Cleaner wrasse lifespan

[sanchoy]

I bought a pair of cleaner wrasse 6+ years ago. I would estimate the pair to be maybe 8 years old. They would spawn every evening together once the moonlights turn on.

Unfortunately last month I watched the large male stop eating, his usual courtship subsided then he suddenly disappeared. ( I'm sure he became hermit cuisine). But now I saw the same behavior in my female, which raises their life expectancy. All my other fishes are healthy so diet or disease is not the issue. They are in a 400 gallon combined system with millions of pods to dine. I talked to local lfs and reefers and they said 2-3 years max. Am I lucky to have them 6 years? It's sad to see this lovely pair go

 

[SDguy]

FishBase lists a max of only 4 years, with this reference: http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?ID=3426

I've had mine 5 years; Snorvich says he's had his for 10.

 

[Myles]

I had one for 11.
Myles

 

[evolved]

Clearly there's no way 4 years is truly correct. Perhaps only in the wild...

If I was throwing darts, I'd aim for 10 years.

 

[snorvich]

FishBase lists a max of only 4 years, with this reference: http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?ID=3426

I've had mine 5 years; Snorvich says he's had his for 10.

Mine is still going strong (African endemic) so I cannot say what the upper limit is.

 

[snorvich]

The other problem with life span in captivity is knowing how old the fish was when it was acquired. My cleaner wrasse does not seem to have gotten larger or had color changes so perhaps it was an adult when acquired? I only have three fish that I know how old they were when acquired.

 

[sanchoy]

Thanks for the answers. I guess it was time for the pair to go. When i acquired both of them, the male was already very large and the female was much smaller. So they probably were older then estimated. This pair was amazing, as they learned how to adapt to eat pellets along with flakes. The female wrasse today appeared to be in the same state. Just hovering slowly and less active or interested in cleaning like she was months ago. I'm sure her time will come soon to join her mate.

 

[treliantf]

My cleaner is in its 9th year in my tank (~2 years old when I had it) and still going strong!!

 

[BeanMachine]

What cleaner wrasse species do you all have ? Blue streak cleaner labroides dimidiatus? (may have mis spelled that)

Ive had mine almost 5 years, started blue with black now its entire head and back are yellow.