Melanzona guppy

Poecilia parae

Blue between dark lateral stripes: one of several male morphs.

This slender blue melanzona male has two dark stripes enclosing a blue-violet panel. Yellow, red, tiger-patterned and plain males are the same species.

Adult length: Up to 3 cm
Water temperature: 24–28 °C
pH: 7–8
Hardness: 5–10 dGH

Natural habitat: Inhabits fresh and brackish estuarine waters, as well as inland swamps and shallow slow creeks near vegetation over sand and mud.

Mild brackish care is favoured, though salt is not mandatory for all stocks. Keep at 24–28°C and pH 7–8.

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Appearance and identification

Compare this striped male with the orange-red picta male. This does not apply to plain or unstriped parae.

Same-species behaviour

Keep at least two females per male, with visual barriers; monitor female harassment.

Diet and feeding

Feed small flakes, frozen foods and varied foods. Grazing does not make a complete diet.

Compatibility limits

Check water conditions first and consider a species-only setup.

Aquarium environment

Any brackish setup needs plants tolerant of its salinity.

Sources