Fish Life Expectancy
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seamonster
Active Member
Clowns can live for a very long time.. I’ve read that tangs can live 40+ years too.. that’s in the wild though, I’m not sure about in a captive environment.
I purchase a zoster, two Regal angels and whitetail bristletooth tang over 5 years ago. All still going strong. Pair of clowns still here are 13. I have had mandarins 10 years. I have my clowns in my will.
sghera64
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I have 3 perula clownfish that are 20 yrs old (I got them from Petsmart too). I have a yellow tang that is about 10 yrs old and my Mandarin gobi just passed after 12+ years. My Copper Band is still going after 5 yrs.
McPuff
Valuable Member
There is a thread on wrasses and the consensus was that many species tend to live right around 7 years. I did see this almost exactly with 3 different species (ruby head, melanurus, solar) as each died within 6 months of the others and I had each of them for around 6 years. So I made sure to buy very small juveniles on my last purchases.
I did have a pink spotted watchman goby for 17 years... assuming it was well over 1 year old when I got it. Pretty good life span. It's the longest lived pet I've ever owned.
Currently I have several fish that are over 10 years old: foxface, blue chromis, Talbott's damsel, Caribbean spotted hawkfish. Have a few tangs that are getting close to that mark too.
I did have a pink spotted watchman goby for 17 years... assuming it was well over 1 year old when I got it. Pretty good life span. It's the longest lived pet I've ever owned.
Currently I have several fish that are over 10 years old: foxface, blue chromis, Talbott's damsel, Caribbean spotted hawkfish. Have a few tangs that are getting close to that mark too.
Royce White
Active Member
I have a pajama Cardinal pushing 7 years.
rioreef
Active Member
I have a yellow tang and two clownfish that I got back in 1998. Unfortunately I am stuck out of my home state and my neighbor…well let’s just say I no longer have any of my fish now. So in my care at least I had them for 25 years.
Homebrewer
Active Member
Woah, that age for a Royal Gramma is amazing IMO. Way to go!
I have been in the hobby for 17+ years and I’m on my 3rd RG. My two previous ones died between 4-5 years. I was convinced from some crude searches plus my experience that they maxed out at about 5 years, but my current one is 5 years, 2 months and counting… and I’m thrilled!
I also have a pair of cinnamon clowns that are 17 years, 3 months.
Cthulukelele
2500 Club Member
Some of the longest lived small fish people don't talk about as much:
Clown gobies are known for regularly living 10+ years in situations where they won't be preyed upon.
Watchman gobies can also live 10+ years. My oldest fish is ~7 year old yellow watchman goby.
Dwarf angels can reach 15+ regularly.
Clown gobies are known for regularly living 10+ years in situations where they won't be preyed upon.
Watchman gobies can also live 10+ years. My oldest fish is ~7 year old yellow watchman goby.
Dwarf angels can reach 15+ regularly.
CincyReefer07
Active Member
I have a royal gramma, pajama cardinalfish, and ocellaris clownfish that I’ve had for 9 years. Started them out in a 29gal and they’ve been in a 75gal for several years now.
Low Tech Reefer
Community Member
I've had quite a few fish live over 10 years. My oldest critter is a Pencil Urchin which is around 20 years old.
OP
OP
Kiboshed
Active Member
Did you have a spiny lobster that lived a long time?
Interesting to hear about the Cardinals living so long for such a small fish. Then again they do not seem especially active so likely have a low metabolism.
Always interested to hear about the smallish inverts. You wouldn't think they would live very long, but I also keep Arachnids as a side hobby and many of them can live 20-30 years.
Paul B
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This Fireclown tending her eggs is about 33 and her mate is a few years younger.
These guys normally live for about 10 years, but I know some people kept them longer
Copperbands also live over 10 years but for some reason some of mine get a neurological condition after that.
Bangai Cardinals have the shortest lifespan of about 3 or 4 years
I usually have bluestripe pipefish and they live and spawn for about 6 years.
This Janss Pipefish lived for 7 years.
One of my Possum Wrasses is over 7 years, maybe 10
I kept these spawning watchmans for I think 12 years.
My Mandarins live and keep spawning for 10 years.
This urchin just died after about 12 years, (could be 10)
This pair of hermit crabs also lived about 10 years.
These guys normally live for about 10 years, but I know some people kept them longer
Copperbands also live over 10 years but for some reason some of mine get a neurological condition after that.
Bangai Cardinals have the shortest lifespan of about 3 or 4 years
I usually have bluestripe pipefish and they live and spawn for about 6 years.
This Janss Pipefish lived for 7 years.
One of my Possum Wrasses is over 7 years, maybe 10
I kept these spawning watchmans for I think 12 years.
My Mandarins live and keep spawning for 10 years.
This urchin just died after about 12 years, (could be 10)
This pair of hermit crabs also lived about 10 years.
DaneGer21
Valuable Member
I have two yellow tail damsels(I know I know haha), that are almost 14yrs old, couldn’t ever find myself to rehome them even though they can be jerks. Believe it or not, that have chilled out over the years haha
I also have a long spine urchin that is the same age, roughly 14yrs.
I also have a long spine urchin that is the same age, roughly 14yrs.
OP
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Kiboshed
Active Member
Solid info. Beautiful animals.This Fireclown tending her eggs is about 33 and her mate is a few years younger.
These guys normally live for about 10 years, but I know some people kept them longer
Copperbands also live over 10 years but for some reason some of mine get a neurological condition after that.
Bangai Cardinals have the shortest lifespan of about 3 or 4 years
I usually have bluestripe pipefish and they live and spawn for about 6 years.
This Janss Pipefish lived for 7 years.
One of my Possum Wrasses is over 7 years, maybe 10
I kept these spawning watchmans for I think 12 years.
My Mandarins live and keep spawning for 10 years.
This urchin just died after about 12 years, (could be 10)
This pair of hermit crabs also lived about 10 years.
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