My first Publication CC May Edition for Web | Page 23

stripes instead of gold.
Zebrafi sh are freshwater fi sh originating
from a tropical region with an annual
monsoon season. Its lifespan in an
aquarium is around two to three years,
which may go up to over fi ve years with
better care. Th e adult zebrafi sh are 4–5 cms
in length.
ZEBRAFISH - Th e Zebrafi sh (Danio rerio)
is a robust freshwater fi sh belonging to
the minnow family Cyprinidae. It got its
name from the fi ve uniform, pigmented,
horizontal, blue stripes on the side of
its body, which are similar to those on a
zebra. Th ese stripes extend to the end of the caudal fi n.
GUPPY- Guppy is named aft er the English
scientist Robert John Lechmere Guppy,
who submitted a report to the Royal
Society in 1886 about his fi ndings of a fi sh
that spawns juveniles instead of eggs. It is
also known as millionfi sh or rainbow fi sh
and is one of the most popular freshwater
aquarium fi sh species. It belongs to the
Poeciliidae family and is considered to be
one of the world’s most widely distributed
tropical fi sh that is higly adaptable and
capable of thriving under diff erent
environmental and ecological conditions. are more brightly coloured than the
females, though their colours vary from
the ones bred in captivity.
Guppy is an excellent fi sh both for
beginners and professionals. It is small
and active; it breeds eff ortlessly and does
not demand much in terms of diet and
keeping.
Th e shape of a Zebrafi sh is laterally
compressed with its mouth directed
upwards. Males have gold lines between
the blue stripes, and the females have a
more substantial, whitish belly and silver
Zebrafi sh are hardy fi sh and considered
suitable for fi rst time aquarium owners.
Th ey are known for their playful
disposition, low price and widespread
availability. Th e fi sh seems bright under
normal white light and fl uorescent under
blue light.
Its lifespan reduces with the rise in the
tank water temperature.
While the males are typically 1.5–3.5
cms long, females are 3–6 cms long. Th e
male body is elongated, thin and a bit
fl attened from the sides. Th e female fi sh
also has an elongated shape but the fi ns
are proportionally smaller than that of the
males. Th e main parameter used for classifi cation
is the colour of its body and the fi ns. Th e
fi sh gets its extended name exceptionally
due to the colour of its tail fi n. So, if Guppy
has a yellow coloured body and red tail,
it will be called a red guppy. Without any
exception, all female Guppy species have
transparent and colourless fi ns.
Guppy has a lifespan of about two years.
However, if provided with favourable tank
conditions, the fi sh can live up to 3 years. *Anshul Kapoor is an avid animal
lover and writer.
Guppy dwells in clean fl owing freshwater
or brackish water basins of Venezuela,
Guiana, the North of the Amazon River
and spreads till the North of Brazil,
Barbados islands and Trinidad. Th e
fi sh is carnivorous and feeds on worms,
bloodworm and other insects.
Guppy is a small sized fi sh with an
elongated body. Th e males of the species
May 2019 • Vol. XII • Issue 5 • Noida
23
| Creature Companion