Good-Eye Mate: The Study of the Connection Between Color and Sexual Selection Among Guppies

Abstract

In various waters around the world where there are guppy populations, there is sexual competition and predation. Some guppies are more successful at reproducing due to different colors sizes and designs, but what makes the most attractive combination of these factors? We set out to test a similar question, “What makes male or female guppies more attractive to members of the opposite sex?”(French, 2014). We hypothesized that the more brightly or vibrantly colored female guppies would be more favored by the male guppies because the colors can be a sign of good health and they are just more visually appealing. We tested different size models and different colored models to see what would be the best combination in the first week, but in the second week we just tested the difference in color. Our results after two weeks did not support our hypothesis that the male guppies are more attracted to the brightly colored models.