Life Length Of Guppies?

[Guppiesgalore]

Hi all,

How long do guppies actually live? How old generally are guppy "adults" when they hit the LFS? I ask, as I have only just gotten guppies in late January, and my eldest babies born a few weeks after are not yet the length of the adults I would buy in an aquarium pet store. 

Because of this, it makes me query exactly how old the fish are we purchase in the store?

Are guppies big breeders because they don't live long generally? Also, do their colours fade a bit before the older ones die? I got some adults around 2 years old from my BIL when we first set up, and recently their colour has started fading somewhat.

Having said all this, I have a LOT of babies from lots of different Mums in my tank right now. Way more babies than adults.
-Angela

 

[GuppyGirl20]

I dont know the answer to your question so hopefully someone else will be able to but I can tell you that guppies breed out of control and theu can easily over stock your tank.

 

[DiddleBug]

I think guppies tend to live up to 3 or 4 years.  Some of mine were at least 2 when they died. (I didn't keep track of their Birthdays.)  The guppies at LFS are probably around 4-6 months old.  That seems about how old guppies are when they get all their coloring. 

 

[Guppiesgalore]

guppies breed out of control and theu can easily over stock your tank.

That I do know. Luckily, I only have guppies & a few rasboras, and they reside in a 4' Jebo tank, so plenty of room atm. I have a friend who wants some of the bubs, but I told him he has to wait until I've sexed them so I know which ones I want to keep, and which I don't.

 

[EllieJellyEllie]

I think they tend to live to be 2-3 in the right conditions. But I agree, seperate males from females as soon as you can. Nasty little things

 

[Guppiesgalore]

I'm JUST being able to start being able to see the difference in sexes of my first babies. They were hard, as they are black half blacks, so look the same until the girls start to get that rounded tummy, and boys are starting to look a little longer. They are around 2 months old now.

 

[Lunar Jetman]

 

guppies breed out of control and theu can easily over stock your tank.

That I do know. Luckily, I only have guppies & a few rasboras, and they reside in a 4' Jebo tank, so plenty of room atm. I have a friend who wants some of the bubs, but I told him he has to wait until I've sexed them so I know which ones I want to keep, and which I don't.

 

 
To be fair, that's only likely to happen if you save every baby you have. If you leave them in the tank and let nature take its course the population should manage itself.

 

[GuppyGirl20]

Lunar: that's what happened woth my tank. It could also be because my tnannk isnt that big so more survived. I only have a five gallon tank and I accidentally got a male and two females when I first got fish and soon I had 12 guppies and it was no bueno.