Ever wonder how long your fish will live? Think you are doing well with a neon tetra that has lived for 2 years or a plecostomus that has lived for 5 years? Well think again. Here is a list that includes some fish that are still alive! Thank-you Jeremy Gay of Practical Fish Keeping for putting this list together. If you have a fish that has lived in your aquarium for many years and is not listed below let me know by sending me an email to goldenoldies@aquariumswest.com and I will add it to the list.
Common Name |
Scientific Name |
Age in Years |
| Red Eye Tetra |
Moenkhausia sanctaefilomenae |
5 |
| Buenos Aires tetra |
Hyphessobrycon anisitsi |
5 |
| Black phantom tetra |
Hyphessobrycon megalopterus |
5 |
| Cherry barb |
Puntius titteya |
5 |
| Swordtail |
Xiphophorus hellerii |
5 |
| Sailfin molly |
Poecilia velifera/latipinna |
5 |
| Arulius barb |
Puntius tambraparnei |
6 |
| Tiger barb |
Puntius tetrazona |
6 |
| Cardinal tetra |
Paracheirodon axelrodi |
6 |
| Harlequin |
Trigonostigma heteromorpha |
6 |
| Angelfish |
Pterophyllum scalare |
6 |
| Golden barb |
Puntius sachsi |
7 |
| Silver shark |
Balantiocheilus melanopterus |
8 |
| Pearl gourami |
Trichopterus leeri |
8 |
| Scissortail |
Rasbora trilineana |
8 |
| Guppy |
Poecilia reticulata |
9 |
| Giant danio |
Devario aequipinnatus |
9 |
| Emperor tetra |
Nematobrycon palmeri |
9 |
| Neon tetra |
Paracheirodon innesi |
10 |
| Wild Discus |
Symphysodon spp. |
10 |
| Black Skirt Tetra |
Gymnocorymbus ternetzi |
10 |
| Silver Dollar |
Metynnis argenteus |
10 |
| Congo tetra |
Micralestes interruptus |
10 |
| Blue dolphin cichlid |
Cyrtocara moorii |
10 |
| Boesmani rainbow |
Melanotaenia boesmani |
10 |
| Bronze corydoras |
Corydoras aeneus |
11 |
| White Cloud Mountain Minnow |
Tanichthys albononubes |
12 |
| Firemouth cichlid |
Thorichtys meeki |
12 |
| Kissing gourami |
Helostoma temminckii |
12 |
| Red Rin Shark |
Epalzeorhynchus frenatus |
13 |
| Jack Dempsey |
Rocio octofasciata |
13 |
| Tank bred discus |
Symphysodon spp. |
14 |
| Clown barb |
puntius everetti |
15 |
| Regal tang |
Paracanthurus hepatus |
15 |
| Humbug damsel |
Dascyllus melanurus |
15 |
| Zebra Pleco L46 |
Hypancistrus zebra |
15 |
| Yellow tail blue damsel |
Chrysiptera parasema |
15 |
| Pygmy chain loach |
Yasuhikotakia sidthimunki |
15 |
| Striped dora |
Platydoras costatus |
16 |
| Black Chost Knifefish |
Apteronotus albifrons |
16 |
| Kuhli Loach |
Panagio kuhlii |
17 |
| Red rail black shark |
Epalzeorhynchos bicolour |
10 |
| Frontosa cichlid |
Cyphotilapia frontosa |
20 |
| Archerfish |
Toxotes jaculatris |
20 |
| Featherfin cat |
Synodontis eupterus |
20 |
| Brochis |
Brochis splendens |
20 |
| Rosy barb |
Puntius conchonius |
20 |
| Synodontis |
Synodontis favitaeniatus |
20 |
| Corydoras |
Corydoras zygatus |
21 |
| Clown Loach |
Chromobotia macracanthus |
24 |
| Bristlenose catfish |
Ancistrus |
25 |
| Red Tail catfish |
Phractocephalus hemioliopterus |
27 |
| Common Pleco |
Liposarcus pardalis |
28 |
| Ornatipinnis |
Polypterus annectens |
30 |
| Pacu |
Colossoma macropomum |
31 |
| African Lungfish |
protopterus annectens |
37 |
| Goldfish |
Carassius auratus |
43 |
| Japanese Koi |
Cyprinus carpio |
80 |
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