How Long?

[Ardvark]

Just a general question to members. I've been running a Guppy tank for a while now and am wondering how often do you come across a dead fish? Reason for asking is because I had one died last week and another yesterday. I've tested the water with that multi test tube kit and everything is well within the guidelines, so nothing is wrong with the water. I have Assassin's and they are breeding no problem.
Any imput will be gratefully received. 

 

[DrRob]

Depends on a whole lot of things. Guppies tend to live for about 3 years, maybe a bit longer, if all is well. Questions that spring to mind are, are these ones you bought from the shop, or ones that you bred yourself? How many are in there? What size tank? What else apart from the assassins is in with them (a few fish can be great tank mates for a while and then get more aggressive as they get older, resulting in a few deaths, followed by carnage)?
 
Also the questions on what well within guidelines means. We tend to assume that you mean that you're getting 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite and low nitrate, but sometimes the kits guidelines don't follow what we recognise as ideal.
 
The final question is, did anything change recently (new decor, new kit, changed anything in the room such as plug in air fresheners) or have the fish changed and looked in any way unhealthy (before being dead that is)?

 

[Ardvark]

Thanks for your reply Rob,
                                          In answer to your questions.
I have a 64 litre tank with 8 guppies (used to be 10) 7 Assassin's.
I do a 20 litre water change every Sunday and feed the fish once in the morning.
Well within the guidelines mean the parameters advised by this forum.
The only change from the norm was last Sunday I added some defrosted Daphnia (which I do now and again for a treat to both Guppies and Assassins)

 

[Bubbelzzz]

The maximum age is determined by a lot of things. At first by the fish itself, not every fish will simply get the same age. But also, waterparameters, stress, amount of breeding, high temperature and too much food kan shorten its life.

It could be bad luck that two fish died in such a short notice.

Still, you'll need to.rule out other causes. Like stress, where there any possible chances of increased stress? not only in the tank itself but also in the surroundings?

How much males/females do you have?
is there enough hiding place in the tank?

 

[fluttermoth]

Can you post the actual numbers from your tests as well please, OP?