Red Dragon Guppy (Poecilia reticulata) – Tank Bred
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For the safety of our animals, we now ship live fish exclusively via UPS 1 Day Air. If your order contains this item, you will only see UPS 1 Day Air as a shipping option during checkout.
The Red Dragon Guppy is a bold and highly sought-after selectively bred guppy variety known for its intense red coloration, intricate dragon-like body patterning, and flowing ornamental finnage. This striking livebearer immediately becomes a centerpiece fish in planted freshwater aquariums, especially when displayed against dark substrates, driftwood, and lush green aquatic plants.
Its dramatic coloration and active swimming behavior create constant movement and visual contrast throughout the aquarium while still maintaining the hardy and peaceful nature that makes guppies such popular community fish. Whether showcased in a planted nano aquarium or incorporated into a larger freshwater community setup, the Red Dragon Guppy delivers exceptional ornamental appeal.
This tank-bred variety is available as individual males, individual females, or as a compatible breeding pair consisting of one male and one female.
What We Love About This Fish:
• Intense Red Coloration: Brilliant red tones create an eye-catching focal point in planted aquariums.
• Dragon-Style Patterning: Intricate body markings give this guppy a bold ornamental appearance.
• Excellent Community Fish: Peaceful temperament makes it ideal for planted freshwater aquariums.
• Constant Activity and Movement: Active swimming behavior brings life and motion to community tanks.
Quick Care Guide
• Care Level: Easy beginner-friendly ornamental livebearer
• Temperament: Peaceful community fish ideal for planted aquariums
• Diet: Omnivore that accepts flakes, pellets, frozen, and live foods
• Adult Size: Approximately 1.5 - 2 inches
• Average Purchase Size: Roughly 1 - 1.25 inches
• Lifespan: Typically 1.5 - 3 years with proper care
• Tank Level: Active top and midwater swimmer
• Activity Level: Constantly active and social
• Group Recommendation: Best maintained in groups of 3 or more
• Shrimp Compatibility: Compatible with adult shrimp; may eat shrimplets
Recommended Tank Parameters
• Temperature: 72° - 82° F (22° - 28° C)
• pH: 6.8 - 7.8
• KH: 8 - 12 dKH
• Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons
Live Arrival Guarantee
All Aquatic Arts brand plants and animals come with a 100% live arrival guarantee, plus free email support!
The original Guppy (Poecilia reticulata) originates from freshwater streams, ponds, and slow-moving waterways throughout parts of South America and the Caribbean. This selectively bred Red Dragon variety was developed in captivity to emphasize its vivid red coloration, intricate dragon-style patterning, and flowing ornamental finnage.
The Red Dragon Guppy thrives in planted aquariums that combine open swimming space with dense vegetation and natural structure. Their intense red coloration becomes especially vivid when displayed against darker substrates, black backgrounds, driftwood, and lush green aquatic plants.
Plants such as Rotala, Ludwigia, Java Moss, Guppy Grass, and floating plants help create a layered environment that enhances their bold coloration while encouraging natural behavior. Natural driftwood, river stones, and Aquatic Arts botanicals pair especially well with this variety’s striking ornamental appearance.
This variety works exceptionally well in planted nano aquariums, nature-style aquascapes, and colorful freshwater community tanks focused on movement and contrast.
Red Dragon Guppies are omnivorous and eagerly accept a wide range of prepared and live foods. High-quality flakes, micro pellets, frozen foods, and occasional live foods all help maintain vibrant coloration, finnage quality, and overall health.
Supplemental foods such as baby brine shrimp, daphnia, microworms, and other protein-rich live foods can help intensify coloration and encourage breeding condition.
Explore our tropical fish foods and live feeders to help bring out the best coloration in your guppies.
This peaceful guppy variety pairs well with other small, non-aggressive freshwater fish. Excellent tank mates include rasboras, ricefish, Corydoras catfish, kuhli loaches, peaceful tetras, and other calm livebearers.
Avoid aggressive fin nippers or large predatory fish that may stress or injure guppies.
Because of their active and social nature, Red Dragon Guppies perform best in peaceful planted community aquariums.
Adult shrimp are generally compatible with Red Dragon Guppies in established planted aquariums. However, newly hatched shrimplets may occasionally be preyed upon, particularly in aquariums lacking dense plant cover.
Mosses, floating plants, and fine-leaved vegetation help improve shrimplet survival by creating natural shelter and grazing areas.
Like most guppies, the Red Dragon Guppy is a livebearing species that reproduces readily in freshwater aquariums. Females give birth to fully formed free-swimming fry rather than laying eggs.
Stable water quality, warm temperatures, dense vegetation, and high-quality feeding all help encourage successful breeding and fry survival. Floating plants and mosses provide important shelter for newborn fry during early development.
Pair options are ideal for hobbyists interested in selective breeding projects or establishing breeding colonies.
Are Red Dragon Guppies beginner friendly?
Yes. Their hardy nature and peaceful temperament make them an excellent beginner-friendly ornamental livebearer for freshwater aquariums.
What makes Red Dragon Guppies unique?
Their vivid red coloration combined with intricate dragon-style body patterning creates a dramatic ornamental appearance that stands out in planted aquariums.
Can Red Dragon Guppies live with shrimp?
Yes. Adult Neocaridina and Amano shrimp are generally compatible, although newly hatched shrimplets may occasionally be eaten.
Are Red Dragon Guppies good for planted aquariums?
Absolutely. Their bright red coloration creates incredible contrast against green aquatic plants, dark substrates, and natural driftwood.
What foods help improve Red Dragon Guppy coloration?
A varied omnivorous diet containing high-quality flakes, micro pellets, frozen foods, and occasional live foods such as baby brine shrimp or daphnia can help intensify coloration and finnage quality.
Do guppies need a heater?
Yes. Stable tropical temperatures are recommended for long-term health, coloration, and breeding success.
Are male or female guppies more colorful?
Males typically display brighter coloration, larger finnage, and more elaborate patterning than females.
Will these guppies breed in a community aquarium?
Yes. Guppies are prolific livebearers and often reproduce readily in stable freshwater aquariums.
What fish can live with Red Dragon Guppies?
Peaceful species such as rasboras, ricefish, Corydoras catfish, kuhli loaches, and peaceful tetras make excellent tank mates.
Are guppies better kept in groups?
Yes. Guppies display more natural and confident behavior when maintained in groups.
For the safety of our animals, we only ship live fish, crabs, and select other inverts exclusively via UPS 1 Day Air. If your order contains this item, you will only see UPS 1 Day Air as a shipping option during checkout. If other items are in your cart that can ship with 2 day or standard shipping options the only shipping method you can still select is UPS 1 Day Air.
UPS 1 Day is a description of the duration of time a shipment will spend in transit once it has been shipped. This does not guarantee the package will be shipped the same or next day from which the order was placed.
Shipping Schedule for this service
Current Handling Time:
1-9 business days
Here at Aquatic Arts, we consider the welfare of the live animals we are shipping to be of the foremost importance. This process is much more involved than simply creating a shipping label and affixing it to a box. Depending on the order, it takes from 4 to 7 people to complete this process properly. We check the weather conditions here where they fly out of the Indianapolis UPS facility and the destination for each shipment. We start early each morning and go through a multi-step process to have the day's shipments prepared in time for the UPS pickup. The volume of orders in our system also affects the processing time. Therefore our stated handling time is 1-9 business days.
Shipping Rate
Pricing is by size of package needed to fill entire order and distance it must travel. It will be calculated at checkout.
