10 Things You Should Know About Guppies

In this post, I will give you the 10 things that you should know about guppies. This is pretty much a general guppy care guide and includes 10 really important tips for taking care of guppies in an aquarium.

1. Feed a Varied Diet

Guppies need a varied diet. A lot of people are told that fish flakes are enough — and while they’re good, they’re not everything. These foods try to offer a balanced diet through mixed ingredients, but they don't completely cover it.

You can easily add variety with live foods, frozen foods, and different dry goods. You'll see tremendous results almost immediately. I’ve got a full video on what to feed guppies if you want more info.

2. Inbreeding Ramifications

Guppies used to be very hardy fish, and while they still are, they’ve become less hardy over time due to inbreeding. Most guppies available today have been domesticated and inbred for years, leading to weaker strains and decreased immunity.

You might see issues like bent spines or increased susceptibility to disease. That’s why I recommend getting your guppies from a reliable breeder who mixes bloodlines to avoid this.

3. Tank Mates

Guppies are excellent community fish. They’re peaceful, so it’s less about whether guppies will attack other fish and more about whether other fish will attack your guppies.

Avoid aggressive tank mates like barbs or cichlids and stick to other peaceful species like mollies, tetras, cherry shrimp, or bristlenose plecos. Or, keep a tank with just guppies —it’ll still be colorful and active.

4. Common Diseases

Like all fish, guppies are prone to disease. One big tip: quarantine new fish. Don’t mix pet store water with your tank water. Guppies often carry diseases like dropsy, parasitic worms, or just poor immunity from transport stress.

Use deworming medication early on, even if it costs a bit more. It’ll save you a lot of time and frustration later.

5. Prolific Breeding

Guppies are livebearers and breed like crazy. Every 22–25 days, females can give birth to 30–50 fry. If you’ve got males and females in a small tank, you’ll be overrun in a few months.

Keep 1 male to 2 females to reduce stress on the females. You don’t need a big group — even a trio will quickly populate a tank.

6. Tank Requirements

Guppies are tropical fish. They need warm water (72–84°F / 22–28°C), a heater, and a filter. A sponge filter is great. If you’re using a tank smaller than 10 gallons, consider keeping only males —they’re more colorful, and you avoid breeding issues.

Ignore pH and GH as a beginner. Just focus on keeping ammonia low, and they’ll thrive.

7. Keep Live Plants

Live plants are super beneficial. They help with the nitrogen cycle, as they absorb toxins like nitrates and mimic natural environments.

Good plants for guppies include

• Water wisteria

• Java moss

• Guppy grass

• Water sprite

These act like natural filters and make the tank healthier and more balanced.

8. Filtration

You can use any filtration, but watch the intake. Sponge filters are best because they won’t suck up baby guppies. Other filters, like HOBs or canisters, might have intakes that are too strong.

If you’re using those, you can add a sponge cover to prevent fry from being pulled in. But honestly, sponge filters are just a safer, more effective choice for guppies.

9. Lifespan

Guppies live 1–3 years. Warmer water speeds up their metabolism, which can shorten their life. So if your guppies die after a year or so, it might just be old age.

Older males may swim slower, drop their fins, or become less active. It’s totally normal. But if you’re losing multiple guppies at once, check for illness.

10. Inspect Before You Buy

This is the best tip I can give: inspect guppies like crazy before buying. Don’t pick skinny or bloated fish. Ask the store to feed them and choose the most active, healthy eaters.

Don’t rescue sick guppies out of sympathy. Buy the healthiest guppies you can find, and you’ll have a much better experience.