How long should your saltwater aquarium fish stay alive?

On average, how long do you expect your fish to stay alive in your aquarium?

  • 1-2 Years

    Votes: 4 0.6%
  • 2-3 Years

    Votes: 14 2.3%
  • 3-5 Years

    Votes: 84 13.6%
  • 5-7 Years

    Votes: 141 22.8%
  • 7-10 Years

    Votes: 111 17.9%
  • 10+ Years

    Votes: 265 42.8%

  • Total voters
    619

revhtree

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Just like with any other pet, we can grow attached to our little fishy friends! Not only are they our pets but they can also cost quite a bit of money and therefore you want to keep them alive as long as possible! With that being said let's talk about how long we should expect our fish to live!

1. Given good care, how long do you expect your fish to stay alive in your aquarium?

2. What's the longest living fish you have ever had?



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carpetlayer719

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Just like with any other pet, we can grow attached to our little fishy friends! Not only are they our pets but they can also cost quite a bit of money and therefore you want to keep them alive as long as possible! With that being said let's talk about how long we should expect our fish to live!

1. Given good care, how long do you expect your fish to stay alive in your aquarium?

2. What's the longest living fish you have ever had?



image via @Reef Pro
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We have had a pair of clowns for 8 years and happy to say they are going strong!
 

redfishbluefish

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It depends on the species. As example, Pajama or Banggai Cardinalfish don't live that long....maybe 5-7 years (my experience). Other species live longer...I have a Purple Tang that's about 12 years old or so....I'm terrible with time. Although not a fish, I've always found Cuddlefish extremely fascinating, but I won't get one because at best, they only live two years.

My longest living fish were freshwater. I had a 75 gallon tank of three goldfish that lived around 25 years.
 

mfinn

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I had a Coral Beauty that was a 1" little guy when I got him. I had him almost 13 years.
I currently have a pair of Gold Stripe Maroon Clowns that I have had for 22 years.
 

Lyss

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I've only just started keeping aquariums again, so my fish aren't that old at all. But I view this sort of thing w/my fish and corals similarly to my houseplants (corals probably being a closer analogy).

I have some potted plants I've had for many years, and with proper care and environment they just continue to grow and live on, and even produce cuttings that live on as new plants with friends and family -- sometimes they experience setbacks, but they are generally long-lived as long as I care for them well. Knowing that plant shops and nurseries are businesses, it's generally thought that if the potted plant you buy lasts 8 months, you've got your money's worth from it. But I never buy a plant unless I think I can keep it for years (my local nurseries must hate customers like me lol).

I feel the same way about my fish -- I chose and purchased the ones I have b/c I feel confident that I can give them a good home and good care for many years, and I hope to have them for a very long time.
 

Paul B

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I voted 7-10 years. Many of the fish I keep are pipefish, bangai cardinals and small gobies and bleenies. Those types of fish have a short lifespan with Bangai cardinals having the shortest lifespan out of all the fish we keep. They generally don't live longer than 4 years. Smaller pipefish live a little longer, maybe 5-6 years and larger pipefish live a little longer.

My Janss pipefish is about 7 or 8.
Fish like clownfish live into their 40s and most other fish have a lifespan in between that.
 

vetteguy53081

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1. Given good care, how long do you expect your fish to stay alive in your aquarium?

This is a variable answer and will depend upon tank size, diet, water quality, parameters and mainte

2. What's the longest living fish you have ever had?

currently is my blue streak cleaner wrasse approaching 8 years
 

SlugSnorter

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Just like with any other pet, we can grow attached to our little fishy friends! Not only are they our pets but they can also cost quite a bit of money and therefore you want to keep them alive as long as possible! With that being said let's talk about how long we should expect our fish to live!

1. Given good care, how long do you expect your fish to stay alive in your aquarium?

2. What's the longest living fish you have ever had?



image via @Reef Pro
9538.jpg
Im keeping small fish, so they will not live super long, but i expect them to live at least 5 years minimum
 

Buckster

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I voted for 10 yrs. I don't want any fish to die before that time especially if I spent a lot of money. It's great to hear that many reefers have or had fish that lived for many more years than that.
 

Squidward

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My pair of clowns have been with me at least 7 years. As for my Tangs I got since 2019... I will just wait and see. Hoping at minimum 15 years.
 

A worm with high fashion and practical utility: Have you ever kept feather dusters in your reef aquarium?

  • I currently have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 79 38.3%
  • Not currently, but I have had feather dusters in my tank in the past.

    Votes: 69 33.5%
  • I have not had feather dusters, but I hope to in the future.

    Votes: 26 12.6%
  • I have no plans to have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 30 14.6%
  • Other.

    Votes: 2 1.0%
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