How long will they live??!

[prickles]

Okay, so how long do various fish live? Who has a good source? I just read a thread the other day that says yellow watchmen only live 3-5 years. I have heard pipefish are capped at about 2 years. Where do I find out this stuff?

Specifically I want to know how long my fish should live...
PBT tang
Achilles tang
Chocolate tang
one spot foxface
bluespot jawfish
helfrichi firefish
purple firefish
bicolor blenny
starry blenny
longhorn blenny
dragonface pipefish
chromis
yellow watchman
scooter blenny
picassos

That's all I can remember right now. If everything goes as planned, they will be moved to a big tank in 2 years or so. They are currently looking kinda squished in an 8' 300.

thanks for your help!

 

[JuliusJames]

I don't know.. But I'd like to know also

 

[LisaD]

I think most don't live nearly as long as they could. I had quite a few fish I'd owned 3-7 years die after a tank crash in 2005. If you look at PaulB's posts, it is not unusual for his fish to live 5-10 years.

The fish I'd had for seven years included a royal gramma and a tomato clown. I'd had a mimic tang, emperor angel, harlequin tusk close to five years. There is no reason these fish would not have lived a lot longer if I hadn't had an outbreak of velvet. By the time I figured out what it was and got meds, it was too late to save most of the fish.

I have a zebra moray that I've had at least dozen years. He was the only survivor of the 2005 disaster.

If you keep fish properly, feed them right, avoid electrical failures and disease, I believe some, like large angelfish, eels and clownfish, can live for a decade or more. Some of the blennies and gobies are probably naturally short lived. I have friends that have kept seahorses over 5 years.

The best place to look for life span information would be public aquariums.

 

[lilalove]

My splotchy hawkfish was in a coworker's tank for 7 years before he tore it down and gave him to me. I've had him for about a year now...so he's at least 8. I've had a black occellaris for 5 years...lost his mate to velvet, but is now paired up again with another pretty lady. My H. chrysus I've had 5 years as well and is just now getting his adult coloration.

I think I read about a public aquarium that has had a Hippo tang for 20 years.

 

[NCSUsalt]

got a yellow and a purple tang in a tank I take care of that have been in there for 16 years. they even survived a tank crash.

 

[prickles]

Does anyone have a link or book perhaps?

I have a chocolate that hasn't even reached mature colors yet that I've had 2 years. I figure he's gotta live a while if that's the case.

 

[nikon187]

some fish will live much longer than others depending on care conditions not to mention a plathora or other reasons. I have read of some clown fish being in captivity for over 20yrs, tangs for 15-20 yrs and some gobies and wrasses 10+ yrs but many factors play into this.

 

[Chelsey]

I know of a pair of tomato clownfish that are 22 years old and still lay large nests every 14 days or so. I've had a neon goby for 4-5 years now, and a leopard wrasse for 4, I've had her since she was 1".

 

[auem]

i think you should see this man's build....he had a flame angel for 15 years,until it died few days ago...some of his other fishes too have lifespan of 10-20 years..!!!!

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1726744

 

[EnderG60]

until you kill them. 99.99% of captive fish will never die of old age so I wouldnt really worry about it.