Fish lifespans

[Eupterus]

I did some quick research and noted lifespans of some fish , I checked mostly for my own fish as you can see. Here are a few, please correct me if I got them wrong.

Syno. cats.: twenty two yrs.
Plecos/lorricarids: eigthteen yrs.
Cichlids: eighteen yrs.
Goldfish: forty three/five yrs.

If anyone has these fish, they must be from here because you people are the most experienced around. So...where are these fish and who has them?/
What makes goldfish have such long potential lifespans compared to most/ all? aquarium fish?. Does it have something to do with living in cold water?.

Next I am wondering about fish genetics in relation to lifespan.
We all know that if fish are exposed to bad conditions or less then desired conditions, they'll get sick more and die more often. Even if they come from the same source or even if they are siblings, they don't die at the same rate.
What traits does the genetically superior fish carry that allows them to survive while others of the same species die under the same conditions?. Gills that absorb more oxygen?...A stronger heart?...
Could people breed for these traits and have hardier, longer living fish?.

 

[dragonfish]

I have a Nicaraguan that is at least 8 and still has no signs of slowing down.

 

[AndreR]

The average lifespan of Goldfish is seldom more than 3 weeks

The death rate of mass-imported fancy goldfishes is more than 60% during the first 3 month of delayed mortality, a death on arrival rate of 2-5% is always requested by the exporters and that does not include the delayed ones starting to die from about the third week on....

So I really ask as well...who got a Goldfish that becomes more than 10 years those are real exceptions esp. to the average lifespan.....so you must be lucky.

 

[captainawesome]

you are a little off, there isn't an exact lifespan for all cichlids, they can range depending on species from 2 years to well, I am not sure how long the longest live, but 18 sounds like a good bet.

as for you question of breeding for the long life traits, you can selective breed for just about any trait save infertility. in fact, that is what keeps the gene pools in nature strong. the weaker die off faster and don't get a chance to reproduce. But there also rises the question of, do fish go through menopause(I don't know what you would call it with a fish)? If fish like humans can't reproduce in their really old age, how can you breed them for the longer life traits? By the time you know which fish to breed it might be too late. but the traits you mentioned of having a stronger heart or more efficient gills, would mean a stronger healthier fish, which would probably mean a larger more colorful fish , which is what the female fish look for when choosing a mate quite often. they go for the alpha male. So in a sense, what you are talking about tends to happen on its own in nature, but quite often us humans when doing our selective breeding for other traits screw it up.

 

[Nabbig2]

The average lifespan of Goldfish is seldom more than 3 weeks

The death rate of mass-imported fancy goldfishes is more than 60% during the first 3 month of delayed mortality, a death on arrival rate of 2-5% is always requested by the exporters and that does not include the delayed ones starting to die from about the third week on....

So I really ask as well...who got a Goldfish that becomes more than 10 years those are real exceptions esp. to the average lifespan.....so you must be lucky.

Actually, that's because most people keep them in bowls or small tanks. I've had my goldfish for 4 years, they are active as ever.

 

[mskayo]

My 2 clown loaches were purchased before I started my current job (almost 20 years ago) and are going strong. The second fish I ever bought, my rainbow shark Mega passed away last year at the ripe old age of 19 years. He actually turned a little grayish and humpbacked in his last years. My first was a kissing gourami that lived to 18.

 

[beblondie]

Adolfos Cory - 5 years
Angelfish - 10+ years
Apistogramma - 3 to 5 years
Archer Fish - 5 years
Armored Catfish - 7 to 15 years
Bala Shark - 10 years
Bandit Cory - 5 years
Banjo Cat - 7 to 15 years
Banjo Catfish - 5 to 8 years
Betta Splendens 2 years
Black Neon Tetra - 5 years
Black Phantom Tetra - 5 years
Black Shark - 4 to 10 years
Black Tetra - 5 years
Black Widow Tetra - 5 years
Blackfin Cory - 5+ years
Bleeding Heart Tetra - 5 years
Blindcave Fish - 5+ years
Bloodfin Tetra - 10+ years
Blue Gourami - 4 years
Boesman Rainbow - 5 years
Bronze Cory - 5 years
Bumble Bee Catfish - 5 to 8 years
Cardinal Tetra - 4 years
Cherry Barb - 5 to 7 years
Chocolate Gourami - 4 years
Clown Loach - 15+ years
Columbian Tetra - 5 years
Congo Tetra - 5 years
Convict - 10 to 18 years
Diamond Tetra - 5 years
Discus - 10 to 18 years
Dojo Loach - 10 years
Dwarf Gourami - 4 years
Emperor Tetra - 6 years
Festivum - 10+ years
Figure 8 Puffer - 5 years
Firemouth - 10 to 15 years
Frontosa - 8 to 15 years
Giant Danio - 5 to 7 years
Glass Catfish - 8 years
Glassfish - 8 years
Glowlight Tetra - 5 years
Goldfish - 10 to 30 years
Guppy - 3 to 5 years
Harlequin - 6 years
Hatchetfish - 5 years
Hog Nose Brochis - 10 years
Honey Gourami - 4 years
Jack Dempsey - 10 to 18 years
Jordan's Catfish - 10+ years
Killifish - 1 to 2 years
Kissing Gourami - 5 years
Lemon Tetra - 5 years
Leopard Danio - 5 to 7 years
Leporinus - 5+ years
Livingstoni - 10+ years
Midas Cichlid - 15+ years
Mollie - 4 years
Moonlight Gourami - 4 years
Neon Rainbow - 3 to 4 years
Neon Tetra - 5 to 10 years
Oscar - 10 to 18 years
Otocinclus - 5 years
Pacu - 10 years
Pearl Danio - 5 years
Pearl Gourami - 4 years
Pictus Catfish - 8 years
Piranha - 10 years
Platy - 3 to 5 years
Pleco - 7 to 15 years
Rafael Catfish - 7 to 15 years
Rainbow Shark - 4 to 10 years
Rams - 4 years
Rasboras - 5 to 10 years
Red Eye Tetra - 5 years
Red Rainbow - 5 years
Red Tailed Catfish - 15 years
Redtail Shark - 8 years
Rosy Barb - 5 years
Royal Pleco - 10+ years
Rummy Nose Tetra - 5 to 10 years
Rumy Nose Tetra - 5 years
Severum - 10 to 18 years
Silver Dollar - 10+ years
Silvertip Tetra - 5 years
Swordtails - 3 to 5 years
Texas Cichlid - 10+ years
Tiger Barb - 6 years
Tigerfish - 5 years
Tinfoild Barb - 10 years
Upside Down Catfish - 5 years
Weather Loach - 10 years
Whiptail - 10+ years
White Cloud Mountain Minnow - 5 to 7 years
Zebra Cichlid - 10+ years
Zebra Danio 5+years

 

[keepinfish]

Adolfos Cory - 5 years
Angelfish - 10+ years
Apistogramma - 3 to 5 years
Archer Fish - 5 years
Armored Catfish - 7 to 15 years
Bala Shark - 10 years
Bandit Cory - 5 years
Banjo Cat - 7 to 15 years
Banjo Catfish - 5 to 8 years
Betta Splendens 2 years
Black Neon Tetra - 5 years
Black Phantom Tetra - 5 years
Black Shark - 4 to 10 years
Black Tetra - 5 years
Black Widow Tetra - 5 years
Blackfin Cory - 5+ years
Bleeding Heart Tetra - 5 years
Blindcave Fish - 5+ years
Bloodfin Tetra - 10+ years
Blue Gourami - 4 years
Boesman Rainbow - 5 years
Bronze Cory - 5 years
Bumble Bee Catfish - 5 to 8 years
Cardinal Tetra - 4 years
Cherry Barb - 5 to 7 years
Chocolate Gourami - 4 years
Clown Loach - 15+ years
Columbian Tetra - 5 years
Congo Tetra - 5 years
Convict - 10 to 18 years
Diamond Tetra - 5 years
Discus - 10 to 18 years
Dojo Loach - 10 years
Dwarf Gourami - 4 years
Emperor Tetra - 6 years
Festivum - 10+ years
Figure 8 Puffer - 5 years
Firemouth - 10 to 15 years
Frontosa - 8 to 15 years
Giant Danio - 5 to 7 years
Glass Catfish - 8 years
Glassfish - 8 years
Glowlight Tetra - 5 years
Goldfish - 10 to 30 years
Guppy - 3 to 5 years
Harlequin - 6 years
Hatchetfish - 5 years
Hog Nose Brochis - 10 years
Honey Gourami - 4 years
Jack Dempsey - 10 to 18 years
Jordan's Catfish - 10+ years
Killifish - 1 to 2 years
Kissing Gourami - 5 years
Lemon Tetra - 5 years
Leopard Danio - 5 to 7 years
Leporinus - 5+ years
Livingstoni - 10+ years
Midas Cichlid - 15+ years
Mollie - 4 years
Moonlight Gourami - 4 years
Neon Rainbow - 3 to 4 years
Neon Tetra - 5 to 10 years
Oscar - 10 to 18 years
Otocinclus - 5 years
Pacu - 10 years
Pearl Danio - 5 years
Pearl Gourami - 4 years
Pictus Catfish - 8 years
Piranha - 10 years
Platy - 3 to 5 years
Pleco - 7 to 15 years
Rafael Catfish - 7 to 15 years
Rainbow Shark - 4 to 10 years
Rams - 4 years
Rasboras - 5 to 10 years
Red Eye Tetra - 5 years
Red Rainbow - 5 years
Red Tailed Catfish - 15 years
Redtail Shark - 8 years
Rosy Barb - 5 years
Royal Pleco - 10+ years
Rummy Nose Tetra - 5 to 10 years
Rumy Nose Tetra - 5 years
Severum - 10 to 18 years
Silver Dollar - 10+ years
Silvertip Tetra - 5 years
Swordtails - 3 to 5 years
Texas Cichlid - 10+ years
Tiger Barb - 6 years
Tigerfish - 5 years
Tinfoild Barb - 10 years
Upside Down Catfish - 5 years
Weather Loach - 10 years
Whiptail - 10+ years
White Cloud Mountain Minnow - 5 to 7 years
Zebra Cichlid - 10+ years
Zebra Danio 5+years

WOW! FULL OF KNOWLEDGE! WHAT ABOUT MOTOROS? OR FIRE EEL?

 

[Lonewolfblue]

Fire eels really are not known yet, but they say is't 20+ years.

 

[srikamaraja]

American Eel (anguilla rostrata) I've heard up to 80 years in captivity?

Bichir are also rumored to be particularly long-lived...