How Long Do Guppies Live? It Can Be Longer Than You Think

Usually, guppies live for 1-2 years. But, with proper care, guppies can live for up to 5 years. The species, quality of food, water parameters, and health all have an important role in extending the lifespan of your guppy fish. Guppies are also prolific breeders and fast growers so you need to monitor the tank environment vigilantly. Male guppies mature in 7 weeks or less. Female guppies are able to make baby guppies at 10 to 20 weeks of age, and they reproduce until 20 to 34 months of age.

How To Make Guppies Live Longer?

Generally speaking, feed them well, keep their tanks clean and unstressed and your guppies will live longer. A disease-free guppy can live anywhere between 2 to 5 years. Here are a few things to consider:

Species

There are many different types of guppies. Thus, genetics plays a role in longevity. A guppy with poor genetics will more than likely die before reaching the adult growth stages. It is important to purchase guppies from reputable sources that care about producing healthy fish. The choice is up to you. You can buy from fish breeders or from pet stores. Fish breeders are believed to be safer to buy guppies from.

Diet

Apart from good genetics, guppy fish need adequate and quality food to grow fast and healthy. You can read about how to feed guppies for more information. Keep in mind that guppies are known to eat anything. You can use commercial food or home-made food. The most important thing to do is to feed them a variety of food. For example, baby brine shrimp, bloodworms, and vegetable pallets are all things you can get in a pet store or get online for guppy fish. You can feed also feed guppies with a variety of vegetables.

Tank

Guppies can live in a variety of water conditions. Making sure that the correct water parameters are met is important. The ideal water condition for guppies is:

• Water temperature: 72-82 °F (22-28 °C )
• Water pH: 6.8-7.8
• Water hardness (dGH): 8-12
• 0 ppm ammonia, 0 ppm nitrites, maximum 10 ppm nitrates

If you decide to use tap water, be sure to use a water conditioner to get rid of heavy metals, chlorine, chloramine, and other toxic substances. Seachem Prime is a reputable brand.

Stress

Reducing stress is a great way to ensure that your guppies live long and healthy. Poor water conditions, aggressive tank makes, overcrowding, etc. can cause stress. For example, large fish like Angelfish do not make good guppy tank mates as they will harm or eat your guppies. Water temperatures that are either too low or too high, an increase in ammonia, or other drastic changes to the water’s condition can stress your guppies. To prevent overcrowding, try to keep the 1 guppy per 1 gallon of water in the tank. For a more precise understanding, you can read our article, how many guppies in a 10 gallon tank?

How Long Do Guppies Live Without A Filter?

A water filter helps keep the water in the tank clean by getting rid of nitrates and ammonia buildup. But, a filter is not necessarily mandatory to keep your guppies healthy. A filter does not directly affect the lifespan of guppies but more so the water conditions in the tank. As a fish owner, you can take care of the water conditions without a filter and your guppies can live just as well.

Lifespan of Wild Guppies

So, what about guppies in the wild? Do wild guppies live longer than aquarium guppies? Male guppies in the wild mature at seven weeks while female guppies mature at ten weeks. Like aquarium or pet guppies, wild guppies usually live for about two years. But, several things influence the lifespan of guppies in the wild. In the wild, guppies have to hide from predators like bigger fish and birds. Weather conditions in the wild are also not as controlled as in a tank. Drastic or sudden changes in weather can affect wild guppies. Wild guppy populations can also be killed off by toxic chemicals released into the river or stream.

Conclusion

Raising and breeding healthy guppy fish is an exciting endeavor. As a fish owner, your goal is to expand the lifespan of your guppies so that you can keep them for a long time. To do this, you need to ensure that your guppies are not stressed, their water conditions are optimal, and that they are fed a healthy and varied diet. References:

• How long do Guppies live for? Is there a way to improve their longevity? – Quora – https://www.quora.com/How-long-do-Guppies-live-for-Is-there-a-way-to-improve-their-longevity
• Fish evolve a longer lifespan by evolving a longer period during which they reproduce, researchers find – https://newsroom.ucr.edu/1209
• Age and Experience Affect Female Choice in the Guppy (Poecilia reticulata) – https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/319191?journalCode=an
• https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/research-shows-male-guppies-reproduce-even-after-death
• The Evolution of Senescence and Post-Reproductive Lifespan in Guppies (Poecilia reticulata) – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1318473/