How Long Should Aquarium Fish Live? (an Expected Lifespan Guide)

[GoldLenny]

(I have this "article" on my blog also. I started this several years ago on another forum which I no longer visit due to their lack of moderation and too many trolls. I've been a member here for a month or so and thought I would get some of you guys/gals input and provide this info for the fishkeepers here. Any replies with verified info will be edited into the main list with credit given to the provider of the info using their forum name.)

HOW LONG SHOULD YOUR AQUARIUM FISH LIVE?
An Expected Lifespan Guide For Fish Keepers

Below is a list of "lifespans" of how long a fish SHOULD live instead of the other lists I've seen on how long they live on "average" or "median" lifespan, since some of these lifespan figures are skewed towards the low end due to the frequent stunting, overstocking and poor tank maintenance. This article will regularly be edited based on information provided by visitors to this blog, members of various forums and from reliable website profiles. If you have a Guiness World Record or other record reference, please provide it so I can put the "WR" age as well.

So far, this list consists of mostly "common names" but on certain species where there is some confusion about the common name being used on different species, I will try to list the scientific name... especially for Cichlids and certain Plecos/Catfish.

If you do not see your fish on this list, please leave a comment with the common name, scientific name (if known) and the age yours lived to or a reputable profile showing the age they should live to and I'll edit the list to include the updated information with credit given to you. If you search for 'lifespan (fish name)', you will find several web pages that have a purported lifespan. Use the good ones for information/confirmation.

Thank you for your assistance.

GoldLenny

(* in front means it has NOT been edited from the original "average lifespan" list so your help is needed in finding accurate "expected lifespans" for these fish)(Your "Forum Name" will be added behind the new and corrected information.)

HOW LONG A FISH SHOULD LIVE - (when reasonably cared for)

Adolfo's Cory - 5 years (GoldLenny)

*African Butterfly Fish - ??

Agassiz's Corydoras - 5 years (GoldLenny)

Amano Shrimp - 4 years (Crazygar)

Amur Sucker aka Tiger Shark/Scarlet Carp (Sarco. sinensis) - 10 years (GoldLenny)

Anableps (Four-Eyed Fish) - 6 years (GoldLenny)

Angelfish - 10 to 15 years (GoldLenny)

Angelicus Loach (Botia kubotai) - 4 years (GoldLenny)

Apistogramma - 3 to 5+ years (Some species only 1 to 2 years)(GoldLenny)

Apistogramma norberti - 7 years and still alive (Lisachromis)

Arched Cory - 4 years (GoldLenny)

*Archer Fish - 5 years

*Armored Catfish - 7 to 15 years

Asian Clown Catfish - 10 - 15 years (Viridari)

Bala Shark - 15+ years (GoldLenny)

Banana Loach (Acantopsis choirorhynchos) - 5 years (GoldLenny)

Banded Loach (Botia hymenophysa) - 7 years (GoldLenny)

*Bandit Cory - 5 years

Banjo Catfish - 8 to 15 years (GoldLenny)

*Banjo Catfish - 5 to 8 years

Betta Coccina (Wine Red Betta) - 3+ years (GoldLenny)

Betta Imbellis (Crescent Betta) - 4+ years (GoldLenny)

Betta Macrostoma (Brunei/Borneo Beauty) - 4+ years (GoldLenny)

Betta Splendens (Common Betta) - 5+ years... reports of 6-8 years (GoldLenny) with 10+ years in controlled laboratory conditions (Cruise/CindyWindy)

*Black Neon Tetra - 5 years

*Black Phantom Tetra - 5 years

Black Shark - 8 to 10 years (GoldLenny)

Black Skirt Tetra/Black Tetra/Black Widow Tetra - 6+ years (GoldLenny/Kelly.Belle)(with report of 10 years from Viridari)(Gymnocorymbus ternetzi)

Black Tetra/False Black Tetra - 6+ years (and living as of 03/2007)(Kelly.Belle)(Gymnocorymbus thayeri)

*Blackfin Cory - 5+ years

*Bleeding Heart Tetra - 5 years

Blind Cave Fish - 5 years (GoldLenny)

Bloodfin Tetra - 10+ years (GoldLenny)

Blue Tetra - 3 years (GoldLenny)

Blue/Three-Spot Gourami - 6 to 8 years (GoldLenny)

Boesman Rainbow - 5+ years (GoldLenny)

Bolivian Ram (Mikrogeophagus altispinosa) - 4 years (GoldLenny)

BristleNose Catfish/Pleco (BN) - 20 years (Crazygar)

Bronze Cory - 8 to 10 years (GoldLenny)

Buenos Aires Tetra - 5 to 7 years (GoldLenny)

*Bumble Bee Catfish - 5 to 8 years

*Burmese Border Loach - ??

Candy Loach aka Zebra Loach (Botia striata) - 10 to 15+ years (Gupp)

Cardinal Tetra - 5 to 7 years (GoldLenny)

*Ceylon Combtail - Belontia signata - ??

Ceylon Puffer aka Green Puffer (Tetraodon fluviatilis) - 15 years

Cherry Barb - 5 to 7 years (GoldLenny)

Chinese Algae Eater (CAE) - 10 to 15 years (Minky_2001)

*Chocolate Gourami - 4 years

Clown Catfish (Synodontis decorus) - 15 years (GoldLenny)

Clown Loach - 15 to 20+ years (oldest known in aquaria over 50 years) (GoldLenny)

Common Pleco - 20+ years, some over 30 years (GoldLenny)(Viridari)

*Columbian Tetra - 5 years

*Congo Tetra - 5 yearsConvict - 10 to 15 years (GoldLenny)

Convict Cichlid - 10 to 15 years (GoldLenny)

Cuckoo Catfish (Synodontis multipunctatus) - 15 years (GoldLenny)

Cyrtocara moorii (Malawi Blue Dolphin) - 10 years and still alive and breeding (Lisachromis)

Diamond Tetra - 4 to 6 years (GoldLenny)

Discus - 10 to 15 years (GoldLenny)

Discus Tetra (B. orbicularis) - 5 years (GoldLenny)

Dojo Loach aka Weather Loach - 10+ years (GoldLenny)(Misgurnus anguillicaudatus)

Dwarf Gourami - 4 years (GoldLenny)

Emerald Catfish - 5 years (GoldLenny)

*Emperor Tetra - 6 years

Featherfin Squeaker Catfish – 12 to 18 years (GoldLenny)(Synodontis Eupterus)

*Festivum - 10+ years

Figure Eight/8 Puffer - 15+ years (brackish); only 5 years (freshwater)(Nusquam) http/www.pufferlist.com/puffer/brackpuff.php?puffid=13

Flying Fox (False SAE) - 10+ years (8heidi) (Epalzeorhynchus kalopterus)

Firemouth - 10 to 15+ years (GoldLenny)

*Freshwater Flounder (dwarf) - ??

Frontosa - 8 to 15 years (GoldLenny)

German Blue Ram - 3 to 4 years (GoldLenny)(Mikrogeoghagus Ramirezi)

Ghost Shrimp - 2 to 3 years (GoldLenny)

Gold Nugget Pleco - 25 years (GoldLenny)

Gold Zebra Loach aka Burmese Loach (Botia histrionica) - 6 years (GoldLenny)

*Giant Danio - 5 to 7 years

*Glass Catfish - 8 years

*Glassfish - 8 years

*Glowlight Tetra - 5 years

Goldfish (long bodied) - 25 to 30 years (WR of 40+ years)(Goldlenny)

Goldfish (round bodied) - 10 to 25 years (GoldLenny)

Green Fire Tetra (A. rathbuni) - 4 years (GoldLenny)

Green Spotted Puffer aka Common Puffer (Tetradon nigroviridis) - 10 years (GoldLenny)

Guppy - 3+ years (GoldLenny)

Harlequin Rasbora - 6 years (GoldLenny)

*Hatchetfish - 5 years

Hognosed Brochis - 4 to 10 years (GoldLenny)

Honeycomb Tatia - 5 years (GoldLenny)

*Honey Gourami - 4 years

Iridescent Shark (Pangasius hypophthalmus) - 20 years (GoldLenny)(NOTE - This fish grows HUGE and should not be kept in a typical aquarium)

Jack Dempsey - 15+ years (GoldLenny)

*Jordan's Catfish - 10+ years

Jumping Characin aka Splash Tetra (Copella arnoldi) - 3 years (GoldLenny)

Killifish (Non-Annual) - 3 to 4 years (coldwater fish) (MillieFish)

Killifish (Annual) - 2 to 3 months ("puddle" fish) (MillieFish)

Kissing Gourami - 10 to 15+ years (GoldfishCrazy11)

Koi (Cyprinus carpio carpio) - 50+ years (GoldLenny)(Koi grow HUGE and should only be in a large outdoor pond)

Kuhlii Loach (Pangio kuhlii) - 11 years (GoldLenny)

Lace Catfish (Synodontis nigrita) - 11 years (GoldLenny)

*Lemon Tetra - 5 years

Leopard Corydoras - 3 years (GoldLenny)

*Leopard Ctenopoma (Bushfish) - ??

*Leopard Danio - 5 to 7 years

Leopard Pleco - 25 years (GoldLenny)

*Leporinus - 5+ years

*Livingstoni - 10+ years

Marbled Hatchetfish - 4 years (GoldLenny)

Melanochromis (johannii or cyaneorhabdos) - 11 years (Lisachromis)

Midas Cichlid - 15+ years (GoldLenny)

Molly (Poecilia sphenops) - 4 years (GoldLenny)

Moonlight/Moonbeam Gourami - 10+ years (Cheesy Feet)

*Neon Rainbow - 3 to 4 years

Neon Tetra - 10 years (GoldLenny)

Oscar - 12 to 15+ years (GoldLenny), 17 years (Viridari)

Otocinclus - 5 years (difficult)(GoldLenny)

Pacu - 10+ years (Pacu's grow HUGE and should not be kept in typical home aquariums)

*Pearl Danio - 5 years

*Pearl Gourami - 4 years

Pictus Catfish - 8 years (GoldLenny)

Piranha - 12 years (12 years reported by Anonymous)(AquariumLife.net)

Platy - 3 to 5 years (GoldLenny)

Pleco - (*7 to 15 years)(not accurate since there are hundreds of different Pleco's and many live for longer than 15 years)(GoldLenny)

Pristella Tetras - 4+ years (I got mine four years ago and they were adults when I got them)(_RiC_)

Queen Arabesque Pleco - 10+ years (GoldLenny)

Queen Loach (Botia Dario) - 6 years (GoldLenny)

*Rafael Catfish - 7 to 15 years

Rainbowfish - 3 to 8 years (GoldLenny)

Rainbow Shark - 12+ years (8heidi)(Epalzeorhynchus frenatum)

Rams - (*4 years)(Each species is now listed by their separate common/scientific names instead of grouped under one name)

Rasboras - (*5 to 10 years)(Each species is now listed by their separate common/scientific names instead of grouped under one name)

*Red Eye Tetra - 5 years

*Red Rainbow - 5 years

*Red Tailed Catfish - 15 years

Redtail/Redtailed Black Shark (E. bicolor) - 6 to 10 years (GoldLenny)

Roseline Shark - 5 to 7 years (GoldLenny)

*Rosy Barb - 5 years

*Royal Pleco - 10+ years

Rubbernose Pleco - 12 years (GoldLenny)

*Rummy Nose Tetra - 5 to 10 years

Sailfin Molly (Poecilia velifera) - 3+ years (GoldLenny)

Sailfin Pleco (G. gibbiceps) - 15+ years (GoldLenny)

Salmontail Catfish (Arius leptaspis) - 15 years (GoldLenny)

Senegal (Cuvier's) Bichir - 20+ years (34 years reported)(GoldLenny)

Serpae Tetra - 5+ years (_RiC_)

Severum - 10+ years (GoldLenny)

Siamese Algae Eater (SAE) - 5 to 10+ years (GoldLenny)(aka - Siamese Flying Fox - C. siamensis)

Silver Dollar - 10+ years (GoldLenny)

*Silvertip Tetra - 5 years

Skunk Loach (Yasuhikotakia morleti) - 6 years (GoldLenny)

Spotted Medusa Pleco - 14 years (GoldLenny)

Spotted Raphael Catfish - 9 years (GoldLenny)

Starlight Bristlenose Pleco - 14 years (GoldLenny)

Stingray Pleco (Gastromyzon borneensis) - 6 years (GoldLenny)

Striped Raphael Catfish - 20+ years (Cheesy Feet)

*Swordtails - 3 to 5 years

Texas Cichlid - 15+ years (GoldLenny)

Three-Spot/Blue Gourami - 4 to 8 years (GoldLenny)

Tiger Barb - 6+ years (GoldLenny)

*Tigerfish - 5 years

Tinfoild Barb - 18 years (GoldLenny)

Upsidedown Catfish (Synodontis nigriventris) - 15 years (GoldLenny)

Weather Loach - (See Dojo Loach)

Whiptail Pleco - 14 years

White Cloud Mountain Minnow - 5 to 7 years (GoldLenny)

YoYo Loach - 12 to 14 years (Gupp)(Botia almorhae or lohachata)

*Zebra Cichlid - 10+ years

Zebra Danio - 5 years (GoldLenny)

Zebra Loach aka Candy Loach - 10 to 15+ years (Gupp)(Botia Striata)

Zebra Pleco - 15 years (GoldLenny)

Zipper Loach (Acanthocobitis botia) - 5 years (GoldLenny)

References:

Besides personal references of actual fish keepers and members from many forums that I belong to and visitors to this blog, the profiles at aquatic-hobbyist.com/freshindex.html, aquariumadvice.com/profiles and aquariumlife.net/profiles, which include the lifespan for most fish profiled, were also used to update this list. Generally, these are reliable profiles so many of the above lifespans were utilized in the above list. I also do a Google or Yahoo search "lifespan (fish name)" to see if there was a consensus on the ones that have been edited/updated... those WITH an * which still need to be verified and updated.

This revised and updated list was prompted by the original names/numbers from http/freshaquarium.about.com/cs/beginner.../a/lifespan.htm which have been edited, above, for the purposes of this report. A few of the unedited names with an * still in front of them were from the FreshAquarium list of "Average" lifespans. All of the others have been updated with more reliable information.

I hope this helps you with setting goals for how long your fish should live and on planning the long term success of your aquarium.

 

[cheesy feet]

Striped Raphael Catfish - 20 years+
Sorry about that i was in a rush and wasn't thinking
.No i have not kept it mine for 20 years, but here scroll down and read some of the ages Some say lower but o well, maybe the average is 13.Scroll down the page sin the third one;
http/www.aquahobby.com/gallery/e_costatusn.php
http/animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/catfish/striperaph.php
http/www.aquariumlife.net/profiles/dorad...fish/100009.asp
http/www.aquarticles.com/articles/manage...fer_FishTB.html
I have one massive one currently around 5 years + old and i swear he is still getting more bulky and bigger.He was my first fish [i think] which i ever owned and lets just say he lived through hell.Why i also say 20 years + is that i don't think he is through half of his life.I know i sound stupid and ignorent, o well .I have moonlight gouramis which are 11 years + .Passed on from a family member.They were kept in a 3ft tank with pangasius sharks, plecos and loads of others.Although obvously they should be stunted they show no effects and are very big

 

[GoldLenny]

Cheesy Feet,

You quoted the entire first post, which is probably overkill.. LOL.. but you did not put a reply. Maybe you could edit the quoted section out and edit in your reply.

Ooops. Nevermind. I see you added the Striped Raphael Catfish to the "quoted" section.

For others adding info, please just post your info in a single lined post with any comments you wish to add, otherwise this thread will get burdened down by quoting my first long post/article.

Striped Raphael Catfish - 20 years+ (cheesyfeet)

Have you kept this fish this long? If not, do you have one or more reputable websites that verify this 20+ years lifespan? The most I've been able to find was 13 years. Let me know so I can update this if my research was incorrect.

 

[Danno]

Hahaha, I guess he just wanted to make us scroll.

Interesting post.

 

[DiscusAngel]

Nice must have taken along time lol!!

 

[GoldLenny]

I told you I've been working on this list for years.

If you click the Freshaquarium article at the bottom of my post, you will see how it looked when I started. It's now 4-5 times longer and growing... and far more accurate. I don't think the Freshaquarium page had any of the numbers where they should have been.

 

[smmetz]

Nice list, thanks for putting it together and posting it. Would you mind if I added the information from that into my searchable fish database? Like you, I found that most sites do not give information regarding lifespan. I saw the about.com lifespan information also, but was unsure if it was really accurate.

My database is still far from complete, but I did it as a project to learn more about fish and web/database stuff all at the same time. It is searchable and sortable by any field. If I add this information, people will be able to search, for example, for fish that live more than 50 years, or less than 10 years, whatever.

 

[dwarfgourami]

Very helpful list and you can tell that a LOT of research lies behind it. Also an interesting read, even if you don't happen to keep those particular species.

I just wanted to add that "should" is perhaps asking a bit much. Theoretically speaking, humans "should" live to the age of 78 or whatever if looking after themselves, yet some people who lead perfectly healthy lives do keel over in their fifties or even twenties, due to genetic defects (having had a child tested for Marfan's syndrome I have had reason to reflect on this). And with some of those fish, it sounded as if you were going on the evidence of one fish, or small group. It's not a failure if a man dies at 95, just because there are recorded instances of people living to 115.

Similar things occur in fish. I have seen some very dodgy guppies and platies in later years- including some I have reared in my own tanks. Now I know the ones born in my house (by dodgy parents) have been well fed, kept in clean well managed water, lightly stocked at the correct temperature etc etc, yet they are not lasting terribly well. Whereas the second batch of guppies which I bought from another shop seem pretty indestructible.

What I'm getting at is- as long as I continue my present careful regime, I am not going to beat myself up if the rest of that batch of platies prove shortlived, any more than I put my daughter's genetic disorder down to bad parenting. If nature is lacking, there is only so much nurture can do. But as a fishkeeper I can at least do something, by being a bit more picky about what specimens I buy (doesn't work with daughters). And I can cull fry that are obvious deficient (again, do not try this with your daughters!). I have made sure that those particular platies are never going to breed, by running the female tank on strict convent principles.

 

[rdd1952]

Very good article. Sometimes finding a life expectancy on certain fish is difficult.

 

[GoldLenny]

And I can cull fry that are obvious deficient (again, do not try this with your daughters!).

I understand what you are saying about your daughter... but I thougt about culling mine a few times when she was an arrogant spoiled-brat teenager. LOL I never got as bad as Alec Baldwin though!

I used "should" so people would know if their fish are regularly dying long before they should be or not. I'm not listing longest living species unless I note it as a world record or something like that. These "expected" lifespans will give people an idea if they need to improve their fish husbandry skills or methods if all of their fish are dying an early death. I think we should strive for excellence, not average, which is why I started compiling this information over the past couple of years.

Smmetz,

I don't have a problem with you using any of the information I post. When I post something on the internet, I "expect" people to utilize it in whatever manner they can if it is helpful to them or others. If I didn't want people using it for free, I would write a book that they would have to buy. LOL Now if you write a book and make a millions dollars off of it, remember me and throw me a bone or two!

 

[GoldLenny]

Striped Raphael Catfish - 20 years+
Sorry about that i was in a rush and wasn't thinking
.No i have not kept it mine for 20 years, but here scroll down and read some of the ages Some say lower but o well, maybe the average is 13.Scroll down the page sin the third one;
aquahobby.com/gallery/e_costatusn.php
animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/catfish/striperaph.php
aquariumlife.net/profiles/doradidae/striped-raphael-catfish/100009.asp
http/www.aquarticles.com/articles/manage...fer_FishTB.html
I have one massive one currently around 5 years + old and i swear he is still getting more bulky and bigger.He was my first fish [i think] which i ever owned and lets just say he lived through hell.Why i also say 20 years + is that i don't think he is through half of his life.I know i sound stupid and ignorent, o well .I have moonlight gouramis which are 11 years + .Passed on from a family member.They were kept in a 3ft tank with pangasius sharks, plecos and loads of others.Although obvously they should be stunted they show no effects and are very big

The bottom link was to a Fish TB page and I do see quite a few comments on the other profiles which indicate they very well could live over 20 years with some saying over 30 years. I'll update it to show that with credits to you. I know most catfish/plecos live LONG lives so I'm glad you found those other sites.

I'll also update the Moonlight Gourami's to 10+ years with credits to you. Let me know if and when yours ever goes to the big fish pond in the sky.

You're not the least bit stupid or ignorant. You provided all the right information. The only thing I might say bad about you is your feet stink... put your shoes back on! LOL

 

[paul_219]

Pretty nice information. But i wonder who will remember when did he bought the fish.

 

[Yazan]

Nice.

 

[dwarfgourami]

Pretty nice information. But i wonder who will remember when did he bought the fish.

I have been finding more and more that keeping records is one of those things that makes fishkeeping more enjoyable. As you say, it is difficult to remember after a while.

 

[GoldLenny]

One of my goals in preparing this article is to inform many new fish keepers that fish should live years, not months. It's done for every other pet out there. When people know their pets should live a long time, they tend to be more vested in the pet.

If people thought their kittens and puppys were only going to live a few months to a couple of years, they would be less willing to spend the money necessary to give their pets the best possible treatment. By knowing their kittens and puppies will live for 10+ and up to 20 years, responsible pet owners make a committment to do the best job they can and make the pet part of their family. Many fish keepers feel the same way. More and more people are seeking veterinary care for their fish... something that was reserved for only expensive Koi and a very small percentage of pet fish in the past.

If parents/adults see this article and realize how long pet fish should live, they will either dissuade their kids from getting fish, which are often put in torturously small tanks/bowls... or they will make the committment to get them the proper sized habitat to give them a chance to live a long full life.

Will all fish make it to these expected lifespans? Certainly not... just like not all kittens, puppies or even us humans will live as long as some others. But I think we should all strive to live as long as possible and we should strive to make that possible for our pet fish.