Product Details

Platinum Red Tail Elephant Ear Guppy – Poecilia reticulata

The Platinum Red Tail Elephant Ear Guppy is a colourful captive-bred guppy strain selected for a pale platinum body, bright red tail and enlarged dumbo-style pectoral fins. Also sold as a Dumbo Ear Guppy, Elephant Ear Guppy, Platinum Red Tail Guppy or Fancy Guppy, this peaceful livebearer is ideal for planted community aquariums with stable, mineral-rich water and calm tank mates. It is hardy when kept correctly, but the large pectoral fins and decorative tail should be protected from fin-nipping fish.

Key Identification:

Common Name: Platinum Red Tail Elephant Ear Guppy
Other Names: Dumbo Ear Guppy, Elephant Ear Guppy, Platinum Red Tail Guppy, Fancy Guppy
Scientific Name: Poecilia reticulata
Strain / Form: Captive-bred Platinum Red Tail Elephant Ear ornamental strain
Fish Type: Livebearer / Guppy
Water Type: Freshwater

Natural Range & Habitat:

Poecilia reticulata is native to northern South America and parts of the Caribbean region, where wild guppies occur in streams, pools, ditches, canals, ponds and vegetated margins. These habitats can vary widely, but guppies generally favour warm, quiet or gently flowing water with plant cover and access to small foods.

The Platinum Red Tail Elephant Ear Guppy is a captive-bred ornamental form, so its platinum colour, red tail and enlarged pectoral fins have been developed through selective breeding. Its care should still be based on the needs of healthy guppies: clean stable water, plant cover, gentle flow and mineral-rich conditions.

Appearance & Adult Size:

Platinum Red Tail Elephant Ear Guppies usually show a pale silver-white, cream or platinum body with a contrasting red, orange-red or scarlet tail. The elephant ear trait gives the pectoral fins a larger rounded appearance, creating a decorative “dumbo ear” effect when the fish swims.

Males are usually smaller, slimmer and more colourful, with the strongest tail colour and fin shape. Females are larger, rounder-bodied and usually less ornate, depending on the strain. Adults usually reach around 3–5 cm, with females normally larger than males.

Aquarium Suitability:

This strain is well suited to planted community aquariums, livebearer displays and peaceful tropical setups. It appreciates stable water, gentle filtration, open swimming space and plants for cover.

Platinum Red Tail Elephant Ear Guppies are not ideal for very soft acidic aquariums, aggressive communities or tanks with fin-nipping fish. The enlarged pectoral fins and decorative tail can be damaged by rough tank mates, sharp décor or poor water quality.

Recommended Aquarium Size:

A practical minimum is 45–60 litres for a small group, with 60 litres or more preferred for better stability and mixed communities.

Male-only groups are popular for display and help prevent unwanted fry. If keeping males and females together, use at least two or three females per male to reduce persistent attention on individual females. Guppies breed readily, so plan for fry or keep sexes separate.

Water Conditions:

Temperature: 22–26°C
pH: 7.0–8.0
Hardness: Moderately hard to hard
Additional Notes: Guppies do best in stable, mineral-rich water and are not ideal for very soft acidic conditions. Provide good filtration, regular water changes and gentle flow. Avoid sudden parameter swings, poor water quality, cold water and fin-nipping tank mates.

Temperament & Tank Mates:

Aquarium Category: Community Fish

Platinum Red Tail Elephant Ear Guppies are peaceful, active community fish. Males may display to females and each other, but this is usually harmless in a suitable group.

Good tank mates include platies, mollies in suitable water, peaceful small rainbowfish, small rasboras, peaceful tetras that tolerate harder water, cory-type catfish in suitable conditions, Bristlenose Plecos and other calm community fish. Avoid fin-nipping barbs, aggressive cichlids, large predators, male Bettas, rough gouramis and very soft-water specialists.

Feeding:

Guppies are omnivorous micro-foragers. Offer quality flakes, micro pellets, livebearer granules and small floating foods as the staple diet.

Supplement with frozen or live foods such as daphnia, cyclops, baby brineshrimp, mosquito larvae and finely chopped bloodworm. Include vegetable and algae-based foods such as spirulina flakes or soft vegetable foods to support digestion, colour and long-term health.

Behaviour in the Aquarium:

This is an active upper to midwater fish that spends much of its time swimming in open areas, browsing plants and feeding near the surface. Males display by spreading their tails and pectoral fins, often showing off the elephant ear shape while courting females or sparring lightly with other males.

Guppies are livebearers and can breed very easily. Females give birth to free-swimming fry, which may survive in planted aquariums with moss, floating plants or dense cover. Adults and tank mates may eat fry, so separate rearing is needed if you want to save larger numbers.

Care Notes:

Keep Platinum Red Tail Elephant Ear Guppies in clean, stable and mineral-rich water. Avoid very soft acidic conditions, poor water quality and sudden temperature drops.

Decorative strains can be more delicate than wild-type guppies, especially where fins are enlarged or heavily selected. Choose peaceful tank mates, avoid sharp décor and keep filtration gentle enough that the large pectoral fins are not constantly pushed around. Male-only groups are a good option for display tanks, while mixed-sex groups should be planned carefully due to rapid breeding.

Recommended For:

Beginner to intermediate

Availability:

Common to occasional / Captive-bred ornamental 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, colour, pattern, pectoral fin size, tail shape, body tone and markings can occur between individual fish.