How Long Does A Guppy Fish Live For?

Guppy fish [Poecilia reticulata] is one of the best species you can have in your aquarium tank. It is one of the most widely distributed tropical fishes in different places around the world. Most people love to have guppies in their tank because they are colourful, easy to grow, and very entertaining. Although guppies don’t live very long, they reproduce fast. A lot of factors including stress and water conditions can affect their life span.

To be precise, guppies generally live for about 1-3 years. But in some cases, they can live up to 5 years old. The life span and life expectancy of a guppy fish can be influenced by several factors. These factors include genetics, level of stress, feeding quality, tank mates, good water parameters, and so on.

How Long Does A Guppy Fish Live For

Likewise, there is a slight variation in the lifespan of guppies in aquariums and those in the wild due to some factors. Guppies in the wild are generally observed to live a little longer than those in captivity. Similarly, when you buy a new guppy as a pet, you can’t precisely tell how old they are because they are already fully grown.

Are You Looking To Keep Guppies? If yes check out our care guide here

How to increase the lifespan of guppies in the tank

As stated earlier, the lifespan of guppies in tanks is largely dependent on how well you take care of them. Several factors like quality food, good tank mates, and good water conditions can significantly affect how long your guppy will live.

To increase the lifespan of your guppy, you need to feed them with quality food. The feeding is not just about how much food you give them, it also has a lot to do with the quality and schedule of food. You should feed your adult guppies with quality food about 2-3 times per day. You should also avoid overfeeding them.

Likewise, you should keep the water conditions of your tank favourable if you want your guppy to live long. Ensure that all water parameters like pH, temperature, salinity, as well as water quality, are all kept at an optimum level.

You should also ensure that you keep your guppies with only compatible tank mates. Aggressive tankmates can harm and stress out your guppies. This is because guppies are relatively peaceful fishes and that makes them almost defenceless. And stress is one of the most significant factors that can reduce the lifespan of the guppies.

Similar to compatible tank mates, you should also ensure proper male to female ratio in the tank.  Males are quite more sexually active than females, thus improper ratios can result in the male stressing out the females. It is generally recommended to at least keep the male to female ratio at 3:1.

Alternative Ways To Increase The Lifespan Of Guppies

Other ways to increase the lifespan of guppies in tank include;

  • Selecting a guppy with a good genetic history and lineage.
  • Keeping their stress level at the bare
  • Avoid keeping them in overcrowded tanks.
  • Provide plants in guppy tanks to simulate their natural habitat.
  • Avoid fluctuation of the water parameters, keep it stable and favourable.

 Conclusion

Guppies are very entertaining, easy to grow and can add colours to your tank. Guppies generally live for about 1-3 years but they can live up to 5 years if they are properly cared for. You can influence and increase the lifespan of your guppies by making the water parameters favourable. Other factors like genetics, tank mates, feeding, and so on should also be kept in check.

jbarr3tt1979

Hello, I'm Jason. I'm the guy behind HelpUsFish.com. I volunteer at my local fish shop and I created this site to offer tips and advice on the fish I care for.

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