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lachrimae
03/15/2006, 09:34 AM
What's the oldest fish you've had (or currently have) from juvenile to adult? Must be marine and 3 yrs or older to qualify :)

Curious to know the following:

- Type of fish:

- Size:

- How many different tanks did it live in or how many moves did it survive?

- Additional Notes:


-----

I'd start but I've never had a fish for more than 4 years and it was a tropical angel... My current longest living marine is a mere 9 months (oc. clown).

I'm interested to see who has (has had) the oldest fish :cool:

Blown 346
03/15/2006, 09:44 AM
I have had my picasso trigger for 5 years. I got him when he was 4 inches long, and he is now 12.
He first started is life in my 55 gallon tank until I bought my 125, he is in there now.

There is one guy on RC who has a reef tank that is over 30 years old, I would like to hear what his oldest fish is.

whiirly
03/15/2006, 09:49 AM
a yellow tang for three years one move and a severe amonia spike( he was the only fish to survive it)

Trigeek
03/15/2006, 10:00 AM
I've had my Maroone Clown for 4 years.

fish1219
03/15/2006, 10:08 AM
I have a Coral Beauty in my tank. It came from my friends tank. He has had it for over 11 years and I have had it for 1. It has been in 2 different tanks. My friends octagon tank and my 45 gallon tank.

trippyl
03/15/2006, 10:08 AM
I just lost my PJ of five years. But I still have my tomato clown from the same era, and he is going strong. The PJ was a good 2 inches wide, the clown is also about 2.5 inches.

moogoomoogoo
03/15/2006, 11:05 AM
I have a sailfin tang I believe I purchased in 1995 or 1996 that has survived 2 moves to other states each lasting about 36 hours. It also survived an ice storm without power and tank temps into the 50's for 4 days. Its now probably 8 inches in length. Its so friendly it will let you "pet" it.

CeeGee
03/15/2006, 11:51 AM
I have had my percula clown for almost 6 years. Bought her when she was a baby maybe a half inch or so. She is now nearly 3 inches. She is currently keeping my quarantine tank biological filter running.

She is a little aggressive so i will move her back to the main display when I get a larger tank.

marinelife
03/15/2006, 11:54 AM
my oldest is my Hippo Tang he, I have had him since 1995, he has been in a 220, 75, and a 180 that he is in now. He has been fine with every move. Grat fish!!

Anemonebuff
03/15/2006, 12:14 PM
Tomato clown = 8 years
Bicolor damsel = 8 years
Yellow tang = 6 years
Clark's clown = 5 years
Chromis and pseudochromis = 1 year

Amphiprion
03/15/2006, 12:47 PM
ocellaris clown, female: 12 years
ocellaris clown, male:6 years'
sixline wrasse:6 years
blue tang: 5 years

Jaffo_botz
03/15/2006, 01:59 PM
Emperor Angel: Since '96 (10yrs). originally a 2" juv
Purple Tang: since '96 (10yrs)
Female True perc since '95 (11yrs)
Male true perc passed 6mos ago obtained same time as Fem as mated pair: (11yrs)
M.Idol ('97 to '04): 7yrs (died after being puntured by verm.snail)
African flameback pyg.angel: since '00: 6yrs
Fiji spotted puffer: since '00: 6yrs

whiteshark
03/15/2006, 02:22 PM
Marroon clown- 6 yrs
Yellow tang-6 yrs
hippo tang- 6yrs

All still going strong!

So Cal shaggy
03/15/2006, 02:53 PM
fish:yellow tail damsel
length: about 1" when purchased in 2000 now is almost 2"
how many different tanks: this is the third tank it has been in it was origionally a cycling fish
notes: even though it is my longest lived fish I despise it he torments any new fish I try to add to my tank until I finally caught it and placed it in my sump where it will live out the rest of it's days.

lachrimae
03/15/2006, 03:01 PM
Jaffo_botz: Very impressive, over 10 years! Though the most impressive is that M. Idol for 7yrs and the death wasn't even your fault!

Datone
03/15/2006, 03:58 PM
I had a fish that died this week. He was a 14 year old Engineer goby. He started out (with 2 other Engineer Gobies) with my son in 1992 and was given to me (my first saltwater and I knew nothing at all then) in 1994 and lived in a 55. I lost one of them. When I moved in 2001, I gave them back to my son. He survived a really bad infestation of Ich that killed his partner. I got him back from my son in April 2005 and had him in a 29 gallon. I moved him to my 75 late 2005. I found him a couple of days ago. He was quite a character.

kysmith
03/15/2006, 04:39 PM
Maroon Clown had a little over a year and a half he has been through a LOT, as I'm skimmerless until recently and the learning curve has been steep!!

1.5 years
1" to 1.5"
always in a 29 gallon, but 3 moves.

64Ivy
03/15/2006, 05:36 PM
Chevron Tang--8+ years. About 7"
Purple Tang--7++ years. 5"
Striated Bristletooth--7+ years. 4"
Sohal Tang ('Attilla')--7 years. About 12"
Evil Australian Psudochromis--6 years. 3-4"

I also have a few Bartlett's Anthias and Green Chromis that are at least 4 years old.

Never moved.

Bud Green
03/15/2006, 05:41 PM
I had a snowflake moray eel I bought when my wife and I first started dating. He was the size of a pencil. He lived for 17 years and 3 kids. He just died last year, so now I have a reef tank. He was about 20" when he died.

merk1_99
03/15/2006, 08:56 PM
maroon clown 10 yrs

BTK1
03/15/2006, 09:12 PM
9 yr old Flamehawk stayed about 2" in a 90 gal, was moved once.

stormquest2112
03/15/2006, 10:29 PM
My oldest fish is my Clown Tang, I've had him for 5 1/2 years now. He was about 2 inches when I bought him and he is now about 8 inches now. He is also the meanest fish that I have ever had. I had to move him out of my reef tank and into a 70 gallon tank with just him and a Snowflake Moray.

joelwalk
03/15/2006, 10:58 PM
yellow tang 4 months
hippo tang 4 months
perc 5 months
perc 1 month

So I am new, ask me again in 15 years and hopefully I have some good news!!

Paul B
03/20/2006, 04:07 PM
brootaloid or cusk eel. Killed it by accident after 18 years.
Blue devil, 7 years, percula clown 7 years, tetradon puffer 8 years.

onefin
03/20/2006, 04:12 PM
Royal Gramma going on 9 years.

niteshado
03/20/2006, 05:32 PM
ocellaris clown, female: 13.5 years about 2.5 inches
ocellaris clown, male: 8 years about 1.5 inches

now mated a pair about 6 years ago.

larry

John Hartford
03/20/2006, 06:27 PM
Yellow tang for five years

daleg3556
03/20/2006, 06:40 PM
I have a Tomato Clown I have had since 1988. He survived an 11 day power outage during Hurricane Hugo in 1989 in Charleston, SC and 2 moves since. He still looks great. He lives with a Niger Trigger and Clown Trigger in a 75 gal. tank.

ste6168
03/20/2006, 06:44 PM
PaulB - how long have you had your idol, just curious? I would like to know the longest one of those has been kept in a home reef tank.

JMBoehling
03/20/2006, 06:46 PM
Pair of Percs, 18 years old.. Still laying eggs monthly..Guess it keeps em young :)

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/91022DSCN2901.JPG

And, Naso almost 7 years old

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/91022DSCN2902.JPG

Now if I could just get my SPS to live this long :)

vessxpress1
03/20/2006, 06:49 PM
joelwalk: The best advice I could give you is fight the urge to add new fish!! Not that you asked for it but it seems appicable here. I had quite a few fish for 3 years, then I moved, added a couple more, had an ammonia spike and lost them all. That's one way to lose everything. I've seen too many good fish lost by a newly introduced character with ich.

roader247
03/20/2006, 06:50 PM
I had a percula clown for 12 years it was wild caught so it was most likely older don't know why it died

joelwalk
03/20/2006, 07:28 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7000619#post7000619 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by vessxpress1
joelwalk: The best advice I could give you is fight the urge to add new fish!! Not that you asked for it but it seems appicable here. I had quite a few fish for 3 years, then I moved, added a couple more, had an ammonia spike and lost them all. That's one way to lose everything. I've seen too many good fish lost by a newly introduced character with ich.

I see what you are saying, but I had the my first 3 fish for 3 months with everything going perfectly, and adding one perc isn't going to cause any problems. I don't see how this load should be a problem for a 75.

I appreciate the advice, but I do not see where it is applicable here.

joelwalk
03/20/2006, 07:35 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7000619#post7000619 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by vessxpress1
joelwalk: The best advice I could give you is fight the urge to add new fish!! Not that you asked for it but it seems appicable here. I had quite a few fish for 3 years, then I moved, added a couple more, had an ammonia spike and lost them all. That's one way to lose everything. I've seen too many good fish lost by a newly introduced character with ich.

I see what you are saying, but I had the my first 3 fish for 3 months with everything going perfectly, and adding one perc isn't going to cause any problems. I don't see how this load should be a problem for a 75.

I appreciate the advice, but I do not see where it is applicable here.

j83
03/20/2006, 08:11 PM
Nice thread! Some good success stories here!

My longest lived is my Yelow tang who is 3 years (that I know of) He/she started in my 72 bow, then had to wait in a 20 gallon for a couple weeks until I set up its current home, which is 120.

TrojanScott
03/20/2006, 09:05 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7000592#post7000592 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by JMBoehling
Pair of Percs, 18 years old.. Still laying eggs monthly..Guess it keeps em young :)

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/91022DSCN2901.JPG

And, Naso almost 7 years old

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/91022DSCN2902.JPG

Now if I could just get my SPS to live this long :)


7 year old Naso in a 90 gallon, and nobody's ripping you for it?
:)

lachrimae
03/20/2006, 10:35 PM
Well, here's a summary so far.

I didn't include any fish under 3 (known) years old, sorry guys :)

Congrats on these success stories!

-- 18 Years --
Eel (Brootaloid or Cusk) - - Paul B
Clown (Tomato) - - daleg3556
Clown (Percula) - - JMBoehling
Clown (Percula) - - JMBoehling

-- 17 Years --
Eel (Snowflake Moray) – 20” - Bud Green

-- 14 Years --
Goby (Engineer) - - Datone

-- 13 Years --
Clown (Ocellaris, Female) – 2.5” - niteshado

-- 12 Years --
Angel (Coral Beauty) - - fish1219
Clown (Ocellaris, Female) - - Amphiprion
Clown (Percula) - - roader247

-- 11 Years --
Tang (Sailfin) – 8” - moogoomoogoo
Tang (Hippo) - - marinelife
Clown (Percula, Female) - - Jaffo_botz
Clown (Percula, Male) - - Jaffo_botz

-- 10 Years --
Angel (Emperor) - - Jaffo_botz
Tang (Purple) - - Jaffo_botz
Clown (Maroon) - - merk1_99

-- 9 Years --
Goby (Engineer) - - Datone
Hawkfish (Flame) – 2” - BTK1
Gramma (Royal) - - onefin

-- 8 Years --
Clown (Tomato) - - Anemonebuff
Damsel (Bicolor) - - Anemonebuff
Tang (Chevron) – 7” - 64Ivy
Puffer (Tetradon) - - Paul B
Clown (Ocellaris) – 1.5” - niteshado

-- 7 Years --
Moorish Idol - - Jaffo_botz
Tang (Purple) – 5” - 64Ivy
Tang (Striated) – 4” - 64Ivy
Tang (Sohal) – 12” - 64Ivy
Damsel (Blue Devil) - - Paul B
Clown (Percula) - - Paul B
Tang (Naso) - - JMBoehling

-- 6 Years --
Clown (Percula) – 3” – CeeGee
Tang (Yellow) - - Anemonebuff
Clown (Ocellaris, Male) - - Amphiprion
Angel (African Flameback Pygmy) - - Jaffo_botz
Puffer (Fiji Spotted) - - Jaffo_botz
Clown (Maroon) - - whiteshark
Tang (Yellow) - - whiteshark
Tang (Hippo) - - whiteshark
Damsel (Yellow Tail) – 2” - So Cal shaggy
Pseudochromis (“Evil” Australian) – 3” to 4” - 64Ivy

-- 5 Years --
Trigger (Picasso) – 12” - Blown 346
Cardinal (Pajama) - - trippyl
Clown (Tomato) – 2.5” - trippyl
Clown (Clark’s) - - Anemonebuff
Wrasse (Sixline) - - Amphiprion
Tang (Blue) - - Amphiprion
Tang (Clown) – 8” - stormquest2112
Tang (Yellow) - - John Hartford

-- 4 Years --
Clown (Maroon) - - Trigeek
Anthias (Bartlett’s) - - 64Ivy
Chromis (Green) - - 64Ivy

-- 3 Years --
Tang (Yellow) - - whiirly
Tang (Yellow) - - j83

marie
03/20/2006, 11:06 PM
I've had my clark clown 5 1/2 yrs, a damsel for 4 1/2 yrs and my pride and joy a mandarin for 4 yrs :D. All my other fish are under 3 yrs old

Paul B
04/01/2006, 07:47 AM
PaulB - how long have you had your idol, just curious? I would like to know the longest one of those has been kept in a home reef tank.

ste6168, I only have this moorish Idol for two and a half years. So far it is very healthy but misses more swimming room. Also the fire clown trims all of his fins.
Paul :smokin:

afishyonados
04/01/2006, 08:46 AM
I baby sat a house for a summer in 1992. When the owner came home, and saw his reef tank still alive, he gave me the blue face angel you see as my avitar. He has moved from a 50g to a 135g, and is now residing with horn sharks and assorted tangs in a 500g. He/I have moved many times, but he never seems to mind!
I sold the fish to Jean-luc in 1991, recieved him in1992. I guess that makes him 15 or so in captivity.

thewalk
04/01/2006, 10:19 AM
i've had a coral beauty angel (about 2 1/2") for about 4 years and a blue hippo tang for about 3 1/2 years but he recently died of ick. He was about 3 1/2". They both survived moving from a 30 gallon to a 75 gallon

DMK
04/01/2006, 10:26 AM
i've had my kole tang for 30 years.

Andrew
04/01/2006, 10:41 AM
One of my first marine fish was a tomato clownfish and I've still got her. I've had her for about 2 years now.

afishyonados
04/01/2006, 10:45 AM
Come on DMK, you haven't been keeping salt water for more than 11 years...tell the truth!