Average lifespan of a Ocellaris Clownfish?

[lessthanlights]

My 3 year old clown does not look so well these days and my levals are fine. Does anyone know the average life-span of these guys?

 

[reefD]

not know in nature. many divers have revisted reefs and anemones that have the same inhabitant years later! im talking decades. in tank life i believe they can live over 10 years but is always killed due to our tank...in nature they live much longer...as stated it really not known for sure. tankl life can be known but thats not natural life. in otherwords a 10 year old clown that dies in an aquarium...died from something other than old age.

 

[lessthanlights]

i better recheck everything then- that's good to know. he was my first fish and i am oddly attached to him.

 

[reefD]

you must think in captivity terms as natural terms are much linger. in other words if your clown was in in ocean 3 years would be a very very young death...but in captivity its not so much of a surprize. most say 3-5 years but i have a happy 5 year old percula and i dont expect her to die anytime soon. she did recently stop spawning so maybe old age just hit. there is many oppinions but if you extensively research youl find many people with clowns exceeding the 3-5 year range heres an example:
"I have a clownfish that is seven years old named "Creamsicle"
I have never had any problems with our little friend or the tank that he lives in. The tank is 55 gallons and there are only two other fish in it, a purple wrasse, and a blue tang. I have a protein skimmer and I do regulars water changes but I am nowhere near the expert level of some of the enthusiasts that post on this site. The tank only has crushed coral and quite a bit of live rock but nothing else. I have not introduced anything new to the tank or changed my routine." from this site http://forum.petstore.com/Topic47184-10-1.aspx.

 

[reefD]

remember we try our best and fish die from stress. when we get depressed its tough but for the species of fish its deadly. if your fish is depressed or stressed beyound your control(water quality/space/other tank inhabitants) he may pass and that sucks but is a fact. fish in captivity ussually die from stress.
my advice stop messing with things. once salinity/ammonia/ph/notrates/nitrites are checked and show zero levels, you only can hope he will recover from the stress.

 

[reefD]

think think think. did you do anythink new? or did you neglect something for a bit.?added anything new? top off source changed? temp? fall changed our outside/room temp and may have effected tank .

 

[reefD]

new additives? do you have kids that may of touched something or put hands in tank? skimming? salinity? dont trust hang on hydrometers. check with someone with a refractometer.....good luck

 

[niteshado]

given the proper captive enviornment they can live longer. There was a thread about 6months ago about the longest a fish lived in an aquarium. most of the replies were clown fish of 8-12 years. Mine is now 14 and still spawning intermittently in a 90 gal.

good luck Larry

 

[DSMpunk]

This guy has apparently had his pair of clowns for 27 years. They were born the same year I was! Pretty cool.

http://www.geocities.com/wefoundnemo/

 

[cristhiam]

wow!! my LFS got couple for 15 years

 

[reefD]

i love it when i hear this. think of this...... 20 years of good husbandry to keep a saltwater fish happy. think about it...vacations....work......continuous living area...all important for long term. in otherwords if you do things right for long enough survival can equal yours. great stuff and is plausible and should promote us to caring for our fish well as they are in our hands as far as how long they may live.

 

[JJohn]

I have had this pair for over ten years. This image was from two weeks ago. They laid again yesterday. I'd say they are still feeling young! It is easy for me to remember when I got them, because I had just gotten married and my wife said, "go ahead, set up the reef tank you want to." They were the first addition.

I expect to have this pair for a long time. I expect their anemone to outlive me.

John

 

[reefD]

awsome. i think mine not spawning has nothing to do with age but a change in water quality for me as i have been neglectful with lots of things. i hope to have mine just as long too!
By the way.........GREAT PICTURE! and i too except that i can learn something new everyday. nothing in salt is set in stone. better to get as much different info that way you can recognize and not freak over a change/of behavior in your tank. i respect that you say that as your experience is vast (over ten years!) good attitude that i hope to continue to have also.

 

[reefD]

males are always obsesed with the eggs...i say this as i suspect he is mouthing them in the picture? is that the male?

 

[lessthanlights]

Rupert- my clown, is be doing much better. I'm glad to hear that with good care he'll be around for a long time.

 

[quincy2008]

Old man clownfish

Old man clownfish

My clownfish just turned 17. I would doubt they would live that long in the wild. :fish1:

 

[davocean]

Years ago I read on a pair that were over 30 years old in captivity, wonder if they are still around.
I had my last pair of picasso's 5.5 years, so yeah I understand getting attached to your fish, glad it seems better for you.

 

[outy]

I have had a pair for at least 5 years. Got a damsel about 25 years old, I did lose his brother/sister/cousin last year and was bummed.

Tomini tang going on 8 years

 

[Silly clownfish]

My ocellaris is 17 (got her in May 1998 ar about 6 months old) and shows no signs of old age. Knock on wood.... I have read that ORA has pairs rhey have been breeding for 20 years. I am very curious what their lifespan in captivity can be. I know it is more than 20 years, but not what the upper limit is.

Of course I have had my box turtle for 40 years and she doesn't seem to age either...

 

[dragonsong]

I know someone with a 13yr old pair that are constantly spawning, still!