Calamansi Orange Glass Belly Guppy (Poecilia reticulata)

A rare modern Glass Belly Guppy strain combining warm calamansi-orange coloration with the translucent abdominal trait that makes Glass Belly guppies so distinctive.

The Calamansi Orange Glass Belly Guppy is a selectively bred Poecilia reticulata strain developed around two highly desirable traits: rich warm orange coloration and the translucent Glass Belly phenotype.

Known in parts of the Asian guppy hobby as “Kaman Orange”, we use the English trade name Calamansi Orange Glass Belly Guppy to preserve the strain identity while making the name clear and searchable for North American aquarists.

Glass Belly guppies are known for reduced opacity through the abdominal area, allowing internal structures to remain much more visible than in standard guppies. Combined with the warm orange colour of this line, the result is a highly unusual fish that looks noticeably different from ordinary Orange, Koi, or Red guppies.

Why this guppy stands out

• Distinctive Calamansi Orange colour strain
• Transparent to translucent Glass Belly phenotype
• Warm orange, citrus, and orange-red visual tones
• Modern collector guppy with limited availability in the North American hobby
• Peaceful livebearer suitable for planted community aquariums
• Excellent breeding project for experienced guppy keepers
• Strong visual difference from standard Orange Koi Glass Belly Guppies

Best for

• Fancy guppy collectors
• Glass Belly Guppy enthusiasts
• Selective guppy breeding projects
• Planted community aquariums
• Customers looking for rare guppies in Canada
• Aquarists looking for unusual orange livebearers

Topick Aquarium Insight

With modern guppy strains, the strain name is only part of the story. Body shape, orange coverage, transparency, finnage, sex, age, and individual genetics can all influence how each fish looks.

Calamansi Orange Glass Belly Guppies may therefore vary slightly from one individual to another. Juveniles can also continue developing stronger orange colour and more defined finnage as they mature.

We recommend evaluating this strain as a complete fish rather than expecting every individual to reproduce one reference photo exactly. A strong breeding line should maintain the overall Calamansi Orange and Glass Belly identity while still allowing natural individual variation.

What Does “Glass Belly” Mean?

“Glass Belly” is an aquarium trade term used for guppies with unusually translucent abdominal tissue. Compared with standard guppies, internal structures can be much more visible through the belly.

This trait is especially noticeable in females because of their larger abdominal area. Pregnant Glass Belly females may also make developing fry much easier to observe than in conventional guppies.

Glass Belly does not mean the entire fish is completely transparent. The amount of transparency varies with genetics, sex, colour strain, age, lighting, and the individual fish.

Calamansi Orange vs Orange Koi Glass Belly Guppy

Calamansi Orange Glass Belly and Orange Koi Glass Belly Guppies should be treated as separate strains rather than interchangeable names.

• Calamansi Orange Glass Belly: selected around a warm calamansi-orange colour direction combined with the Glass Belly phenotype
• Orange Koi Glass Belly: generally selected around a more recognizable Koi-style orange and contrasting body pattern

Exact colour expression can vary between breeding lines, so strain identity should be maintained through selective breeding rather than judged from colour alone.

Male vs Female

Like other fancy guppies, Calamansi Orange Glass Belly Guppies show clear differences between mature males and females.

• Males: smaller and slimmer, usually with stronger colour and more developed ornamental finnage
• Females: larger-bodied with a more visible abdominal area and typically more subtle finnage
• Pregnant females: the Glass Belly trait can make the developing abdomen especially noticeable
• Juveniles: colour, finnage, and final body appearance continue developing as the fish matures

Behavior & Group Size

Calamansi Orange Glass Belly Guppies are peaceful, active livebearers and can be kept in planted community aquariums with other suitable peaceful fish.

When keeping both sexes together, we recommend approximately 1 male to 2–3 females. Male guppies court females frequently, and keeping several females helps distribute that attention and reduce stress on individual fish.

Male-only groups are also possible when breeding is not desired.

Tank Setup

A mature planted aquarium with stable water is ideal. Guppies are adaptable, but stability and good maintenance remain important for long-term health.

• 10 gallons or larger for a small group
• 20 gallons or larger preferred for breeding colonies
• Planted aquarium recommended
• Moderate filtration and good oxygenation
• Gentle to moderate water movement
• Floating plants and dense cover are useful for fry
• Secure filter intakes when newborn fry are present

Guppies reproduce quickly, so aquarium capacity should be planned around future fry rather than only the number of adults initially purchased.

Water Parameters

• Scientific Name: Poecilia reticulata
• Trade Name: Calamansi Orange Glass Belly Guppy
• Asian Hobby Name: Kaman Orange / 卡曼橘
• Type: Selectively bred Glass Belly fancy guppy
• Temperature: approximately 22–27°C
• pH: approximately 7.0–8.0
• Hardness: moderate to hard water preferred
• Adult Size: approximately 3–6 cm depending on sex and line
• Temperament: Peaceful and active
• Diet: Omnivore
• Care Level: Beginner to Intermediate

Guppies generally perform better in stable, mineralized water than in extremely soft, acidic water. Avoid constantly changing parameters to chase an exact number.

Feeding

A varied diet supports body condition, breeding performance, finnage, and natural orange coloration.

• High-quality guppy or tropical micro pellets
• Quality flakes
• Baby brine shrimp
• Frozen brine shrimp
• Daphnia
• Cyclops
• Spirulina or vegetable-containing foods

Multiple small meals are generally better than one excessive feeding. Avoid chronic overfeeding, especially in heavily stocked breeding colonies.

Tank Mates

Calamansi Orange Glass Belly Guppies work well with peaceful fish that enjoy similar water conditions.

• Other peaceful guppies and Endlers
• Platies
• Peaceful small rainbowfish
• Suitable rasboras
• Corydoras
• Small peaceful catfish
• Amano Shrimp
• Adult Neocaridina Shrimp in suitable setups

Avoid aggressive cichlids, fin nippers, large predators, and fish likely to damage long guppy fins.

Shrimp Compatibility

Adult dwarf shrimp can usually coexist with guppies in a heavily planted aquarium, but guppies will opportunistically eat very small shrimplets.

If maximum shrimp reproduction is the goal, a shrimp-only aquarium remains the better choice.

Breeding

Calamansi Orange Glass Belly Guppies are livebearers. Females give birth to fully formed, free-swimming fry rather than laying eggs.

Because females can store sperm after mating, a female may produce multiple broods without another recent mating. This is important when maintaining a specific breeding strain.

If maintaining the Calamansi Orange line is the goal, keep the breeding group separate from unrelated guppy strains. Crossing with other Glass Belly, Koi, Mosaic, or colour lines may change the appearance of future generations.

Dense moss, floating plants, or a separate fry-rearing setup can significantly improve fry survival because adult guppies may eat newborn fry.

Maintaining the Calamansi Orange Line

Modern fancy guppy strains require selection if the goal is to preserve a consistent appearance over multiple generations.

• Select breeders with strong Calamansi Orange colour
• Maintain the desired Glass Belly transparency
• Evaluate body shape and finnage together with colour
• Avoid accidental crosses with unrelated guppy strains
• Keep records if developing a dedicated breeding project

Not every offspring will necessarily express the parent strain at exactly the same quality. Selective breeding is part of maintaining modern ornamental guppy lines.

Canada-Wide Live Fish Shipping

Calamansi Orange Glass Belly Guppy is available from Topick Aquarium in Canada when in stock. Local pickup is available in Markham, Ontario, and Canada-wide live fish shipping may be available depending on weather, route, and livestock condition.

Important Note

Calamansi Orange Glass Belly is a selectively bred aquarium strain, not a separate guppy species. Individual orange intensity, transparency, body pattern, finnage, sex, and appearance can naturally vary.

Unless specifically listed as WYSIWYG, product photos should be considered representative of the offered strain rather than an exact image of every fish sold.

FAQ

What is a Calamansi Orange Glass Belly Guppy?
It is a selectively bred Poecilia reticulata strain combining warm orange coloration with the translucent abdominal trait known in the aquarium hobby as Glass Belly.

Is Calamansi Orange Glass Belly Guppy the same as Kaman Orange Guppy?
“Kaman Orange” or 卡曼橘 is a name used for this strain in parts of the Asian guppy hobby. Topick Aquarium uses Calamansi Orange Glass Belly Guppy as the English trade name.

What does Glass Belly Guppy mean?
Glass Belly describes guppies with unusually translucent abdominal tissue, making internal structures much more visible than in standard guppies. The amount of transparency varies between individuals.

Is Calamansi Orange Glass Belly the same as Orange Koi Glass Belly?
No. They should be treated as separate ornamental strains. Calamansi Orange is selected around its own warm orange colour direction, while Orange Koi Glass Belly follows a more recognizable Koi-style colour pattern.

Is Calamansi Orange Glass Belly a separate species?
No. It is a selectively bred colour and transparency strain of the common guppy, Poecilia reticulata.

Are Glass Belly Guppies hard to keep?
Their basic aquarium requirements are similar to other fancy guppies. Stable, clean, moderately mineralized water, good feeding, and appropriate tank mates are more important than chasing exact parameter numbers.

How big does a Calamansi Orange Glass Belly Guppy get?
Adult size depends on sex and breeding line, but males are generally smaller and slimmer while females can grow considerably larger and fuller-bodied.

Can Calamansi Orange Glass Belly Guppies breed?
Yes. They are normal livebearing guppies and can reproduce readily under suitable conditions.

Will all babies look exactly like the parents?
Not necessarily. Modern ornamental guppy genetics can produce variation in colour, transparency, finnage, and body pattern, so selective breeding is needed to maintain a consistent line.

Can Calamansi Orange Glass Belly Guppies live with shrimp?
Adult shrimp can often coexist with them in planted tanks, but newborn shrimplets may be eaten opportunistically.

Can I mix Calamansi Orange Glass Belly with other guppy strains?
Yes for a display aquarium, but not if your goal is to preserve the Calamansi Orange breeding line. Guppy strains readily cross with one another.

Why does my Glass Belly Guppy look different from the product photo?
Orange intensity, transparency, finnage, age, sex, lighting, and individual genetics can all affect appearance. Unless a fish is listed as WYSIWYG, some natural variation should be expected.