Does a Bright Red Color in a 3D Printed Female Guppy Affect the Male Guppy’s Sexual Behaviors

Abstract

A male guppy’s (Poecilia reticulata) appearance is comprised of a wide variety of colors and patterns that attract female guppies that are in search of a mating partner. After taking this information into consideration, we asked ourselves if a similar behavioral pattern can be observed in male guppies who are seeking female guppies to mate with. We believed that the male guppy would be significantly more attracted to the brightly colored female guppy model. The experiment conducted consisted of using 3D printed models of female guppies placed inside of a tank with a single live male guppy. The time the male guppy spent in each zone of the two 3D printed models was recorded along with the noting of any displayed sexual behavior. The results from our findings did not support our hypothesis.