How Old Can These Fish Get?

[poo-tang]

Hello, this is my first post and I am new to marine fish-keeping. i am lovin it so far but was wondering how long can these tropical..delicate... fish live in captivity. i tryed searching several places and keywords with no good results. i'd like to know the average age for your aquariums... if it is fish specific. how old is your oldest. i just have no idea and every book i own or description online of whichever fish they never give you a lifespan. ihoping 4plus at least for my tangs. can i expect more..much?
currently i have:

40 gallon-yellow tang, scopas,yellow eye tang...kole, red spotted blenny, sally crab
20 gallon Quarantine with 5blue green chromis

 

[SkiFletch]

Well, to give you an idea, in one of the display tanks at my LFS, the owner keeps a 15 year old pair of Percula Clownfish... Some creatures can be VERY old while others have short life spans. Fish and corals tend to live for decades, if not centuries in the case of corals and anemones. And then there are inverts like peppermint shrimp that only live for 2-5 years, so quite the range

 

[Lynden]

Three Tangs in a 40 gallon tank may begin to fight when they grow older. If your Tangs are relocated to a tank of around 90 gallons, they will live for many years, perhaps even a couple decades.

-Lynden

 

[poo-tang]

hey thanks for the replies. i had no idea it would be that long...possibly. yeah i know three tangs is too many for that tank but they are all juvvys and small. introduced together and so far doing fine. i figure to have about a year and a half before i need to go larger...does this sound plausible?

 

[Lynden]

hey thanks for the replies. i had no idea it would be that long...possibly. yeah i know three tangs is too many for that tank but they are all juvvys and small. introduced together and so far doing fine. i figure to have about a year and a half before i need to go larger...does this sound plausible?

Yes. But the process should be sped up if they begin to fight; the Kole Tang will be hit the worst by any aggression, as they are peaceful and weak.