How long do fish live?

[Sang72]

Today, my roommate asked me how long his fish will live (assuming he dun kill them first with neglect) I don't know and it got me wondering. How long do fish normally live? Years, Decades, Centuries? I know sea turtles live to be over 100 yrs old.

 

[bulldog188]

it all depends on the fish mate.. guppies can live around 12 months on average but different species do live for years and years..

 

[suemack]

firstly depends on the care and attention they get .....also depends on the species of fish......some are relatively short lived e.g. guppies (approx 2 yrs) and some of the fish like the clown loach and the bigger cichlids are still young at 10 yrs.

sue

 

[Doggfather]

basic rule of thumb...

the bigger the fish, the longer it lives

 

[Morrgan]

My oldest fish is a bronze cory, which has been in my tank for about 10 years. I've heard of a cory that lived to the age of 17 years, but as far as I know 10-15 is the usual. Next up are my angels, who are about 7 years. They are all still lively and I can't tell any signs of age on them yet.

 

[Silly me]

My dad has some discus that more that 25 years old.??

 

[mrV]

Cories about 10 years. Small barbs, tetras about 5-12 years, plecos 10-20 years, even longer. Goldfish lives easily 10-15 years, more natural goldfishes live longer. Swordtails about 3-4 years, small labyrithfishes, apistogrammas few years, 2-5 years. Larger bottom dwellers can live even 30+ years... But some fishes live only year or two (some killifishes, not all).

There was a page on internet once, where was appr. ages, but it doesn't exis more.

 

[pendragon]

There is an absolutely incredible specialty LFS in my town that deals exclusively in African cichlids (called Just Cichlids, FWIW). They still have in a display tank the two cichlids (don't know what kind) that were the owner's first fish before he opened the store. They are 26 or 27 years old. You can tell their spryer days are behind them, but they look remarkably well for fish of such age. They treat those two fish like royalty.

pendragon!

 

[Landlocked]

My pet store has a clown that's 13 years old (if not older). They got it 13 years ago, and it has been fine and happy ever since.

 

[Cheese Specialist]

Goldfish can live for 35+ years, sadly the average is just 1 year.

I have 2 angels and a clown loach that are about 3 1/2 years old, a USD which is 4 years old and a farlowella catfish which is 4 1/2 years old.

I have only had the above since January but the previous owner gave me their ages.

 

[JAYJT]

African Clawed frogs can live upto 30 years!!!

 

[Annastasia]

I have a kissing gourami that is 11+ I am not sure exactly how old she is, but she has been alive since I was born.

 

[drobbins27]

My friend had a plec in his tank from before I was born (hes an adult) 15 years he says! the thing lives in his pond now lol