Guppy Time
The naming guide

How guppies are named

Every fancy guppy name is built from three parts: a colour class, a pattern, and a tail shape. Put them together and you get names like "Blue Delta" or "Half Black Red Delta".

The naming formula

colour class  +  pattern  +  tail shape

Read a guppy from front to back. First decide its sex, then judge the tail shape, then the dominant colour class, and finally any markings (the pattern). A "Yellow Cobra Delta" is a yellow fish with a cobra pattern and a delta tail. If a fish only has a half-black body and no markings, its pattern is simply "none".

Tail shapes — males

Males carry the large, flowing finnage that defines most show classes.

Delta
Broad triangle, roughly 55–75°. The show standard and most common fancy tail.
Veiltail
Narrower than a delta (about 40–50°) and longer, with a flowing, draped trailing edge.
Single Sword
A short rounded caudal with one pointed extension, usually from the lower edge.
Double Sword
Two pointed extensions, one from the top edge and one from the bottom, framing the tail.
Roundtail
A simple rounded fan with no points — the ancestral, wild-type tail shape.

Tail shapes — females

Females are larger and drabber, with three recognised caudal shapes.

Delta
A triangular fan, like the male delta but generally smaller and less vivid.
Shark
A rounded tail that draws up to a single point near the top edge.
Round
A short, gently rounded tail — the most common female caudal shape.

Colour classes — solids

A solid class is judged mostly on the caudal fin.

Red
Caudal is ≥51% red.
Blue
A clear blue caudal and body sheen.
Green
Green sheen — easily confused with blue under light.
Black
About three-quarters black across body and caudal.
Purple
A true violet caudal, distinct from blue.
Yellow
A clean yellow caudal and finnage.

Colour classes — modifiers & specials

Half Black is a colour-class modifier (HB + colour), never a pattern.

Half Black
A dark "tuxedo" rear body half plus a colour (HB Red, HB Blue…). A colour-class modifier, not a pattern.
Bicolor
Two distinct colours, the second making up at least 25% of the caudal.
Multi
Three or more colours in the caudal, each at least 15%.
Bronze / Gold
At least 25% true gold-metal body.
Albino
Red eyes and no black melanin anywhere.
AOC
Any Other Colour that fits no standard class.
Blue vs Green is the classic trap. The two shift under different lighting, and a teal or turquoise fish can read either way. A trustworthy classification gives its best call and flags the lighting uncertainty rather than hiding it.

Patterns

Patterns describe markings on the tail and body only.

Snakeskin

A rosette / chain-link mesh over the body and tail. Graded Solid vs Variegated.

Cobra

Vertical bars and spots together — a "cobra-hood" look on the body.

Mosaic

Irregular interlocking blotches of colour across the caudal.

Grass

Fine pepper-like dots that read as blades of grass in the fins.

Lace

A delicate fine-netted pattern, usually over a snakeskin base.

Leopard

Bold round spots resembling a leopard's rosettes.

Telling males from females

  • Male: slim body, vivid colour, large flowing finnage, and a rod-like anal fin (the gonopodium).
  • Female: larger and drabber, with a fan-shaped anal fin and often a dark gravid spot near the vent.

The IFGA standard

The International Fancy Guppy Association maintains the show standard that this naming system follows. It defines the recognised tail shapes, the colour classes and their thresholds (such as "≥51% red" for a Red class), and how patterns are judged. Guppy Time applies the same vocabulary so the names you get line up with what breeders and judges use.

Try it on your own guppy →