Fish surround themselves with others when searching for a mate (model pic)

Male guppies have learned the best way to success with the opposite sex is to make themselves look better by ensuring the competition is drab.



As female guppies have eyes only for the most attractive mates – those with the biggest, brightest orange spots – the tactic boosts the crafty male’s chance of courtship.



The study found that, given the choice, guppies head for females that are flirting with less attractive males.

We tested the ability of male guppies to choose the social context that will increase their mating opportunity, by preferring females associated with less ornamented males Clelia Gasparini

The behaviour shows the fish are smarter than humans might believe.



They are able to weigh up their rivals’ beauty and go where they have the best chance of success.



The study by Italy’s Padua University, published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, was led by Clelia Gasparini, now at the University of Western Australia.



She put captive-bred guppies through their paces in a specially designed aquarium.



She said: “We tested the ability of male guppies to choose the social context that will increase their mating opportunity, by preferring females associated with less ornamented males.



In particular, a focal male was given the opportunity to choose between two females surrounded by either a drab or a colourful pair of males.

Research suggests male guppies surround themselves with uglier fish when looking for a partner