PeekFishDiscover what makes each fish different
EN ▾
ZH EN
← All groups
Guppy — domestic red delta-tail; not wild-type or all-sex representative; AI-generated side-view illustration

Guppies and other livebearers

47 species

Guppies and swordtails show why colour and tail shape are only part of identification. Compare adult requirements and plan for reproduction as well as appearance.

Read the full guide
Guppy — domestic red delta-tail; not wild-type or all-sex representative; AI-generated side-view illustration
Guppy6 cm SL · source observationFancy males can have broad colourful tails; females and wild forms look different.
Left-facing female Alfaro cultratus AI illustration with silver-gold body, rear dorsal and ventral keel.
Knife livebearerLength unknownSilver-gold flanks and a ventral keel, rather than a tail sword.
Left-facing adult male Brachyrhaphis roseni AI illustration with orange dorsal, dark scale edges and narrow two-tone gonopodium.
Cardinal brachyLength unknownOrange dorsal and dark scale edges, with nipping and fry-predation risks.
Girardinus falcatus — Natural-type adult male; no locality pedigree claim. AI-generated side-view illustration.
Goldbelly topminnow3.7 cm SLSilvery-gold fish show reticulated scales and bright eyes; the pictured male lacks the black-chin form’s solid dark underside.
Girardinus metallicus — Black-chin morph adult male; this colour is not shared by every male. AI-generated side-view illustration.
Metallic livebearer6 cm SL · source observationBlack-chin males show a dark underside extending into the gonopodium; females are larger and plainer.
Least killifish — natural-type adult male; AI-generated illustration
Least killifish2 cm SL · source observationA dark horizontal stripe and dorsal spot stand out; tiny males have a long gonopodium.
Limia islai — natural-type adult male, left-facing AI illustration
Tiger limiaFemale usually 3.5 cm TL; male TL unknownDark bars on pale yellow, with a low-backed adult male.
Limia melanogaster — natural-type adult male, left-facing AI illustration
Blue-bellied limia4 cm SLSteel-blue males and a conspicuous female belly patch.
Limia nigrofasciata — natural-type adult male, left-facing AI illustration
Humpback limia5.2 cm SLAn arched male back, dark bars and yellow fins.
Limia perugiae — natural-type adult male, left-facing AI illustration
Sparkling limia10 cm TLA silver-blue male sheen and a dark dorsal marking.
Left-facing natural-form female Limia sulphurophila AI illustration with dark-edged scales, blue sheen, small amber dorsal and rounded tail.
Sulphur limia3.9 cm SLDark-edged scales show blue sheen; a dorsal-base spot is variable.
Limia tridens — natural-type adult male, left-facing AI illustration
Tiburon limia3 cm TLSteel-blue specks, an orange dorsal patch and variable bars.
Limia vittata — natural-type adult male, left-facing AI illustration
Cuban limia8 cm TLIndividual patterns of irregular black blotches on silver-grey.
Tiger teddy — natural-type adult female; AI-generated illustration
Tiger teddy2.5 cm SL · source observationOlive-gold sides carry short bars and orange areas; females are fuller and males smaller.
Left-facing male Phallichthys amates AI illustration with faint bars, dark-edged dorsal and long gonopodium.
Merry widow7 cm SLA deep silver-blue body and long male gonopodium; markings vary.
Phallichthys quadripunctatus — natural-type adult male, left-facing AI illustration
Fourspotted toothcarp3.5 cm SLSilvery-brown sides usually carry four dark spots; males are smaller with a conspicuous gonopodium.
Phallichthys tico — natural-type adult male, left-facing AI illustration
Dwarf merry widow2.5 cm SLSmall orange-brown fish have a black dorsal area with a pale blue edge and a long male gonopodium.
Poecilia butleri, natural-type adult male with a short dorsal fin and orange-edged rounded tail, left-facing AI illustration
Pacific mollyAdult TL unknownA shortfin molly whose males may show orange tail edges.
Left-facing adult male Poecilia caucana AI illustration with a silver blue-violet body and yellow dorsal bearing a black basal patch.
Cauca mollyLength unknownA yellow dorsal with a dark basal patch and a blue-violet sheen.
Left-facing non-dominant adult male Poecilia chica AI illustration with silver-olive body and ochre spot rows.
Dwarf mollyLength unknownFine ochre spot rows; dominant males can darken rapidly.
Left-facing adult male sailfin molly AI illustration with spotted dorsal sail, flank spot rows, rounded tail and gonopodium.
Sailfin molly15 cm TLMature males spread a spotted dorsal sail above an ordinary rounded tail.
Left-facing AI illustration of coarse surface-male Poecilia mexicana appearance, dark back, blue-silver flank and yellow fin regions; reference colour is affected by anesthesia.
Atlantic mollyLength unknownDark upper body, blue-silver flanks and yellow fin regions distinguish this selected surface phenotype from cave forms.
Left-facing adult male Poecilia parae AI illustration of the blue melanzona morph, blue-violet between two black lateral stripes.
Melanzona guppyLength unknownBlue between dark lateral stripes: one of several male morphs.
Left-facing adult male Poecilia picta AI illustration of the Red Surinam phenotype, orange-red body and upper caudal spot.
Picta swamp guppyLength unknownAn orange-red male with a caudal spot, not a guppy strain.
Left-facing adult male Poecilia salvatoris AI illustration with silver-blue body and orange-red short dorsal and rounded tail.
Liberty mollyLength unknownA silvery shortfin molly with orange-red male fins.
Shortfin molly — Adult female ordinary shortfin molly, grey body with restrained iridescent flecks, short dorsal, rounded tail, fan anal fin, no balloon or lyretail; natural-type illustration with identity limits.; AI-generated side-view illustration
Shortfin molly8 cm SL · source observationSeparate ordinary shortfin morphology from balloon and lyretail trade forms.
Yucatan molly — Adult male green natural-type Yucatan molly, large tall sail dorsal with pearl spots, green-gold sides, ordinary rounded caudal, restrained dark lower caudal edge; no balloon/lyretail, no exact ray-count certification.; AI-generated side-v
Yucatan molly15 cm SL · source observationThe mature male’s tall spotted dorsal stands out; juveniles can resemble other sailfin mollies.
Left-facing barred adult male Poecilia vivipara AI illustration with silver-grey vertical bars and a pale yellow belly.
Poecilia viviparaLength unknownVariable body bars and state-dependent male belly colour.
Endler’s livebearer — Adult male natural-type Endler; slim metallic green-orange body, discrete dark flank patch, modest clear tail with coloured margins, no huge delta tail; no named locality claim.; AI-generated side-view illustration
Endler’s livebearer2.5 cm SL · source observationSmall males show metallic patches and often a clear central tail; females are plain.
Left-facing male Xiphophorus alvarezi AI illustration with red stripes, blue-green sheen and black-edged yellow-green sword.
Chiapas swordtailLength unknownRed lateral stripes, blue-green sheen and a black-edged sword.
Left-facing adult female Xiphophorus andersi AI illustration with silver-gold body, short anterior marks and rear abdominal patch.
Xiphophorus andersi4.5 cm TLA silvery female; early- and late-maturing males need separate comparison.
Left-facing male Xiphophorus continens AI illustration, silver-gold body, dark stripe and ordinary tail.
Xiphophorus continensLength unknownA silvery dwarf with a dark lateral stripe and specific water and feeding needs.
Left-facing adult male Xiphophorus cortezi AI illustration with pink-grey green body, spotted dorsal and short sword.
Xiphophorus corteziLength unknownShort sword, prominent dorsal, and serious male rivalry risk.
Left-facing speckled adult male Xiphophorus evelynae AI illustration with pale blue-silver body and yellowish fins.
Puebla platyLength unknownA pale speckled male with yellowish fins; patterns vary within the species.
Green swordtail — Adult male green-type swordtail, elongated olive-silver body, fine reddish lateral stripe, ordinary dorsal, long lower caudal sword edged dark; no exact locality or unselected ancestry claim.; AI-generated side-view illustration
Green swordtail14 cm SL · source observationMature males have a lower caudal sword; females and juveniles cannot be identified by that trait.
Left-facing adult male Xiphophorus kallmani AI illustration, brassy flanks, fine orange line and black-edged sword.
Brass swordtailLength unknownBrassy metallic flanks and a black-edged long sword.
Southern platy — domestic red-wag normal-body; breeding ancestry unverified; AI-generated side-view illustration
Southern platy5 cm SL · source observationA short, deep body and fan tail; red-wag and other colours are selected forms.
Left-facing adult male Xiphophorus mayae AI illustration, teal flanks, orange lines and dark-edged sword.
Mayan swordtailLength unknownDeep teal flanks, orange lines and a dark-edged sword.
Left-facing AI illustration of spotted Xiphophorus meyeri with connected dark flank patches; female-like adult form is visually inferred.
Meyer's platyfish3 cm TLConnected dark flank blotches mark this conservation-kept spotted form.
Left-facing adult female Xiphophorus milleri AI illustration, golden black-speckled body, full abdomen and dark caudal-base band.
Xiphophorus milleriLength unknownA yellow, densely speckled female; males in the reference stock are smaller and plainer.
Left-facing adult male Xiphophorus montezumae AI illustration with silver-green blotched body and long black-edged sword.
Montezuma swordtailLength unknownA very long male sword needs consideration in handling and community choices.
Left-facing natural yellow adult male Xiphophorus pygmaeus AI illustration with dark scale edges and lateral marking, no long sword.
Pygmy swordtailLength unknownSmall size does not remove its need for water movement and clean water.
Left-facing adult male Xiphophorus signum AI illustration with slender silver-violet body and black-edged yellow-green sword.
Xiphophorus signum7.5 cm TLSlender long-sworded males; the caudal mark is clearer in females.
Variable platy — Adult male ordinary-fin trade form, elongated platy body, yellow-gold sides with restrained red tail, no sword, no high-fin, no balloon; selected colour label.; AI-generated side-view illustration
Variable platy5 cm SL · source observationRepresentative fish are more elongated than southern platies; sunset and other labels describe trade forms.
Left-facing adult male Xiphophorus xiphidium AI illustration with compact body, anterior tiger bars and no caudal-base spot.
Sword platyLength unknownTiger markings in mature males; caudal patterns also vary by stock.

Livebearer types: species, forms and sex differences

How the gallery is organised

Guppies, swordtails and other livebearers have many sales names. This gallery uses species entries, with domestic colours and fin forms described separately. Check the scientific name after finding a familiar trade name. An uncertain hybrid or similar-looking fish should not receive a firm species identity from a single picture.

Guppies are more than colourful tails

Selected male guppies often have conspicuous colours and extended fins. Females and wild forms need not resemble that familiar image. Compare body proportions, tail and anal fin rather than assuming a plainer individual is a different species. The adult male gonopodium is a useful sex character; tail brightness alone is not.

A sword depends on sex and stage

A typical adult male swordtail has an extension of the lower tail lobe. Females, juveniles and ornamental fin forms require more careful interpretation. Consider life stage, sex and domestic form together. Do not estimate its adult space from your impression of guppies: sharing the livebearer gallery does not mean sharing the same adult size.

Plan beyond the first group

For these reproducing fish, planning goes beyond how many individuals you bring home. Consider how offspring will be accommodated and how chasing, feeding competition and space will be managed. Compare adult information, water requirements and social notes before selecting candidates. A saved virtual aquarium records your visual arrangement, not the future capacity of a breeding population.

Sources

www.seriouslyfish.com/species/xiphophorus-hellerii

www.seriouslyfish.com/species/poecilia-reticulata

PeekFish · Ornamental fish

Privacy and analytics