppy. Also commonly referred to as the Koi Galaxy Guppy, Galaxy Guppy, Koi Guppy, Fancy Guppy or Millionfish.

Scientific Name (Latin):
Poecilia reticulata

Maximum Size:
Males usually reach around 3–4 cm, while females can reach around 5–6 cm in captivity.

Water Type:
Freshwater

Origin / Natural Habitat:
The Galaxy Koi Guppy is a captive-bred aquarium strain. The wild form of Poecilia reticulata is native to north-eastern South America and nearby Caribbean regions, including Venezuela, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados and surrounding areas. Wild guppies are highly adaptable and are often found in quiet, shallow, vegetated waters, small streams, pools, ditches and marginal habitats.

Water Parameters:
Temperature: 22–28°C
pH Range: 7.0–8.2
Hardness: moderately hard to hard water preferred

Temperament:
Peaceful and active. Guppies are suitable for community aquariums with other calm fish that enjoy similar harder, alkaline water conditions. Males may constantly display to and chase females, so mixed-sex groups are best kept with more females than males.

Diet:
Omnivorous. It should be offered a varied diet including quality flake, micro pellets, colour-enhancing foods, spirulina, algae-based foods, frozen daphnia, baby brineshrimp, cyclops and occasional bloodworm. Small, regular feeds help maintain colour, energy and breeding condition.

Minimum Tank Size:
A practical recommendation is at least 40–60 litres for a small group, with larger aquariums preferred for mixed communities or breeding groups.

Behaviour & Activity:
This is an active mid-to-upper level livebearer that spends much of the day swimming, displaying, grazing and exploring the aquarium. Females give birth to free-swimming fry, so numbers can increase quickly in a mixed-sex group. Plant cover, floating plants and fine-leaved plants can help provide shelter for fry and reduce stress among adults.

Aquarium Category:
Community Fish
This species is peaceful and works well with other small freshwater community fish that enjoy similar water conditions. Suitable tank mates include platies, mollies, swordtails, peaceful small rainbowfish, Corydoras suited to harder water, bristlenose plecos and other gentle livebearers. Avoid fin nippers, aggressive fish, large predators and very soft-water species that prefer acidic conditions.

Special Requirements or Care Notes:
Best kept in clean, stable water with good filtration, regular maintenance and enough minerals to support livebearer health. Guppies usually do best in harder, alkaline water and may struggle long-term in very soft acidic aquariums. Fancy strains can have more delicate fins than wild-type guppies, so avoid sharp décor and fin-nipping tank mates. If keeping males and females together, a ratio of one male to two or more females can help reduce constant attention on individual females.

Suitable for:
Beginner fishkeepers

Availability:
Common / occasional in trade, usually as captive-bred stock

All images are a visual representation of the fish you will receive, made to be as accurate as possible. Please note that Mother Nature is a wonderful thing, and variation in patterns and colours will occur — that is part of the unique beauty of these animals.