Product Details

Blue Metal Dragon Guppy – Poecilia reticulata – Male

The Blue Metal Dragon Guppy is a striking male fancy guppy selected for metallic blue colour, dragon-style patterning and ornate finnage. As a captive-bred strain of Poecilia reticulata, it is peaceful, active and ideal for planted community aquariums with stable, mineral-rich water. Male guppies bring strong colour without producing fry unless housed with females, making them a popular choice for colourful display tanks and all-male livebearer groups.

Key Identification:

Common Name: Blue Metal Dragon Guppy – Male
Other Names: Blue Metal Guppy, Metal Blue Dragon Guppy, Blue Dragon Guppy, Metallic Blue Guppy, Fancy Guppy, Millions Fish
Scientific Name: Poecilia reticulata
Fish Type: Livebearer / Guppy
Water Type: Freshwater, with tolerance of slightly brackish conditions

Natural Range & Habitat:

Wild Poecilia reticulata is native to northern South America and nearby Caribbean islands, although guppies have been introduced widely around the world. In nature, they are associated with warm, quiet, vegetated waters and can tolerate a range of freshwater to slightly brackish conditions.

The Blue Metal Dragon Guppy is a captive-bred aquarium strain. Its metallic colour, dragon patterning and male finnage are ornamental traits developed through selective breeding, so it should be cared for as a fancy guppy rather than a wild-type fish.

Appearance & Adult Size:

Male Blue Metal Dragon Guppies usually show a metallic blue, steel-blue or turquoise body sheen with darker dragon-style reticulation or scale patterning. The tail and dorsal fin may show blue, black, silver, white or mixed patterning depending on the breeding line. Males are slimmer, smaller and more colourful than females, with a gonopodium instead of a standard anal fin.

Adult males usually reach around 3–4 cm, although the flowing tail and dorsal fin can make them appear larger. Colour intensity and fin shape vary naturally between individual males.

Aquarium Suitability:

This strain is well suited to peaceful tropical community aquariums, planted livebearer tanks and male guppy display groups. It does best in mature aquariums with stable water quality, gentle to moderate flow, plant cover and open swimming areas.

Blue Metal Dragon Guppies are not suitable for soft acidic blackwater aquariums, aggressive cichlid tanks, predator communities, fin-nipping barb setups or unheated aquariums that drop too cold. Fancy males should be protected from rough tank mates that may damage their tails.

Recommended Aquarium Size:

A practical minimum is 45–60 litres for a small male group, with 60 litres or more preferred for stability and swimming space. Larger aquariums are better for mixed communities or groups with several males.

Male-only groups can work well when enough space, cover and feeding points are provided. If females are added, expect regular breeding and keep more females than males to reduce persistent male attention.

Water Conditions:

Temperature: 22–28°C
pH: 7.0–8.0
Hardness: Moderately hard to hard
Additional Notes: Guppies do best in mineral-rich, stable water and should not be kept long term in very soft, acidic conditions. Keep ammonia and nitrite at zero and maintain low nitrate with regular partial water changes. Avoid sudden temperature drops, unstable pH and poor water quality, as fancy guppies can deteriorate quickly after stress.

Temperament & Tank Mates:

Aquarium Category: Community Fish

Blue Metal Dragon Guppies are peaceful community fish. Suitable tank mates include Endler’s livebearers, platies, small peaceful tetras that tolerate harder water, rasboras, Cory-type catfish, bristlenose plecs, Otocinclus in mature tanks, honey gouramis and other calm community species.

Avoid Tiger Barbs, Serpae Tetras in small groups, large cichlids, predatory fish, fin-nipping species and very boisterous feeders. Long-finned male guppies are especially vulnerable to fin damage, so choose gentle companions. Male guppies are best kept in groups rather than singly, but monitor for bullying in small tanks.

Feeding:

Blue Metal Dragon Guppies are easy-feeding omnivores. Offer quality flakes, micro pellets or small granules as the staple diet. Supplement with frozen or live foods such as daphnia, cyclops, brineshrimp, mosquito larvae and finely chopped bloodworm. Include vegetable matter such as spirulina flakes, algae-based foods or blanched greens to support digestion and colour.

Feed small portions that are eaten quickly. Fancy males can overeat, so avoid heavy feeding and remove uneaten food.

Behaviour in the Aquarium:

Male guppies are active, visible fish that swim through the upper and middle areas of the aquarium. They display to one another, explore plant cover and feed eagerly at the surface. In male-only groups, mild chasing and displaying is normal, but persistent fin damage or hiding means the group size, tank layout or tank mates should be reviewed.

As livebearers, male guppies cannot produce fry without females. When kept with females, breeding is frequent and females can store sperm, so fry may appear even after males are removed.

Care Notes:

Add Blue Metal Dragon Guppies only to a mature, fully cycled aquarium. Maintain hard, alkaline water, stable temperature and regular water changes. Provide plant cover, but leave open swimming room. Avoid sharp décor, strong suction intakes and fin-nipping tank mates.

Because this is a male fancy strain, fin condition is an important health indicator. Split fins, clamped fins, fading colour or repeated hiding usually point to stress, poor water quality or unsuitable companions.

Recommended For:

Beginner to intermediate

Availability:

Common to occasional / Captive-bred male fancy strain

Image Disclaimer:

All images are a visual representation of the fish you will receive, made to be as accurate as possible. Natural variation in size, blue metallic colour, dragon patterning, tail shape, fin length and markings can occur between individual fish.