How Long Should My Fish Live?

Now a few of us found our Betta,Sword,Mollie,Neon or favourite fish dead the next Morning.
Your first thought"What went Wrong?"

Have you ever thought about a fish's lifespan?
I've added a list of fish with their expected lifespan to my website.
http://www.slojo.co.za/aquarium.html
Keep in mind that a fish can live longer than this,given that said fish receive good care.
I can post the list here if we can make it a sticky.

 

It's a nice read, Slojo.

Although some of those life expectancies are little too... well... short. Where did you get the info from?

 

Google,but please correct me where i am wrong.

 

Well I only skim read the list, and I'm not sure on all the species, but I've known Archers to live for just under 10 years, Blue gouramis for well over 5 years, and Pacu for 20-30 years, if not more.

 

Thx will do my extra googling on them now and edit the list.

 

Thanks for the list and your efforts

 

Iv been told some plecos can out live us....is this true?

 

Hi Slojo!

I noticed that you had Banjo Cats and Banjo Catfish, both with different life expectancies!

Anyhow, I would say that all fish will live long enough for us keepers to kill them! LOL! Some quicker than others! (Not so LOL!)

I was told that Serpae Tetras would last for 2 years tops, and mine are now 3 years old! Go figure!

G!

 

Edited and fixed,as well as some others.

With good care and in captivity they can live up to 20 years.But this is very rare.

ps.Fish do not smoke,If you do well they might outlive you then........

Hi G
I've got the Serpae Tetra as 5 to 7 years.

Also known as Jewel Tetra, Red Minor Tetra.

 

I have a Scissortail Rasbora at 8 years old and have had another live to 10 years.

 

This is to serious. Think of it this way, what is the life expectation of a human or a goat, bear, snake, whale???? These and other creatures have been known to outlive their expected life span fish included. So if you keep your fish in good condition, take realy good care of them and they are healthy they could do the same or better. But these are the exceptions not the norm.

 

Well to be fair nearly any fish in captivity has the potential to live much longer than in the wild, and under good care, they may even live abnormally long.

Think about it: if they're kept in a tank where the water is kept clean, there is plenty of space, there are treatments for disease, they have no stressors (ie: no predators, little or no intraspecific competition), and a well rounded diet, there isn't any reason why many fish shouldn't live maybe even double the time than what they would in the wild.

I had a Kuhli loach alive for 11 years, and even then it died because of a disease breakout in the tank.

 

Good point

 

The longest life span EVER of a Betta was 10 years (in lab conditions), but I've also know of quite a few people who have had theirs 5-7 years, so don't lose hope Betta lovers.