Description
Species Overview
The Purple Tiger Guppy (Poecilia reticulata) is a selectively bred fancy guppy that combines rich purple and violet coloration with the darker striping and patterned appearance that gives the Tiger line its name. The contrast between the metallic body coloration, darker markings, and colorful fins makes each fish a little different from the next.
These Purple Tiger Guppies are Bred by Aquatic Arts at our Indianapolis facility. Our team raises these fish directly, giving us firsthand experience with their development, behavior, and care rather than simply receiving finished fish from another breeder.
Males typically develop the strongest coloration and more elaborate finnage, while females are generally larger and more subtly colored. Because this is a selectively bred living strain, the exact amount of purple coloration, pattern placement, and finnage will naturally vary between individuals and continue developing as younger fish mature.
Purple Tiger Guppies are active, social livebearers that spend much of their time exploring the middle and upper portions of the aquarium. They readily learn feeding routines, interact constantly with other guppies, and bring plenty of movement to a planted community aquarium.
Like other guppies, they are also prolific livebearers. Males and females kept together should be expected to reproduce, making the Purple Tiger Guppy equally interesting as a colorful display fish or as a breeding project for aquarists who want to work with a Bred by Aquatic Arts guppy line.
What We Love About This Fish
Bred by Aquatic Arts at our Indianapolis facility
Rich purple and violet coloration contrasted by distinctive dark Tiger-style patterning
Active, social personality that keeps the middle and upper aquarium constantly moving
A selectively bred livebearer that works equally well as a colorful display fish or an ongoing breeding project
Quick Care Guide
Care Level: Easy
Temperament: Peaceful and Social
Adult Size: Approximately 1.5 to 2.5 Inches
Diet: Omnivore (Quality Flakes, Pellets, Algae-Based Foods, Frozen Foods, and Live Foods)
Minimum Tank Size: 10 Gallons
Swimming Zone: Middle to Upper
Social Behavior: Social Livebearer, Not a True Schooling Fish
Group Size: Best kept with other guppies or peaceful community fish. When keeping males and females together, keeping more females than males helps distribute persistent male courtship behavior.
Source: Bred by Aquatic Arts
Scientific Name: Poecilia reticulata
Purchase Size: Approximately 1 to 1.5 Inches
Recommended Water Parameters
Temperature: 72° to 78°F (22° to 26°C)
pH: 7.2 to 8.0
GH: 7 to 15 dGH
KH: 4 to 10 dKH
Ammonia: 0 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: Ideally below 20 ppm
Purple Tiger Guppies do best in stable, mineral-rich freshwater. Moderately hard to hard water with a neutral to alkaline pH supports the conditions guppies generally thrive in, and adequate GH provides important minerals for long-term health.
At Aquatic Arts, our guppies are maintained at approximately pH 7.8 to 7.9, GH 7 to 8 dGH, and KH around 4 dKH, so customers do not need to chase an exact number if their aquarium is already within an appropriate range.
Consistency matters more than continually adjusting the water to reach a particular pH. A fully cycled aquarium, regular water changes, good filtration, and stable mineral content provide the foundation for healthy growth, strong finnage, vibrant coloration, and successful reproduction.
