Wrasse Lifespan

PghReef

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So Ive had a melanarus wrasse for about 5.5 years now, always vibrant, healthy, active, eating well. A few months ago he vanished and then came out about a week later looking normal. He then over the next week or so would only come out a couple hours a day and then one day just vanished again. After a few weeks I assumed he had died in the sandbed as there was no body.

Tonight I came home and he was darting around the tank like a dying fish. Fins, body, mouth all look fine no evidence of disease. Just emaciated from not eating in weeks and drab colors. Breathing real fast and laying on the sandbed now. I have not added anything to the tank, no fish, coral, inverts, NOTHING in 3-4 years so cant be a new disease it would have to be something that festered for years.

Im pretty sure he is a goner by morning, but my question is how do these wrasse die? Is this just an old age thing or would it be a disease or parasite that festered for years? I always assumed that they would just go into the sand and not come out one day. I have no clue on actual age bought him at around 3 inches and hes a solid 6 inches now but at least 5-6 years old.

Hoping to get some insight from some wrasse experts like evolved who have probably kept and lost wrasse to old age and other things many times over the years.
 
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PghReef

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Jr'sReef

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He doesn't look as big as I've seen those get, not sure how long they live though
 
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PghReef

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As I figured he was dead by morning.
He doesn't look as big as I've seen those get, not sure how long they live though
Net is an 8X5, he is a solid 5-6 inches but a little emancipated. I'm sure there are bigger out there though
I seem to recall having read somewhere that five years isn't a bad run for some of the wrasse commonly kept in the hobby, though we may still be learning how long some of these fish live.

~Bruce
That's what I was thinking, just found it wierd he acted that way at the end like something with stressing or bothering him. Wasnt sure if it wws just he was old and declining or aomething else.
 

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Five years is a solid lifespan, especially if he was already male when you got him.

Fish lifespan is affected by a myriad of factors, water temp, social dynamics, tankmates, diet, feeding frequency.

I've had wrasses do that exact thing, disappear for a few days, when they show up again their colors are muted and they just look tired and a little beat up. They don't behave normally and in a few days die. I have never had a sand burying wrasse die under the sand though, they always emerge before dying.
 
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PghReef

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Five years is a solid lifespan, especially if he was already male when you got him.

Fish lifespan is affected by a myriad of factors, water temp, social dynamics, tankmates, diet, feeding frequency.

I've had wrasses do that exact thing, disappear for a few days, when they show up again their colors are muted and they just look tired and a little beat up. They don't behave normally and in a few days die. I have never had a sand burying wrasse die under the sand though, they always emerge before dying.

That's what I figured, thank for the information. Makes me feel better knowing it's probably just age and nothing I could have done to prevent this or save him.
I really thought he was dead weeks ago he has been buried unseen for probably close to a month, unless he came out at night here and there. Didn't think they could last that long without food. He did have a lot of reserves always ate like a pig lol
 

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Sorry for your loss. Five years is a good run for a wrasse as noted above. I'd be thrilled to get 5 years out of one; they always seem to find ways to off themselves - carpet surfing and playing chicken with a powerhead are a couple of notable examples for me. :(
 
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PghReef

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How long do they usually liven your guys tanks? Is a few years the norm for all the wrasses including the fairy and leapord wrasses?
 

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I have had this happen with a Hawaiian flame wrasse. Disappeared for a month. Then one day he was swimming around. I thought I was seeing a ghost fish.. I was fortunate and didn’t lose him though. Sorry for the loss
 

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For me, the short lifespan is the reason I don't have more fairies. It seems five years is about max for most of the ones I have kept. Probably more like 4 yrs actually.
 

Jesterrace

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So Ive had a melanarus wrasse for about 5.5 years now, always vibrant, healthy, active, eating well. A few months ago he vanished and then came out about a week later looking normal. He then over the next week or so would only come out a couple hours a day and then one day just vanished again. After a few weeks I assumed he had died in the sandbed as there was no body.

Tonight I came home and he was darting around the tank like a dying fish. Fins, body, mouth all look fine no evidence of disease. Just emaciated from not eating in weeks and drab colors. Breathing real fast and laying on the sandbed now. I have not added anything to the tank, no fish, coral, inverts, NOTHING in 3-4 years so cant be a new disease it would have to be something that festered for years.

Im pretty sure he is a goner by morning, but my question is how do these wrasse die? Is this just an old age thing or would it be a disease or parasite that festered for years? I always assumed that they would just go into the sand and not come out one day. I have no clue on actual age bought him at around 3 inches and hes a solid 6 inches now but at least 5-6 years old.

Hoping to get some insight from some wrasse experts like evolved who have probably kept and lost wrasse to old age and other things many times over the years.

If you bought him as a 3 inch fish that already was male then it was likely a 7-8 year old fish in total. I got a really small juvie melanurus from my LFS last July and it has grown a bit but still hasn't started changing into a gender specific color pattern yet. I imagine it's going to be another 6 months to a year before that happens.
 

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How long do they usually liven your guys tanks? Is a few years the norm for all the wrasses including the fairy and leapord wrasses?
5-8 years seems about right for small Halichoeres and Macropharyngodon.
I have had this happen with a Hawaiian flame wrasse. Disappeared for a month. Then one day he was swimming around. I thought I was seeing a ghost fish.. I was fortunate and didn’t lose him though. Sorry for the loss
It's different between sand burying species and cocoon forming species. With cocoon forming species there is usually a cause, such as bullying, injury, or jumping in the overflow and taking awhile to jump out. With sand burying species they may bury for an extended time when first added, when changing gender, or when about to die.
For me, the short lifespan is the reason I don't have more fairies. It seems five years is about max for most of the ones I have kept. Probably more like 4 yrs actually.
Lifespans can vary greatly for a bunch of reasons and most fairies should hit 5+.

If you bought him as a 3 inch fish that already was male then it was likely a 7-8 year old fish in total. I got a really small juvie melanurus from my LFS last July and it has grown a bit but still hasn't started changing into a gender specific color pattern yet. I imagine it's going to be another 6 months to a year before that happens.
Their lives aren't as linear as that. Due to social dynamics a less dominant, but older fish can be less developed than a more dominant member of the species. There are also many other factors, so it really is difficult to pinpoint how old a fish is when you get it and how long they actually live.
 

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I know this is an old thread, but my melanarus wrasse started exhibiting similar behaviors over the past few months...hiding a lot and not coming out to eat...only to emerge when I thought he was dead for sure. I thought maybe an illness, but all the other fish are okay; I've been extra attentive checking tank parameters, all okay there too. I've done extra water changes in case that would help. No change. I researched lifespan and most sites listed lifespan as between 5 to 5-1/2 years. Well, Mel, my melanarus is 9+ years old. Does anyone else think it is heartbreaking to lose a fish one has owned for so long, or am I just a sap? Still, after reading this thread I feel a little better. I feel like I gave him a good, long life. Yet, watching the fish swim around in the 180 gal, I can't help but feel that the tank seems somehow more empty without Mel swimming about with the others.:(
 

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I know this is an old thread, but my melanarus wrasse started exhibiting similar behaviors over the past few months...hiding a lot and not coming out to eat...only to emerge when I thought he was dead for sure. I thought maybe an illness, but all the other fish are okay; I've been extra attentive checking tank parameters, all okay there too. I've done extra water changes in case that would help. No change. I researched lifespan and most sites listed lifespan as between 5 to 5-1/2 years. Well, Mel, my melanarus is 9+ years old. Does anyone else think it is heartbreaking to lose a fish one has owned for so long, or am I just a sap? Still, after reading this thread I feel a little better. I feel like I gave him a good, long life. Yet, watching the fish swim around in the 180 gal, I can't help but feel that the tank seems somehow more empty without Mel swimming about with the others.:(

sorry for your loss or impending loss?

obviously there's a definite sense of loss there, but i think you should be happy you kept him for that long and gave him a good life!
 

Sashaka

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sorry for your loss or impending loss?

obviously there's a definite sense of loss there, but i think you should be happy you kept him for that long and gave him a good life!

Thank you for your kind words. You are right. Knowing I kept him alive longer than is usual for the species makes the loss a little easier...just a little.
 

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Sorry to hear about your Mel.

I had a Damsel that lived 18 years and I was very sad when he died even though he was just a damsel. Was the biggest damsel I've ever seen as well, close to 6" long....
 

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Sorry to hear about your Mel.

I had a Damsel that lived 18 years and I was very sad when he died even though he was just a damsel. Was the biggest damsel I've ever seen as well, close to 6" long....

Thank you.

That's awesome your Damsel lived to the ripe old age of 18! It speaks to how well you cared for him. To me, it doesn't matter how common a fish is such as your damsel or my Mel. I think reefers and saltwater keepers get attached, especially, if a fish is kept alive for a long time. We watch it swim with trust in our tank, make special frozen fish dinners to keep it fat and healthy, change its water regularly to keep it swimming happily, and even try to simulate natural light, spending mega bucks on expensive lighting. Sometimes, we even play nursemaid if/when it gets sick. In truth, when our fish live a long time, we've put as much energy and years into its care as one puts into raising a child. I don't think we can help getting attached to it.

I appreciate knowing there are others out there who can relate to my sadness at knowing Mel does not have long to live. Most of my family think I'm crazy for feeling upset about a fish.
 
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