# Oldest Fish?



## thetim6 (Jan 24, 2003)

I was just wondering what everyone's oldest fish is and how long have they had it. What got me thinking is my almost 10 year old red devil. I have had her since I was 13, and I will be 23 next summer. It's almost hard to believe how healthy and robust she still is.

I know there are literature values that state larger cichlids can live to be 10-15 years old. Can I expect this fish to live another 5 years? Has anyone had a fish live that long, or longer?


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## gage (Feb 7, 2007)

Wasn't mine, but working at a LFS we had someone bring in a massive 23 year old bronze cory cat lol...


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## thetim6 (Jan 24, 2003)

That is remarkable.

I know that for some aquarist fish are seen as temporary fixtures in the tank; something that can be replaced as needed.

Realistically though, especially with cichlids and other long lived families, the aquarium fish may very well outlive the aquarist's desire to continue the hobby. Although, there is a conflict with that thought because people who lose interest in the hobby will likely kill their fish, albeit unintentionally.


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## maddyfish (Jul 23, 2004)

I have an 11 year old JD, he has definately turned the corner this year though. He is less active, eats less, and his shape has started to change some-less toredo like more lumpy.


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## bonbonizer69 (Dec 13, 2009)

Wow! That's really amazing.


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## oldcatfish (May 27, 2009)

My oldest fish aren't cichlids...they are 2 different Synodontus catfish species and a bristlenose pleco. My Synodontus Eupterus I purchased sometime in the mid to late 80's (I can't remember exactly when), my S. Pleurops I got around 1992, and my bristlenose was about a year later than that. I also got a red finned Botia (B. Modesta) around the same time. All of those fish have survived multiple moves and outlived dozens of tankmates.

In general, my fish live between 10-15 years, and even the small "community" type fish usually live 7 or 8. Usually my younger cichlids kill the oldtimers when they start slowing down---which tends to be between 10-12 years old.

But one fish that I generally can't keep alive for more than 7-8 years has been the "common" pleco....I can't seem to grow them over a foot long before they die. And I know that they can live for awhile longer than I've kept them alive, and can easily reach 18 inches.


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## cichlidman16yearsold (Jun 11, 2009)

mine are two different ones they are 
my dads 16 year otopharynx lithobates z rock my dad gave it to me a long time ago when i first stared 6 years ago iam 16 now 
and my neolamprologus multifasciatus that i have had 9 years my first fish and the guy i got him from said he was another 5 years old. he was just sitting in his store no one wanted him so he gave him to me


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## thetim6 (Jan 24, 2003)

Wow those are some really old fish! It's good to hear that are such dedicated hobbyist who can keep fish alive for decades.



cichlidman16yearsold said:


> mine are two different ones they are
> my dads 16 year otopharynx lithobates z rock my dad gave it to me a long time ago when i first stared 6 years ago iam 16 now
> and my neolamprologus multifasciatus that i have had 9 years my first fish and the guy i got him from said he was another 5 years old. he was just sitting in his store no one wanted him so he gave him to me


You have a 10 year old multifasciatus? That is incredible.

It seems like catfish may be prone to longevity even more so than cichlids. The oldest ones I have are a few 4 or 5 year old plecos, and some cory cats that are around that age as well.

I'm curious which species/genus of cichlids lives the longest. So far we have a 10 year old red devil, a 11 year old jack dempsey, a 16 year old lithobates, and a 14 year old multifasciatus. It looks like the Africans can be just as long lived as the Americans.


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## cichlidman16yearsold (Jun 11, 2009)

in my fish room it seems like that is true so the oldest fish i know of the live the longest is angel fish if they are well taken care of


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## illy-d (Nov 6, 2005)

I have a rummynose tetra that has got to be about 9 years old...


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## cichlidman16yearsold (Jun 11, 2009)

that is really old for a tetra


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## ZeroSystem (Sep 4, 2005)

I've got a Red Devil thats around 13 years old. She's still an aggressive little monster too! :lol:


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## kmuda (Nov 27, 2009)

My Kissing Gourami.... who is currently celebrating his 20th birthday.

He was given to me back in January of 1990 as a 2" fish, which made him a couple of months old then. And I've had him since.

This is the "oldest" fish I am aware of, outside of some Koi. I'm sure there are some older, I am just not aware of them.

He's 20 years old, still going strong, and he's even had a growth spurt in the last couple of years.


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## cichlidman16yearsold (Jun 11, 2009)

nice and how big is he right now

one thing i have noted id if you breed a fish there life span goes down so i have two fish strawberry peacocks that are in the same thank just separate and i going to breed one and leave the other buy him self and there life span is about 5 years so lets see what happens


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## mikeinco (Aug 17, 2006)

Sadly my oldest fish just passed last month. It was a male A. Spilurum. I think he was about 10 years old and I thought they only lived to about 6-8. I do miss the little guy.


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## cichlidman16yearsold (Jun 11, 2009)

cute little fish i have one to he is about 2 now


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## lmhollist (Aug 7, 2009)

I haven't been in the hobby for very long. As a kid I kept bettas but they never stayed alive for more than a couple of years. I think the oldest one I had was four when he died (but then again, I didn't know much about fish keeping at the time, just did water changes when it looked dirty, knew nothing about the nitrogen cycle).

I started keeping a community tank a few years ago when I was a sophomore in college. I now have a dragon goby that's probably between 3 to 4 years old. His expected lifespan is 10+ years so I hope to have him around for quite awhile yet. The first step (which I'm in the process of now) is switching over the freshwater community he's currently housed in into a brackish water tank. Should be an interesting process to say the least...


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## cichlidman16yearsold (Jun 11, 2009)

as far as i know Sturgeon are the oldest living fresh water fish in the world and iam getting one soon when i get it i will put pic on


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## TheFishGuy (Apr 21, 2005)

We currently have a 21 year old pacu... and 14 year old silver dollar....


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## redblufffishguy (Jul 16, 2009)

I kept and african lungfish for about 15 years before donating it to a large aquaruim here in CA. Not sure if she is still living.


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## woj17 (Dec 1, 2008)

get ready to cringe forumees.
17 years ago... i bought 2 red devils, 2 convicts, 2 jack dempseys, and an oscar and put them in a 20 gallon tank. over the next year or so. the convicts and dempseys wiped each other out, the oscar jumped out of the tank and died, and all that was left were the red devils. one red devil was huge and the other was a runt. we separated them. the huge one died about 4 years ago, but the runt is still living in my parents basement. it doubled in size once it was in a 20 gal by itself. its almost 18 years old and been living in horrible conditions for years. rare water changes, no heater, eats once in awhile, sits in a flower pot most of the day. anyway, that guy is a trooper. cant believe how long ago it was when we got him.


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## Elvis Priestly (Dec 19, 2009)

I'm new to the hobby and I was wondering, do most of you keep all your fish until they die or do you sometimes trade, sell or give away fish after a while to make room for new ones? I hope that's not a controversial thing to ask.


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## smitty (May 7, 2004)

My Midas was 14, Red Devil was 12


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## Nathan43 (Jul 9, 2007)

47 year old pacu
http://www.pawnation.com/2009/10/01/but ... old-pacu/2
/thread


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## phishes (May 17, 2005)

My convict was my first cichlid. He is about 11 years old and about 6''. It takes a long time for a con to get that big. I might have to euthenize him, because he can't swim up right like this anymore, and is nearly blind. He still manages to find food, but it is difficult for him. I don't want him to suffer from starvation, so I keep a very close yey on his eating habbits


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## cichlidman16yearsold (Jun 11, 2009)

that is big good luck with him


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## mlancaster (Jul 24, 2009)

phishes said:


> He still manages to find food, but it is difficult for him.


It also looks like he still manages to make babies, as i see a fry in the tank. Is that the case? Is he still breeding at that age? I hope he keeps on trucking.

Thanks,
Matt


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## phishes (May 17, 2005)

mslancaster said:


> phishes said:
> 
> 
> > He still manages to find food, but it is difficult for him.
> ...


Thanks. Those are young swordtails. I have a ton of them. Here is another pic.


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## OceanDevil (Jul 17, 2005)

Nathan43 said:


> 47 year old pacu
> http://www.pawnation.com/2009/10/01/but ... old-pacu/2
> /thread


And he even feeds it goldfish by the LB. Makes you wonder sometimes.... lol


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## ajasadipura (13 d ago)

thetim6 said:


> I was just wondering what everyone's oldest fish is and how long have they had it. What got me thinking is my almost 10 year old red devil. I have had her since I was 13, and I will be 23 next summer. It's almost hard to believe how healthy and robust she still is. I know there are literature values that state larger cichlids can live to be 10-15 years old. Can I expect this fish to live another 5 years? Has anyone had a fish live that long, or longer?


 My red devil is 16 yrs old now. Weights 1.7kg n 38cm long


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