Male Black Scissortail Guppy 3.5cm

Male Black Scissortail Guppy

The Male Black Scissortail Guppy is a bold, flashy livebearer that brings energy and movement to any aquarium. Known for their gracefully forked tail that mimics the appearance of a scissor in motion, these guppies are both elegant and active. Unlike many other guppy strains that rely on bold, flashy colours, the Black Scissortail stands out for its understated class and the way it contrasts beautifully against green plants and brightly lit aquascapes.

Just like its colourful cousins, the Scissortail guppy retains the streamlined, wild-type body form with a pronounced "V" in the tail. These males are typically smaller, more agile, and very active in the aquarium, constantly exploring and interacting with their surroundings. Their simplicity and motion make them a beautiful addition to nano setups or peaceful community tanks, especially for aquarists wanting something elegant and refined rather than over-the-top finnage.

Guppies are also livebearers, meaning they give birth to free-swimming fry rather than laying eggs. While the Scissortail guppy strain is more selectively bred for colour and pattern, they still retains their natural hardiness and prolific breeding nature. The wild habitat of the natural guppy is widespread from South America to Mexico.

Tank Recommendations for your Male Black Scissortail Guppy

Being a very small and easy to care for fish, a trio of these Scissortail guppies can be kept in nano aquariums with the minimum being a 37-litre aquarium. A sand or gravel substrate would be fine for these fish as well. A lot of plant growth will also make these fish contrast really well, but it also makes for handy locations where guppy fry can grow. Guppies, however, are in fact considered to be a 'hard water' fish, meaning they prefer the water to have an elevated PH and are not like a tetra. This higher PH of 7 - 8 can be achieved with a PH buffer or African cichlid lake conditioning salts.

Breeding your Black Scissortail Guppy

Breeding Scissortail guppies or any other guppy, for that matter, is super easy and very different from any other aquarium fish. Where a vast majority of aquarium fish lay eggs, guppies actually give birth to live young just like mammals. If you are looking to breed guppies, it is recommended that there is a ratio of one male to around 3 or more females to make sure that females do not constantly get stressed by the males attempting to breed. When gravid, the female will develop a dark black 'egg spot' near her ventral fin, which is in fact the developing fry. She will then release these in a safe location in the aquarium, which is why it is recommended to have a lot of plant cover in the aquarium. Guppies may also eat any fry they find in the aquarium, so aquarists often have a 'grow-out aquarium'; however, this is not necessary.

Suitable Tank Buddies

The male Scissortail guppy is a very peaceful aquarium fish, and males are no different in aggression when compared with females. They are great with a wide range of nano aquarium fish; however, because of their flowing fins, certain fin-nipping species would be avoided. The other factor is that guppies are a fish that needs a higher PH, so keeping them with South American tetras may not be very suitable as these lower PH.

Usually Compatible

Pseudomogil species such as fork-tail rainbows, blue eyes, rice-fish, and nano aquarium fish can tolerate hard water conditions.

Sometimes Compatible

Medium growing or possibly fin-nipping species. Bettas should also be avoided because of their similar flashy nature to guppies, which could lead to aggression from the bettas' end.

Rarely Compatible

Large and aggressive species that would prey on the guppies, such as oscars or jaguar cichlids.

Feeding your Male Black Scissortail Guppy

The Scissortail guppy is very easy to feed once it is settled into the aquarium. It will readily eat a wide range of foods but would prefer to have a high-floating nano pellet or flake due to its top-dwelling behaviour. Giving them a nutritional food with good protein and varied ingredients can result in the mild colours being slightly more enhanced.