Description
Micropoecilia picta, the swamp guppy, is a tiny poeciliid, about 3 cm, from the Atlantic coast of South America, from Trinidad to the Amazon delta. Its old name, Poecilia picta, is still on many pages; the accepted one today is Micropoecilia picta. It is not the common guppy (Poecilia reticulata), even if it recalls it in name and size.
It is a little-known aquarium fish, from mildly brackish, very hard, alkaline water. Little more is known of it, so its behaviour and breeding are described by relationship with other livebearers.
Behavior
The species' behaviour is barely documented. The reasonable course is to treat it as a tiny, peaceful livebearer, in a small group with more females than males, and with plants to take refuge in. If it behaves like the rest of its family, males will harass females, so more females spread the attention.
It lives well with other tiny, quiet fish that tolerate its hard, alkaline water.
Avoid housing it with soft, acidic water fish, and with any fish that fits in its mouth or that bothers it, because it is too small to compete.
Habitat
Micropoecilia picta lives in Central and South America: from Trinidad to the Amazon delta. It inhabits mildly brackish water in canals and drainage ditches at the edges of swamps. The water is hard and alkaline, which is why its ranges are among the hardest of the family: pH 7.5 to 8.2 and 20 to 40 °dH.
Details
🌊 Water parameters
🐠 Minimum tank size
Breeding
A livebearer, like the rest of the family. The embryos can make up to 25 % of the mother's weight and each female gives birth to between 11 and 25 young. There is no data on the length of gestation or on breeding in the aquarium.
If you want to save fry, it is best to move the gravid female to another tank, with the same water conditions, to give birth there, and leave fine plants for hiding them.
Diet
Its diet is not described. By relationship with other poeciliids, a small omnivore that eats most things is likely.
- Staple: fine flakes or pellets.
- Supplement: brine shrimp nauplii and daphnia, and some plant matter.
What about your tank?
Enter your tank's values to see only the compatible species that fit them. Litres apply to fish.
Compatible fish
General guidance based on water parameters, behaviour and known exceptions; always review the individual animals' and aquarium's specific needs.
They share water: pH 7.5–8 and 26–28 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 7.5–8 and 26 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 7.5–8.2 and 26–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7.5–8 and 26–27 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 7.5–8 and 26–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7.5–8 and 26–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7.5–8.2 and 26–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7.5–8.2 and 26–28 °C.
They share water: pH 7.5–8 and 26 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 7.5–8 and 26–27 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 7.5–8.2 and 26 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 7.5–8 and 26 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 7.5–8 and 26–28 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 7.5–8 and 26–28 °C.
Compatible invertebrates
General guidance based on water parameters, behaviour and known exceptions; always review the individual animals' and aquarium's specific needs.
They share water: pH 7.5–8 and 26–28 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
They share water: pH 7.5–8.2 and 26–28 °C. They only meet at the very edge, so the tank has to hold that value.
Sources
- FishBaseFroese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2026. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication.
The care values (pH, temperature and hardness) come from a single source: none of the other accepted sources records them for this species.
Water: FishBase gives pH 7.5-8.2, 20-40 dH and 26-28 °C; the profile's ranges are its own. Seriously Fish has no profile of the species (404, also with «poecilia-picta»). Size: 3.0 cm TL in FishBase. Name: «guppy pintado» is the name chosen for the profile; FishBase calls it «Swamp guppies» in English. GBIF accepts Micropoecilia picta and leaves Poecilia picta as a synonym; the FishBase page still carries the synonym in its title and also opens with the address «Micropoecilia-picta». Salinity: FishBase lists it as freshwater and brackish and says it lives in mildly brackish water. Behaviour and diet: FishBase does not record them; the profile's text says so, and what it tells about them is an estimate by relationship with other poeciliids.
Litres per fish, tank sizes and lifespan: the profile's own judgement. The sources consulted do not give them.
Plan your next aquarium
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