The short answer
Guppies are peaceful, hardy and social, so they mix with most calm community fish of a similar size. Reliable tankmates include:
- Platies, mollies and endlers (fellow livebearers)
- Corydoras and otocinclus (peaceful bottom crew)
- Small rasboras like harlequin rasboras
- Cherry shrimp and nerite snails (cleanup, though fry may be eaten)
Avoid fin-nippers and predators
Guppies have long, colourful tails that make them a target. Steer clear of known nippers — tiger barbs, serpae tetras — and anything big enough to eat a guppy, such as angelfish or larger cichlids. Male guppies can also nip each other when competing, so keep either a small group of males or a ratio of two to three females per male to spread out the attention and reduce stress.
Keep the water on their side
Guppies come from harder, slightly alkaline water and appreciate a little mineral content, so they pair naturally with other hard-water livebearers like platies and mollies. Keep the temperature stable, feed a varied diet from the fish food hub, and don’t overcrowd — filtration has to keep up with a growing group.
Before you stock, read how many fish you can keep and our full guppy care guide. New to the hobby? See the best community fish for beginners and browse the aquariums hub for a suitable tank.