Full Red Albino Guppy

Geographic Origin and Biotope: Purest artificial form. Isolation of the recessive gene (albinism) in bred strains. In nature guppies inhabit rivers, swamps and canals in South America (Venezuela).

Taxonomy and Morphology: Albino Guppy (Poecilia reticulata). Poeciliid. Total absence of melanin (black/dark pigment). Eyes compulsorily red (distinctive trait of true albinos) as the iris is transparent and shows the blood vessels.

Social Behavior: Hyperactive and exhausting. Males spend 95% of their lives swimming backwards in front of females with extended fins to fertilize them. Females constantly run away to feed.

Coloration and Sexual Dimorphism: Bright albinism. Without black, the body becomes an almost translucent pinkish-white, while the primary colors (red, yellow, light blue) "explode" in blinding pastel shades on the immense fins of the males. Whitish females with a barely shaded tail.

Aquarium Setup: Guppy Tank (60 cm / 24 inches). Thick vegetation (Ceratophyllum, Egeria) is essential to allow exhausted females to hide from males (mandatory ratio: 1 male per 3 females).

Diet and Feeding: Omnivorous scavengers. Literally devour everything on the surface or in mid-water: vegetable flakes, daphnia, mosquitoes. Must be fed with color-enhancing feeds to keep the pastel pigments vibrant.

Water Quality: Extremely delicate hybrids. Unlike the wild guppy, "Red Eye" albinos are inbred (consanguineous) for generations. They suffer atrociously from pH fluctuations and bacteria. They require hard (GH 12-20) and perfectly clean water.

Compatibility and Tankmates: Blind victims. Albinos have terrible eyesight. Males with huge tails are the perfect target for Barbs, Bettas and Characins who will bite them off. Best kept in a monospecific tank or with Corydoras.

Aquarium Reproduction: Baby-producing machines. Ovoviviparous females generate 20-50 young every 28 days. Albino mothers, not seeing well, sometimes struggle to hunt and eat their own offspring, guaranteeing a very high survival rate if there are hiding places.

Risks and Diseases: Lighting blindness. The transparent red iris does not filter light: overly powerful LED fixtures will blind them or push them to hide perpetually due to photophobic pain. Provide shade with floaters.