Male Blue Scissortail Guppy 3.5cm

Male Blue Scissortail Guppy

The Blue Scissortail Guppy has got to be one of the most stunning guppy and unique strains in the aquarium hobby. These are growing in popularity as they are a smaller strain that is produced through hybridizing Endlers and guppies to provide a fish that has muted but vibrant pastel colours. Blue Scissortail Guppies will also make for a fantastic breeding project as there is plenty of room to develop the colours and fins.

Blue Scissortail Guppies are closer to Endlers than they are Guppies, the location of colours and patterning is very similar to Endlers. The most alluring aspect of these fish is the scissortail gene which creates two sword-like extensions on the tail, these sport a splash of yellow whereas the in-between is clear which accentuates the sword look. The body has a more silvery colour that mainly has patches of orange, pink, and yellow. The face especially has a stunning metallic white that provides a great point of contrast. These will make a great breeding project especially when it comes to introducing the scissortail strain to other guppy colours or even working on accentuating these fish. 

Guppies are one of the easiest fish in the aquarium hobby to breed which is why they are such a popular species. These are a livebearer which means the females will give birth to fully formed fry instead of eggs. Females will have much smaller fins with a larger body. The level of blue will also be quite minimal. The wild habitat of the natural guppy is widespread from South America to Mexico.

Tank Recommendations for Male Blue Scissortail Guppy

Being a very small and easy to care for fish a trio of these Blue Scissortail Guppies can be kept in nano aquariums with the minimum being a 40-litre aquarium. A sand or gravel substrate would be fine for these fish as well as they are mostly top-dwelling species. A lot of plant growth will also make these guppies contrast well but also make for handy locations where guppy fry can grow. Guppies however are considered to be 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

Breeding Blue Scissortail Guppies or any other guppy for that fact is super easy and very different from any other aquarium fish. Where a vast majority of aquarium fish lay eggs, guppies 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 guppy will develop a dark black ‘egg spot’ near her ventral fin which is 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. With these guppies specifically, it is recommended to line breed or regulate the offspring produced as it will ensure that the solid colours and lack of patterning are maintained however there is a lot of room to experiment and hybridize to create new and better colour strains! 

Suitable Tank Buddies

The blue 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 bright and flashy fins, certain fin-nipping species would be avoided. The other factor is that guppies are fish that need 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 the Oscars, or Jaguar Cichlids.

Feeding your Blue Scissortail Guppy

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