Learn & Explore/Species/Introduced & Invasive/Guppies

Guppies

Category: Invasive

Invasive guppies threaten Hawaiʻi’s native stream species and habitats.

Guppy (Poecilia reticulata)

  • Small freshwater fish 2

  • Males have varying colors and patterns, females and juveniles are uniformly silver 2

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Habitat

  • Occurs in wide variety of habitats, usually in small springs and vegetated lakes 3

  • Requires warm temperature and densely vegetated water 3

  • Can also be found in brackish water

Impacts & Concern

  • Implicated in the decline of the native damselflies in Oʻahu, probably due to predation 2

  • Eats the eggs of native fish resulting in population decline 2

  • Acts as a host for certain parasites 2

Introduction

  • Introduced to Hawaiʻi through fish farms or aquarium release 1

  • First observed and considered established in Hawaiʻi in 1922 1

Distribution in Hawai‘i

  • Kauaʻi: Present

  • O‘ahu: Present

  • Molokaʻi: Present

  • Lānaʻi: Present

  • Maui: Present

  • Hawaiʻi Island: Present

References

  1. Nico, L., Neilson, M., Loftus, B. (2021) Poecilia reticulata Peters, 1859: U.S. Geological Survey, Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database, Gainesville, FL. https://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/FactSheet.aspx?speciesID=863

  2. USFWS. (2018). Guppy Ecological Risk Screening Summary. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. https://www.fws.gov/fisheries/ans/erss/highrisk/ERSS-Poecilia-reticulata-final-April2018.pdf

  3. Froese, R. (2021). Poecilia reticulata summary page. FishBase. https://www.fishbase.de/summary/XIPHOPHORUS-HELLERII.htm

Other Introduced & Invasive

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Marine

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Freshwater

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Brackish

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Seaweed/Algae