What a guppies really costs
Five male guppies cost about $20–$33, and a heated, filtered 10-gallon kit with gravel, plants and test strips typically runs about $190 all in. After that, expect around $130 a year for food, filter cartridges, test strips, electricity, a replacement heater every couple of years and the odd medication. Mix males and females and the bill changes: guppies breed roughly monthly and quickly outgrow a 10-gallon tank.
- Life expectancy
- 2–3 years
- Size
- About 1–2.4 in; males smaller and more colorful
- Care level
- Low
- Price
- $20–$33
- Setup
- About $190
- Insurance
- Not offered
Estimate for: A group of 5 male guppies in a heated, filtered 10-gallon tank; prices cover the whole group. Space needed: A 10-gallon tank with lid, heater (76–78°F) and filter.
Lifetime cost$600
First year $350Then about $130 a year
Where the money goes each year
A typical year for a guppies, with typical spending in an average-cost area.
- Electricity for heater and filter$31
- Small pellets or flakes plus frozen treats$28
- Filter cartridges$25
- Test strips$13
- Replacement heater$11
- Plant and decor refresh$10
- Illness and injury (average)$10
- Water conditioner refill$5
- Typical year$130
Most years land between $60 and $240. Items replaced on a cycle are spread across the years.
Setup and the first year
For guppies, the equipment usually costs far more than the animal.
Getting set up
- Price (pet store (petsmart, petco, local fish store), group of 5)$27
- 10-gallon aquarium kit (tank, LED hood, filter, heater)$122
- Aquarium thermometer$0
- Gravel or plant substrate$13
- Live plants (cover for fish, and fry if any)$20
- Water conditioner (first bottle)$9
- Water test strips or kit$13
- Gravel vacuum and net$11
- Upfront$210
Running costs in year one
- Small pellets or flakes plus frozen treats$28
- Water conditioner refill$5
- Filter cartridges$25
- Test strips$13
- Replacement heater$11
- Electricity for heater and filter$31
- Plant and decor refresh$10
- Illness and injury (average)$10
- Year-one running costs$130
First-year total: $350.
Make it your estimate
Change the choices that move the price most. Totals update as you go.
Your lifetime estimate$600
First year $350Then about $130 a yearOver 3 years
$11 a month in a typical year.
- Electricity for heater and filter$31
- Small pellets or flakes plus frozen treats$28
- Filter cartridges$25
- Test strips$13
- Replacement heater$11
- Plant and decor refresh$10
- Illness and injury (average)$10
- Water conditioner refill$5
- Typical year$130
What to buy
The gear and supplies in this estimate, matched to a guppies. Each link searches Amazon for the right type and size.
- 10-gallon aquarium kit (tank, LED hood, filter, heater)Setup, typically about $122See on Amazon
- Aquarium thermometerSetup, typically about $0See on Amazon
- Gravel or plant substrateSetup, typically about $13See on Amazon
- Live plants (cover for fish, and fry if any)Setup, typically about $20See on Amazon
- Water conditioner (first bottle)Setup, typically about $9See on Amazon
- Water test strips or kitSetup, typically about $13See on Amazon
- Gravel vacuum and netSetup, typically about $11See on Amazon
- Small pellets or flakes plus frozen treatsOngoing, typically about $28 a yearSee on Amazon
- Filter cartridgesOngoing, typically about $25 a yearSee on Amazon
- Replacement heaterOngoing, typically about $21 each, every 2 yearsSee on Amazon
As an Amazon Associate, PetPriceTag earns from qualifying purchases. Buying through these links costs you nothing extra and never changes our cost figures.
Health costs to plan for
| Condition | What it is | Typical treatment | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ich (white spot disease) | A contagious protozoan parasite, usually brought in with new fish; white specks, flashing and lethargy. Source | Ich medication (API Super Ick Cure 4 oz, about $7) and slowly raised temperature; vets confirm by skin scraping, about $50–$100 in clinic | $7–$107 |
| Fin and tail rot | Bacterial fraying of the long male tails, usually from poor water quality, temperature swings or fin-nipping tank mates. Source | Frequent water changes, aquarium salt ($8.78) and an antibacterial such as API Bettafix ($4.58) or KanaPlex ($8.14); vet visit $50–$100 | $9–$108 |
| Dropsy | Fluid buildup with pinecone-like raised scales; a sign of organ failure or infection, and severe cases are often fatal. Source | Antibiotics (KanaPlex 5 g, $8.14) and better water under veterinary guidance, about $50–$100 in clinic | $8–$108 |
| Swim bladder disorder | Floating, sinking or tilting caused by water quality, diet (air swallowing), infection or deformity. Source | Clean water and a sinking diet at home; a fish vet visit ($50–$100 in clinic) before any X-rays, which are not priced here | $0–$100 |
The yearly estimate includes an average of $10 for illness and injury. Mainstream U.S. pet insurers do not cover aquarium fish. Nationwide's avian and exotic plan, the main exotic policy, covers birds, rabbits, reptiles, small mammals and a few others, and fish are not among the named species, so budget for medications and the rare fish-vet visit yourself.
What drives the cost
- Guppies breed fast. Aquarium Co-op says females give birth about every 30 days, and Seriously Fish puts a brood at 5–100 young after a 4–6 week gestation, so a mixed group will overfill a 10-gallon tank within months.
- An all-male group avoids fry entirely (Seriously Fish's advice if you don't want a tank full of babies). A single female from a mixed store tank can keep producing for 6 months or more on stored sperm.
- Extra fry cost money: a second tank kit runs $93–$130, or you rehome them; Aquarium Co-op notes local fish stores may take colored-up fry at 2–3 months old, usually for store credit or little cash.
- PetMD's vet-written care sheet calls 4–6 guppies ideal and recommends at least 5 gallons for the first and 2 more per extra guppy, so a 10-gallon tank fits a group of five.
- Heat is the biggest running cost: holding a 10-gallon tank about 10°F above room temperature plus a small filter uses roughly 167 kWh a year, about $31 at the July 2026 U.S. average electricity rate.
- Warmer water shortens their lives: Aquarium Co-op says guppies kept at 82°F live about 18 months versus 2–3 years at 76–78°F.
Is it legal where you live?
Guppies are legal to own throughout the U.S. and sold at national chains; they are not on the federal injurious-wildlife list. Never release them, or surplus fry, into the wild.
Cities and counties can have their own rules. Check locally before you buy.
- Pet store (PetSmart, Petco, local fish store), group of 5
- $20–$33
- Lifetime
- $600
How this estimate is built
Every line, with the typical, thrifty and generous figures and where each comes from.
| Item | Typical | Basis and sources | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Setup | |||
| 10-gallon aquarium kit (tank, LED hood, filter, heater) | $122 | Typical: Aqueon SmartClean 10-gal LED kit with internal filter, preset 78°F heater and thermometer, $121.52 at Chewy (list $129.99 = high). Low: Imagitarium 10-gal LED kit with adjustable heater and hang-on-back filter, $92.99 at Petco. All include a heater. Chewy: Aqueon SmartClean Filtration LED Fish Aquarium Starter Kit, 10-gal; Petco: Imagitarium LED Aquarium Kit, 10 gallon | |
| Aquarium thermometer | $0 | Both kits include a thermometer; a Penn-Plax digital one is $4.99 at Chewy if you want a better read-out. Chewy: Aqueon SmartClean Filtration LED Fish Aquarium Starter Kit, 10-gal; Chewy: Penn-Plax AquaLIFE Therma-Temp Digital Aquarium Thermometer | |
| Gravel or plant substrate | $13 | Spectrastone 5-lb gravel, $12.50 at Chewy. Low: bare bottom. High: Fluval Plant & Shrimp Stratum 17.6 lb, $32.91. Chewy: Spectrastone Swift Creek Premium Aquarium Gravel, 5-lb; Chewy: fish supplies listing (Python gravel washer, net, Fluval Stratum, API Master Test Kit) | |
| Live plants (cover for fish, and fry if any) | $20 | Aquarium Co-op notes guppies eat their young unless there are plenty of hiding spots. Java fern is $9.99 at Aquarium Co-op; one plant low, two typical, four high. Aquarium Co-op: Java Fern ($9.99, 'tough enough to survive goldfish'); Aquarium Co-op: Guppy Care Guide (breeding every ~30 days, what to do with fry) | |
| Water conditioner (first bottle) | $9 | API Stress Coat 8 oz, $8.99 at Chewy (treats about 470 gallons). Low: 1 oz $2.28. High: 16 oz $10.98. Chewy: API Stress Coat Aquarium Water Conditioner (sizes, dosing) | |
| Water test strips or kit | $13 | Needed to watch ammonia and nitrite while the tank cycles. API 5-in-1 strips 25 ct $12.98 (typical), 4 ct $6.20 (low); API Freshwater Master Test Kit $35.98 (high), all at Chewy. Chewy: API 5 in 1 Aquarium Test Strips; Chewy: fish supplies listing (Python gravel washer, net, Fluval Stratum, API Master Test Kit) | |
| Gravel vacuum and net | $11 | Python Pro-Clean gravel washer $7.99 and 4-in net $2.99 at Chewy. Chewy: fish supplies listing (Python gravel washer, net, Fluval Stratum, API Master Test Kit) | |
| Every year | |||
| Small pellets or flakes plus frozen treats | $28 | PetMD advises a mix of flakes, pellets and frozen foods, only what they finish in 1–2 minutes. Opened food is replaced about every six months (Chewy's vet-reviewed guide), so two containers a year. Low: 2 × Hikari Fancy Guppy 0.77 oz at $4.29. Typical: 2 × Hikari Micro Pellets 1.58 oz at $6.99 + 4 frozen bloodworm packs at $3.49. High: 2 × Xtreme Community Crave Flakes ($10.49) + a $3.49 frozen pack monthly. Aquarium Co-op: Hikari Fancy Guppy, 0.77 oz; Aquarium Co-op: Hikari Micro Pellets, 1.58 oz; Aquarium Co-op: fish food (Xtreme Nano Pellets $15.99, Xtreme Community Crave Flakes $10.49, Easy Community Floating Pellets); Bulk Reef Supply: Hikari Bio-Pure Frozen Blood Worms (mini cubes $2.99, 3.5 oz $3.49); PetMD: Guppy Care Sheet (Maria Zayas, DVM); Chewy: Betta Fish Care Guide (input from Jessie Sanders, DVM; replace opened food every six months) | |
| Water conditioner refill | $9 every 2 years | Weekly 25% changes on 10 gallons use about 130 gallons of new water a year; at 5 ml per 10 gallons that is 65 ml, so an 8 oz ($8.99) bottle lasts about two years. Chewy: API Stress Coat Aquarium Water Conditioner (sizes, dosing) | |
| Filter cartridges | $25 | Aqueon medium cartridges (fit the SmartClean filter) are to be replaced every 4–6 weeks, about 9 a year. Typical: 9-count $24.95 at Chewy. Low: one 3-count ($9.95) a year, rinsing between changes. High: two 6-packs at PetSmart ($17.99 each). Chewy: Aqueon QuietFlow Medium Replacement Filter Cartridges, 9 count; Chewy: Aqueon Medium Replacement Filter Cartridge, 3 count; PetSmart: Aqueon Replacement Filter Cartridges, Medium, 6-pack (replace every 4–6 weeks) | |
| Test strips | $13 | One 25-count pack of API 5-in-1 strips a year for testing every two weeks ($12.98 at Chewy). Low 4 ct $6.20; high 100 ct $24.98. Chewy: API 5 in 1 Aquarium Test Strips | |
| Replacement heater | $21 every 2 years | Bulk Reef Supply advises replacing heaters every 1–2 years (cheap ones yearly) because a stuck heater can cook or chill the fish. Modeled every 2 years. Typical: Aqueon Preset 50 W, $20.99 at PetSmart; low Top Fin submersible $14.99; high Aqueon adjustable 50 W, $37.95 at Chewy. Bulk Reef Supply: 5-Minute Aquarium Guide Ep. 12, Heaters (replacement interval); PetSmart: aquarium heaters (Top Fin $14.99, Aqueon Preset 50 W $20.99, Tetra HT); Chewy: Aqueon Glass Adjustable Aquarium Heater (50 W $37.95, 100 W $39.95; 50 W rated to 20 gal) | |
| Electricity for heater and filter | $31 | Rough estimate. AquariumScience.org figures about 1.5 W per gallon to hold water 10°F above room temperature, so a 10-gallon heater averages ~15 W; a small filter such as the Marina Slim S10 draws 4.1 W. 19.1 W × 8,760 h = 167 kWh × $0.1831/kWh (EIA U.S. residential average, July 2026) = $30.64. Low: 5°F rise = 11.6 W = $18.61. High: 20°F rise in a cold room = 34.1 W = $54.69. The LED light is not counted. U.S. EIA Electric Power Monthly: average residential price, July 2026 (18.31 cents/kWh); AquariumScience.org: Aquarium electric cost (heater ~1.5 W per gallon for a 10°F rise); Gardensite: Marina Slim S10 power filter (4.1 W power consumption) | |
| Plant and decor refresh | $10 | Replacing or adding a plant or two (java fern $9.99 at Aquarium Co-op). Many owners spend nothing. Aquarium Co-op: Java Fern ($9.99, 'tough enough to survive goldfish') | |
| Illness and injury, per year | |||
| Fish medications (and the rare vet visit) | $10 | Most guppy illness is treated at home: API Super Ick Cure 4 oz (about $7), API aquarium salt 33 oz $8.78, Seachem KanaPlex 5 g $8.14. Typical assumes one or two bottles a year. High adds one in-clinic fish vet visit ($50–$100) plus KanaPlex. Few owners take a $5 fish to a vet. Chewy: API Liquid Super Ick Cure (sizes, dosing 5 ml per 5 gal); Chewy: API Freshwater Aquarium Salt, 33-oz; Bulk Reef Supply: Seachem KanaPlex, 5 g; California Fish Vet (Jessie Sanders, DVM): Is paying a fish veterinarian worth the cost? | |
More pet fish by yearly cost
- Goldfish$120 a year
- Betta fish$130 a year
- Neon tetras$170 a year
- Compare all pet fish
Common questions
How much does a guppies cost?
Pet store (PetSmart, Petco, local fish store), group of 5: $20–$33. The bigger costs come after: about $190 to set up, about $350 for the whole first year, then about $130 a year.
How much does a guppies cost per year?
About $130 a year ($11 a month) for a typical owner in an average-cost area, ranging from about $60 for a thrifty owner in a lower-cost area to $240 for a generous owner in a big city.
How much does a guppies cost over its lifetime?
About $600 over a 3-year life, in 2026 dollars.
Sources
- PetMD: Guppy Care Sheet (Maria Zayas, DVM)
- Aquarium Co-op: Guppy Care Guide (breeding every ~30 days, what to do with fry)
- Seriously Fish: Poecilia reticulata (gestation 4–6 weeks, 5–100 young per brood)
- Petco: Guppy Care Sheet
- Petco: How Long Do Freshwater Fish Live? (goldfish 10–25 yr, guppy 3–5, neon 5–10)
- U.S. EIA Electric Power Monthly: average residential price, July 2026 (18.31 cents/kWh)
- California Fish Vet (Jessie Sanders, DVM): Is paying a fish veterinarian worth the cost?
- PetSmart: Guppies (live fish listing, $4.99 each; buy 4 get 5th free promotion)
- Petco: Guppies for sale (Male Yellow Guppy $6.49)
- VCA Animal Hospitals: Fish White Spot Disease (Ich)
- Chewy: Betta Fish Fin Rot (causes and staged treatment)
- PetMD: Dropsy in Fish (Jessie Sanders, DVM, DABVP Fish Practice)
- PetMD: Swim Bladder Disorders in Fish (Jessie Sanders, DVM)
- Chewy: Aqueon SmartClean Filtration LED Fish Aquarium Starter Kit, 10-gal
- Petco: Imagitarium LED Aquarium Kit, 10 gallon
- Chewy: Penn-Plax AquaLIFE Therma-Temp Digital Aquarium Thermometer
- Chewy: Spectrastone Swift Creek Premium Aquarium Gravel, 5-lb
- Chewy: fish supplies listing (Python gravel washer, net, Fluval Stratum, API Master Test Kit)
- Aquarium Co-op: Java Fern ($9.99, 'tough enough to survive goldfish')
- Chewy: API Stress Coat Aquarium Water Conditioner (sizes, dosing)
- Chewy: API 5 in 1 Aquarium Test Strips
- Aquarium Co-op: Hikari Fancy Guppy, 0.77 oz
- Aquarium Co-op: Hikari Micro Pellets, 1.58 oz
- Aquarium Co-op: fish food (Xtreme Nano Pellets $15.99, Xtreme Community Crave Flakes $10.49, Easy Community Floating Pellets)
- Bulk Reef Supply: Hikari Bio-Pure Frozen Blood Worms (mini cubes $2.99, 3.5 oz $3.49)
- Chewy: Betta Fish Care Guide (input from Jessie Sanders, DVM; replace opened food every six months)
- Chewy: Aqueon QuietFlow Medium Replacement Filter Cartridges, 9 count
- Chewy: Aqueon Medium Replacement Filter Cartridge, 3 count
- PetSmart: Aqueon Replacement Filter Cartridges, Medium, 6-pack (replace every 4–6 weeks)
- Bulk Reef Supply: 5-Minute Aquarium Guide Ep. 12, Heaters (replacement interval)
- PetSmart: aquarium heaters (Top Fin $14.99, Aqueon Preset 50 W $20.99, Tetra HT)
- Chewy: Aqueon Glass Adjustable Aquarium Heater (50 W $37.95, 100 W $39.95; 50 W rated to 20 gal)
- AquariumScience.org: Aquarium electric cost (heater ~1.5 W per gallon for a 10°F rise)
- Gardensite: Marina Slim S10 power filter (4.1 W power consumption)
- Chewy: API Liquid Super Ick Cure (sizes, dosing 5 ml per 5 gal)
- Chewy: API Freshwater Aquarium Salt, 33-oz
- Bulk Reef Supply: Seachem KanaPlex, 5 g
- eCFR: 50 CFR 16.13, injurious fish, mollusks and crustaceans
Estimates in 2026 US dollars. Vet prices for this pet use the same region adjustment as the rest of the site (methodology). Updated October 14, 2026.