# How old are your fish?



## foxfish (10 Nov 2011)

I was just wondering how long folk have managed to keep the same fish for?
I lost a cardinal today that was at least three years old but to be honest there were 30 of them three years ago & some only lasted a few months!


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## Matt Warner (10 Nov 2011)

Hi, I bought 8 lemon tetras over a year ago when I first set my tank up. I still have all 8 now which I'm pleased about. Hopefully they will keep going for a few years yet!


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## hinch (10 Nov 2011)

think my sailfin is about 10 now still another good 20 years or so in him yet.
yoyo loach is 6 so i'm expecting him to pop his clogs in next 12 months or so


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## chrisjj (10 Nov 2011)

First fish I ever bought were 7 rummynose tatra, 2 years ago this month - 6 remain.


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## Alastair (10 Nov 2011)

My oldest have to be my male and female albino cories, had them almost 4 years now. Hold sentimental value too in a strange way.


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## Morgan Freeman (10 Nov 2011)

I've had my betta 3 months  8)


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## ghostsword (11 Nov 2011)

Got a strange looking Cory for almost 6 years now. Still going strong.

Also got a khuli loach that is 3 years old and a albino Cory that is 4 years old. 

All of them survived two major catastrophes on the tank that wiped out all other fish.




.


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## spyder (11 Nov 2011)

Just come back to fishkeeping so nothing old right now. 

I do have my 6 cpd's since February. They were super skinny with sunken bellies and I convinced myself I would lose some, they all survived, doubled in size and are nice and plump now.


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## mark4785 (13 Nov 2011)

My Black Neon Tetras are now 3 years old (obtained them approximately 1.5 months ago) and my German Blue Ram is around 3 years old (had him for approx. 1.5 months too).


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## doobiw55 (13 Nov 2011)

Well I think I must of had my clown loach for over 5 years now and it is still going strong. 

Tom


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## Gill (13 Nov 2011)

My oldest fish is my female Gold Heterandria Formosa, had her over 2 years now. She is a moody one, and has killed many a suiter


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## stan1973 (19 Nov 2011)

I had a big die out a couple of years ago and had quite a few fish in their teens and 20's.  My synodontis angelicus was 25 years old, it should have lived a lot longer if the white spot hadn't taken hold as it was still a good healthy fish before the white spot. For some reason the white spot treatment didn't work, most of my fish were scaleless species and quite old so could be why it was worse for them. I had a couple of agamyxis pectinifrons talking catfish that looked really old when they died, they used to be black with white spots but when they were really old they went more grey colored and went quite thin, I think they were about 20 when they died.
I also had some hemigrammus ulreyi tetra that lived to about 9 years old which i though was pretty impressive for a tetra.

At the moment my oldest fish is a banjo catfish which is in its teens but don't know how old exactly. 

I knew a guy who had a synodontis for 15 years and he gave it to a friend and his friend still had it 25 years later making it 40 years old.


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## ghostsword (19 Nov 2011)

Wow, those are fish for a lifetime
!  must be amazing to keep fish for that long.


.


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## stan1973 (19 Nov 2011)

Yeah was so bad to lose them. They were beauties and ate from my hand.


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## Graeme Edwards (20 Nov 2011)

I have some pygmy cory's and they must be at least 8 years old. They go back with me along way and I love them for that.


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## TetraUK (24 Nov 2011)

Hope I don't get in trouble for adding this link, not sure on the rules here... but there was an interesting article on fish ages in PFK a while ago, article can be found here in case you haven't seen it: http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/content.php?sid=3664

Rather amazing the ages that some species have gained in captivity, especially when we think that many customers who buy fish probably never even consider the possible life span and commitment of fish as they would for say a cat or dog


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## ian_m (7 Feb 2012)

I had 2 common Plecs (I think thats what they were) that came with my 2nd hand tank in Jan 2003 (and were a already a couple of years old 3?) and both have recently gone to the council food scraps recycling in last month or two, so at least 9 years.

They are missed at the moment, as I am now suffering black algae on everything.


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## George Farmer (7 Feb 2012)

TetraUK said:
			
		

> Hope I don't get in trouble for adding this link, not sure on the rules here... but there was an interesting article on fish ages in PFK a while ago, article can be found here in case you haven't seen it: http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/content.php?sid=3664


Links to other fishkeeping/planted tank/aquascaping-related forums are perfectly acceptable.


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## roadmaster (7 Feb 2012)

Have only been caring for tropical fishes  for forty year's,much less time than ages of some of the fish in the linked article.  
Found it odd that no mention of diet's, or temperature's were mentioned, and it is these two factor's, along with proper water parameter's for species being kept, that have proved to me to be most important to longevity.
Perhaps they were mentioned in the article and I missed them.
Many of the more commonly offered fishes such as cory's,tetra's,platy's,swordtail's,barbs,seem to last longer for me and other's? at lower temps  with 75 degree's F being much more comfortable for them than temps much above.
Other's such as mollie's,guppie's,Angelfish,cardinal tetra's, and gourami seem to do better longer,in warmer temps.
 These are only observation's I have made, and I fully expect to hear from those who keep fishes mentioned in a very wide range of temperatures as well as water parameter's (pH,GH,KH). 
Some folk's don't know ,don't research, proper diet's for fishes being kept to see if they are largely herbivore,omnivore's,  or carnivores and all fishes are fed same foods.
This result's in poorer health over the long term and fishes slowly begin to deteriorate in health.
Could also be why it is estimated that new hobbyist's stay in the hobby on avearge of one year before they lose interest in caring for fishes that seemingly die after a few week's month's. :silent:


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## Greg's Pea (8 Feb 2012)

There's no way I could afford these short life fish scenarios! I'd have been out of the hobby within 6 months.


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