Recommendations For Long Lived Fish

[sheree]

For the past 6 months, I've had 3 rams but within a few weeks, 2 have died. They were all fully grown when I bought them and I knew they were in the lfs sometime before being sold. I really like rams as they have such characters so losing my favourite fish is not very nice. However, I've been told because they are that highly bred in the uk, they only live under a year anyway. which has now put me off buying any more rams.

What fish are long lived so I can avoid this happening again?

 

[ajbettle]

platys live 4-5 years and grow 3 inch and i love them and they are probs. my favourite fish
JMHO.

 

[SamUK]

erm..... keep your water clean and your fish will live for years.


ive had my rams well over a year so thats a load of rubbish.

 

[afireinside]

Koi live long. I can tell you that for sure. But get a 2000+ gallon pond.

 

[demonmagus]

apart from the fact that you didn't have good water, a long lived fish is an oscar, 75 gallons for 1

 

[Opcn]

In good water a goldfish will live for 40 years However you need atleast a 75 gallon tank to keep one to that age, and you have to do water changes often.

 

[RANDYS]

Clown Loaches are very long lived individuals also, however I am very aware that they can get ick quit easily, I've read where one has lived up to 50 years in captivity---I'm sure you'd have to have a large tank for them to really be happy.

 

[Lynden]

Sturgeons can live for many centuries. Of course you would need a massive tank, like 1000 gal+ for even a sterlet.

 

[dwarfgourami]

It may just be that your water parameters were unsuitable for rams: they can be a bit sensitive and particularly don't like hard alkaline water.

If you want a fish that will live for 10 years+, why not try a catfish? If your tank is small, a bristlenose might do it- but don't buy a baby, infant mortality can be quite high, try to get a bigger individual. If you have a very big tank, a common plec might be worthwhile; and if you have a big coldwater, you can't beat goldfish

There are different reasons why fish don't live long in your tanks:

some species are naturally shortlived- annual killifish for instance, and some of the smaller poeciliids (heterandrias, I believe, but haven't tested); tetras and most other small fish can live for 4-6 years though if healthy

others may be inbred or prone to health problems- guppies and rams are often mentioned here (though of course one may still be lucky and find stronger specimens)

there is something wrong with your tank- such as ammonia, overcrowding etc

your water parameters do not suit that particular species (mollies are unlikely to be longlived in soft acid water, or rams in hard water)

you have been unlucky enough to get infection or parasites in your tank