Does species longevity matter to you?

[Zionas]

Personally, I feel it’s something that matters quite a lot to me for two reasons, both of which I feel are equally important. First, though I’m going for a medium-sized system and devoting a fair amount of resources into setting it up, it’s quite unlikely I will be able to get a larger system for years to come. Not for the foreseeable future. These 8 fish (the number I have planned for my 105-gallon tank) I have are going to be my fish that I hope to spend many years with and it’s likely they will see maybe one or two or even three moves (which is why I’m also selecting for hardiness).

Secondly, I’m sure we all develop an attachment to our livestock. It would be sad to see something with a short lifespan that we can only enjoy for a couple of years before it dies. I was very keen on getting Cardinalfish and Fairy / Flasher wrasses, but their short lifespans on average have been extremely off-putting to me. This is why I carefully research the lifespan of a fish before buying it because I want to enjoy it for many years. Furthermore, I think it would be so sweet in a sentimental sense for my fish and corals to be able to, in a way, “witness” milestones in my life such as getting married and having kids or whatever (I’m turning 24 in July).

This is why I hope all of my fish (assuming nothing bad happens) are species whose lifespans can go beyond 2030 if I select them before they’re at their terminal phase.

Instead of fish like Firefish, Gobies (except the Yellow Watchman and other Cryptocentrus, they’re surprisingly long-lived), Cardinals, Fairy / Flasher Wrasses and other short-lived fish I’ve considered before moving to what I currently have in terms of my stocking list, I have decided to stick to species capable of 10 years or more such as clowns, groupers (Comet), basslets (Gramma, Swissguard, Assessor, Serranus genus), Hawks, and dwarf angels (but man a butterfly’s so tempting too).

Paul B is frankly an inspiration as well, as I am sure he is to many of you. Due to my geographical and space constraints, I won’t be able to replicate his methods to his degree. Still, I hope to do the very best I can for the species that are placed under my care.

When it comes to fish selection, I will try to buy ones that are around halfway grown, give or take an inch. For example if a fish gets to a maximum of 3 inches / 7.5cm, I’ll buy them in the 2.5-5.0cm range with 3.5-4cm as the most ideal.

What are your thoughts on taking the lifespan of the livestock you buy into consideration? Do you sometimes avoid species that are known to have a short lifespan?

 

[Gablami]

I definitely would consider lifespan, especially for expensive wrasses. When you buy terminal phase wrasses, you don’t know how long they’ve been alive. When my flame and lineatus both died of old age within 6 months of each other, I decided I was done with expensive wrasses (for now).

Gobies are another fish with short lifespans. It was really difficult for me to TTM and QT my diamond goby pair (they are expert jumpers), that when they died, I just didn’t have it in me to replace them.

 

[Indytraveler83]

To me, lifespan isn't as much of an issue, as long as I'm not paying an crazy price for the animal.

I love an ever changing aquarium, and shorter lived fish allow me to keep slowly changing livestock without trading them in.

If I pay more than about $50.00 for the animal though, I do look at lifespans. I can handle a 2 year lifespan on a $15 fish, but not a $75 one.

 

[redfishbluefish]

I've never investigated the lifespan of the fish I've purchase.....because in my simple little mind, they live long enough. However, I've always had a fascination with Cephalopods, and more specifically, Cuttlefish. Even though they are one of my favorites, I'll never own one because they only live, at best, three years or so. That's too short for my little brain to accept.

 

[Zionas]

The only goby I’ve seen that seems to be capable of living for at least a decade is the Yellow Watchman and other Cryptocentrus gobies like the Pink Spotted. I read a scientific study on Reef.com that compares its lifespan to that of other Goby genuses and species and it’s definitely an outlier. Granted it’s one of the larger Gobies (but that study sort of refutes the belief that larger size always = longer lifespan) but it’s still quite interesting to me. I have not heard of any Blenny making it past 5 years.

Cardinalfish I’ve heard of some people keeping their Pajama Cardinals for 7 years or more (one guy here says he’s had his for over 10) but I don’t know if they’re isolated cases. There’s a YT video showing a 13-year old Pajama Cardinal. I have not heard of Bangaiis or another Cardinal species living past 5 or 6 years.

I don’t think 10-15 years would be anything to write home about for a clown or a damsel. 15+ years, or maybe even 20+ years for a clown or damsel, especially clowns, would be the benchmark I use.

For my Flame Hawks I’m also looking at 12+ years, for my dwarf angel (maybe a pair) I’m aiming for around that range too. For my basslets I’m once again looking at least 10 years, maybe 10-12 (Grammatidae, Liopoproma). I’d expect a bit more for the Assessor basslets (hope I can get a Yellow and a McNeill’s), up to 14-15 considering their relation to the Marine Betta. For my Marine Betta which will be my only large fish I’m looking at 15+ or 20+ since it’s a grouper.

If I am able to get a Tang someday or a large angel then I’d also be aiming for 20+. For a butterfly, a smaller species of the Chaetodon genus I’d use a dwarf angel as a guideline but then that article on reefs.com talks about butterflies have made it 20+.

Sure, you might say, stuff happens and things go wrong. Maybe I’m being too ambitious despite not even having started my tank yet. but yeah as I’ve said it would be sweet to have these fish as family pets after I start my own family someday, at least for a while.

So Lord help me, I’ll need it.

I really don’t see my tank as a place where fish just come and go on a frequent basis. I’m looking for “regulars.” One thing that does concern me is adding new fish after my first 8 fish (the number I plan to have for now) have been established, possible for years.

I do select for lifespan especially considering the fact that I won’t be able to upgrade to a larger system any time soon and I don’t want to overstock or come close to overstocking my tank. So once my little fishies get in there, I’d want them to last quite a while through potentially difficult situations.

I also see my aquarium as a stress reliever for me, and having fish die all the time or due too soon is the last thing I’d want.

Sorry Fairy and Flasher Wrasses, sorry Firefish, sorry most Gobies and Blennies, sorry Cardinalfish, sorry Dartfish, you just don’t make the cut.


I’ve considered lots of Gobies and Blennies and Firefish at one point, but then I found out they had two big turn-offs. Expert jumpers, and short-lived. Same problems with Fairy and Flasher Wrasses though they’re prettier. I’ve also considered some Anthias but then they’re a short-lived fish that need lots of feedings too.