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I was just wondering if it was true that guppies only live to be about a year old. If this is true, how do you know that ones you are getting from fish stores are not almost that age? Thanks in advance!!

Guppies live on average 1-3 years. Depends on what type of fancy guppy you buy. The ones with the largest prettiest tails are often the ones that live the shortest time, in my experience. They are often highly inbred and susceptible to disease, as well as not being able to swim properly. You can assume a guppy is young if it is small. The smaller the younger. However, male guppies mostly dont get very large, so it is harder to tell with them than the females. I would say watch them in the store. IF they are smaller, highly active, and seem to swim really well, they will probably be fairly young, and live quite a long time. My oldest female just passed away, she was almost 2, or around 2 years old. My oldest male is getting close to 2 as well, maybe older, He was not too young when I got him.
Also, I have noticed that older male guppies tend to show less interest in breeding, and more interest in sleeping!! My samurai guppy as I call him, breeds maybe once a day, maybe twice, but never any more than that. He dances less now for the ladies, and rests more often. Like any of us when we get on in age i guess.
So if the males are not showing interest in the females, look ragged or tired, or are exceptionally large, they are old. The same goes for females, the older they are the bigger they get, so the biggest females are going to be the oldest.


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