Guppies are one of the most diverse fish in the world. Some guppies are brightly colored and some guppies are drab and dull in color. The color variation within Venezuelan guppies interested scientists to find out how color variation within the guppies occur. So what causes the color variation within the Venezuelan guppies? The three factors that causes color variation within the guppies are the predatory fish residing in the pools, the amount of turbidity of the water in the pools, and the selection of mates.
The amount of turbidity within the pools are one of the three factors that causes color variation within the guppies. Turbidity is the cloudiness or haziness of a fluid which is caused by a large amount of particles that are usually invisible to the naked eye. The more turbidity a pool has than the cloudier and hazier the water is.
Amount of Turbidity within the pool’s waters
Type
Pool 1
Pool 2
Pool 3
Pool 4
Amount of Turbidity (NTU)
27.5 - 36.25
8.75 - 27.5
3.75 - 8.75
3.75 - 8.75
Bright Males
6
50
76
108
Drab Males
56
96
101
118 …show more content…
In pool 1 the amount of turbidity ranges from between 27.50 - 36.25, in pool 2 the amount of turbidity ranges from between 8.75 - 27.5, and in pools 3 and 4 the amount of turbidity ranges from between 3.75 - 8.75. This means that the water in pools 1 and 2 is hazier and harder to see through and the water in pools 3 and 4 are much more clearer and easier to see through. Since there is more turbidity in pools one and two the guppies residing there will need to be able camouflage from predatory fish, this led to a greater amount of drab colored guppies in pools one and