# Life expectancy captive mbuna



## becadavies (Apr 2, 2007)

Yesterday i found my healthy Dom male Callainos dead... 

Water parameters are all fine, he was feeding fine and the only thing i can say i noticed was that he wasn't as "angry" this last week or so?

He _was_ the dominant fish in tank at time of death.

*** had him coming up 7years April, surely he didnt just pop his clogs with old age?

Needless to say there is alot of unrest in my all male tank now -what with who's gonna be the new No1!!!!


----------



## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

Seven years is pretty good for mbuna in my opinion. I've certainly had Lamps and Haps live longer, but the high activity level of mbuna seems to limit their lifespan somewhat.


----------



## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

7 years is pretty much what I would consider a good long life for a mbuna. I think 7-8 years is about the oldest I've heard of over in the health and illness folder, but I'm sure there are those who live longer or shorter periods of time.

Sounds like you took very good care of him! :thumb:

I bet the other fish are a bit on the crazy side, if he's been in charge for that long!


----------



## becadavies (Apr 2, 2007)

Yeah all hel l has broke loose but the Daktari looks to be winning at the moment!!!

I suppose it can be put down to old age then?

Shame fish dont go grey and have all their teeth fall out when they get old (lol joke)
-he just seemed to slow down a bit, and finding him came as a bit of a shock!
Thou i will miss him hanging on to my knuckles during tank maintenance :lol:

Thanx for your input....


----------



## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

becadavies said:


> Shame fish dont go grey and have all their teeth fall out when they get old (lol joke)
> -he just seemed to slow down a bit, and finding him came as a bit of a shock!
> Thou i will miss him hanging on to my knuckles during tank maintenance :lol:


I know what you mean...If I see a Golden retriever with alot of grey or white in the facial area, I will start crying! :roll:

My husband loves going for walks with me, or watching me tune up at the beach when someone goes by with one! :lol:

The only mbuna I've ever noticed a change in as he matured was an OB fuelleborni male that I had. He faded and lost all of his colour, but he also seemed to lose weight for a year or so before he died, so I just attributed the colour loss to that. His finnage just didn't look as nice, and he was so pale by the time he died that you would almost think he was an albino. (I treated him - thinking it was parasitic, but he never got any better.) The only other thing I have noted with fish as they mature and reach "old age" is that they tend to slow down on the spawning.

My big male Cobalt used to pull on my rings when I put my hands in the tank!


----------



## Mudkicker (Apr 2, 2003)

7-8 years sounds right.
although i have some that are older, some of my healthiest fish have died at the 7-8 year mark for no apparent reason.

M


----------



## becadavies (Apr 2, 2007)

Okay well things are still really bad in my tank now- the fight for No1 spot seems to be going nowhere and *** had top rocks knocked down cos of daktari and hongi fighting between them!!!!

Any suggestions to what to do?

*** dropped the temp in tank but its made no difference in aggression (there even going at it at lights out)......

Should i do a rescape or will that make it worse?

many thanx


----------



## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

I don't think rescaping the tank will make it worse, I'm just not sure that it will help.

It's amazing what the addition or removal of one fish can do to a tank.

I think I'd just let them battle it out for a bit. If you remove a fish, you might not be able to reintroduce them.

You might want to secure the rocks a bit if that continues to be a problem. You don't want a busted tank out of the deal.


----------



## becadavies (Apr 2, 2007)

its amazing what the death of a "king" can do, lol

Also you wouldnt believe the difference in colours- i always thought my elongatus was dark blue/black stripes....it would appear he is infact electric blue/black!!!

And my Hongi is a stunner- permanently a lilac colour with bright orange fins!!

Just shows you how much they were holding their colours back just not to upset the "jekell+hyde" callainos!! :lol:


----------

