The Trinidadian guppy (Poecilia reticulata) is well known to biologists and home aquarium enthusiasts alike. Scientists have studied guppies for most of the twentieth century. Some of the most intensive recent research has been conducted by behavioral ecologists, who have found that the guppy mating system makes guppies especially useful in the study of sexual selection and mate choice. By observing guppy behavior in aquaria, researchers hope to obtain new insights into how selection operates in natural populations. Here Anne Houde summarizes and synthesizes the scientific work done to date, relates the empirical findings on guppies to current themes in sexual selection theory, and suggests new directions for future research. This book describes the sexual behavior of guppies and examines how mate choice by females leads to the evolution of the conspicuous colors and the courtship displays for which guppies are widely recognized. The author shows that female guppies prefer males with bright color patterns, especially those with orange spots, and that the mating preferences of females lead to sexual selection on both color patterns and courtship displays of males. Houde's work addresses a number of areas that are of interest in sexual selection, including the remarkable degree of plasticity and evolutionary lability of sexual behavior in guppies, geographic variation in mating preferences, possible mechanisms for the evolution of female mating preferences, and the role of sexual selection in speciation. In conclusion, the author explores the implications of her findings for behavioral ecologists who study sexual selection in other species.

The beautiful color and peaceful nature of the guppy have contributed to their increasing popularity. Aquarium Care of Fancy Guppies provides all of the necessary information needed to successfully raise and care for guppies in home aquariums. From setup and maintenance to feeding and breeding, this comprehensive yet easy-to-read guide will help anyone interested in keeping these charming little fish. Book jacket.

The author, Bryan Chin, has won IFGA Best in Show awards in tank and delta categories. Also he has won in class awards in Greens, Multicolor, Blue, Reds, Purple, Blue-Green Bicolor, and Breeder Male. In 2013 he was named Guppy Man of the Year. He has written fancy guppy articles published in the IFGA newsletter and his Rocky Mountain Guppy Association club website (guppywest.com). He has also spoken at aquariums clubs regarding the breeding of show guppies. His fish photographs have been published in Tropical Fish Hobbyist and Amazonas magazines. Written from experience and illustrated throughout with over 100 diagrams, tables, and full color photos. Breeding Show Guppies provides readers with how to breed show winning guppies, from selecting the right fish to providing the best aquarium management and health. Contains valuable information about: - Maintaining good water conditions - Healthy growth in guppies - Breeding Techniques - Problem solving to fine tune your show guppies - Journal on breeding winning green guppies - Showing guppies