The principal purpose of this Detailed Review Paper (DRP) is to define the basis, objectives and conduct of fish life-cycle tests for the effects of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). The main focus is on four species of fish (fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas), Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes), zebrafish (Danio rerio) and sheepshead minnow (Cyprinodon variegatus)) because relatively little life-cycle testing has been conducted to date with other species. The DRP also briefly reviews the use of fish life-cycle tests for substances other than EDCs. The paper concludes that although fish full life-cycle tests are generally more sensitive to EDCs than partial life-cycle reproduction tests, it has not yet been demonstrated that two-generation or multi-generation tests with fish offer any further advance in sensitivity (to either EDCs or non-EDCs). The early life-stage test including sexual differentiation is not included in this review as it was identified as a screening tool rather than a definitive test, and is therefore described in the DRP on Fish Screening Assays for Endocrine Active Substance. Furthermore, mechanistic endpoints diagnostic of endocrine action need only be included optionally in life-cycle test protocols, because the primary purpose of these tests is to measure definitive apical (i.e. population-relevant) endpoints for use in risk assessment.