Longest tropical fish lifespan

[BigBurgassio]

Just interested to know which fish would you expect to have the longest lifespan, obviously there are loads of factors to consider but in the optimum conditions which fish rank best ?

 

[Colin_T]

Rainbowfish from Australia and New Guinea can live for 10 years.
A lot of big cichlids can also live 10 years.
Catfish tend to live the longest and many species of catfish can live 20+ years.
Goldfish can live for 20 years.

If you go coldwater fish there is a black bream we have around here that lives for 50-60yrs, maybe longer. Murray cod can live for decades.

 

[BigBurgassio]

Rainbowfish from Australia and New Guinea can live for 10 years.
A lot of big cichlids can also live 10 years.
Catfish tend to live the longest and many species of catfish can live 20+ years.
Goldfish can live for 20 years.

If you go coldwater fish there is a black bream we have around here that lives for 50-60yrs, maybe longer. Murray cod can live for decades.

50-60 years wow thats impressive, would Cories be up to 20 years then or is it another breed of catfish ?

 

[AJ356]

Clown loach can live a long time. Some clown loach claim a state pension

 

[GaryE]

Within the Corydoras group, I've heard of well cared for individuals getting to 12-15 years.

It isn't a matter of breeds though, but of species. More like wolves and dogs than retrievers and pointers.

Clown loaches can be up to around 30, but most people buy them small and effectively kill them young by not factoring how large they grow. Larger fish tend to live longer, and large fish and small tanks means a shortened life.

 

[Magnum Man]

Sturgeon live a very long time, and while not your typical aquarium fish I have seen them for sale from a few aquarium fish suppliers

 

[BigBurgassio]

How about a bristlenose pleccy ?

 

[emeraldking]

Koi can become even older than the lifespan of a human.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

I keep both clown loaches and sidthimunkis. Clowns are one of the bigger loaches and sids are one of the smallest. I have some of both for over 20 years.

Zera plecos go into their 20s as well. I no longer keep them having given away my last few to a friend across the country. Two of them were 20+ years old. I know a master pleco breeder who had a male zebra spawn at the age of 22.

 

[Magnum Man]

here is a link...

The 12 Longest Living Fish (Pictures) - Wildlife Informer

In this article, we’ll look at 12 longest living fish, along with some interesting facts about each species.

wildlifeinformer.com

on here the only commonly aquarium kept fish are Koi, which they say can live up to 40 years...

disclaimer... this is www. info, I've not vetted the info contained...

 

[FranciscoB]

This is by far not a record, or even remotely close, but among a group of 7 silver dollars in one of my tanks, 3 fish (Metynnis maculatus) are a documented 26 years since purchases, so at least 27. 2 other fish (Metynnis altidorsalis ) are 10 years old.
Somebody has documented -40 years for a specimen of silver dollar, Mylosdoma duriventre. All the above species are tropical, warm water freshwater fish in the family Serrasaidae.

 

[GaryE]

Sturgeon live a very long time, and while not your typical aquarium fish I have seen them for sale from a few aquarium fish suppliers

There is the problem, If you buy a sturgeon, it's to watch it die young. I've seen them for sale too, but they aren't long lived in tanks.

 

[CassCats]

Ian Fuller has had a corydoras catfish live up to 40 years old, supposedly.

Mind you, I'd say that's exceptional, most definitely not near that.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

A lot of how long any given fish might live in our tanks depends on us to a large extent. We supply everything it gets from water and food to medications if it gets sick. And this doesn't account for the gentics involved plus how it was treated before it came to our tank.

But, from the time it enters out tank how long it might live v.s how long it might be expected to do so is mostly up to us.

Things like feeding quality foods, changing water regularly, quarantining new fish and plants properly, choosing safe tank-mates and providing the proper water parameters, tank size and decor all matter. These things are all up to us.

The one thing I knew before I set up my first tank about 24 years ago was that I would be responsible to the quality of life of anyhting I put into the tank. If I was not prepared to take the best care I possibly could, then I should not start that tank. I like to think that I have almost always done my part in keeping with that belief. I say almost because I am not perfect and have made my share of mistakes along the way.

If anybody could keep a cory alive for 40 years I would expect Ian could.

 

[MaloK]

You can often have a good idea of a fish's age by counting their scales rings.

A Japanese family reported owning a Koi that had reached 224 years old by counting scale rings.