Fish Out of the Bag: How Does Coloration of 3D Female Guppies Affect Male Sexual Reproduction Behaviors?

Abstract

There are many factors that induce a male guppy’s courtship behaviors. How does color affect a male guppy’s interest in a female? We tested this by setting up an experiment with 3D models that strictly tested how color holds the interest of the male. We believe that male guppy’s will prefer the warmer colored (red and orange) female models if there is no predation. We ran an experiment that tested how long the male guppy spent around individual 3D models and what courtship behaviors it presented. Our hypothesis was supported and the male guppy’s did prefer female models that were warm in color (red and orange).