How long do fish live, and how to determine their age. How long do fish live in natural conditions? How many years does river fish live

Many busy people who dream of having a pet and are unable to get a cat or dog purchase aquariums. However, not everyone knows how to properly care for its inhabitants. After reading today's article, you will find out how long goldfish live.

A small historical digression

It should be noted that it is these fish that are considered the oldest representatives of the carp family, which they began to breed and keep in aquariums. And the first to do this was the indigenous population of China. For those who are interested in how many years they live, it does not hurt to know that professional court breeders were involved in their breeding. They were obtained by crossing several species

After the first bright individuals were launched into the imperial pond, work began on breeding new fish. This is how modern veiltails, vakins and che appeared. The life span of individuals living in vivo, was about a quarter of a century.

In the 16th century, these bright and rather large fish were brought to Japan, and after another hundred years, the inhabitants of Europe learned about them. It is interesting that here the life expectancy of imported individuals was reduced to three months. This is due to the fact that their owners for some reason believed that they did not need food at all.

Appearance

Those who want to understand how long goldfish live will probably be interested in how they look. The average length of adults is about thirty-five centimeters. However, in aquarium conditions, such impressive specimens are rarely found. Usually in captivity they grow up to fifteen centimeters.

The goldfish has a long, laterally flattened elliptical body. She also has several reddish or yellowish fins, the longest of which is the dorsal. It starts from the middle of the red-golden body. The sides of the vast majority of representatives of this species are colored golden, and the belly is yellowish.

How long do goldfish live in an aquarium?

AT this case Much depends on the conditions in which they live. On average, this figure is from five to ten years. However, there are exceptions. For example, in one of the English cities there was a couple of individuals who lived to the age of thirty. Moreover, they lived in a forty-liter aquarium and ate specialized food. And in the county of Sev. Yorkshire was gold fish who lived for forty-four years.

Content Features

Having figured out how long aquarium goldfish live, you need to learn how to properly care for them. First of all, it should be noted that fifty liters of water will be required per individual. Those who plan to have five or six fish should purchase a two-hundred-liter aquarium in advance for future pets. In addition, it is important to control filtration, aeration and light levels.

The optimum water temperature varies from eighteen to twenty-three degrees. However, a lot depends on the time of year. AT winter months it can be a little colder than in summer. It is important not to forget to replace a tenth of the contents of the aquarium daily. Since poor-quality and polluted water can cause the development of many diseases.

Having understood how long goldfish live, you need to understand the characteristics of their diet. Immediately, we note that they are quite gluttonous. Despite the fact that these creatures almost constantly ask for food, feeding them is often not recommended. According to most experts, frequent meals can lead to various diseases. Experienced aquarists advise feeding goldfish no more than twice a day. It is important to give out food in small portions that are eaten within seven minutes.

The basis of the diet of these beautiful, but very voracious creatures are plants, specialized dry and live food. Moreover, the latter are recommended to be purchased frozen in order to exclude infection of fish with various diseases. As for dry food, it must first be soaked in a small bowl filled with water, which was taken from the aquarium in advance. Vegetable food must be scalded in advance with boiling water and chopped. Plus, it is recommended to supplement their menu with unsalted crumbly cereals that are boiled in water.

Every aquarist wonders how long aquarium fish live. Everyone needs to know this. If you are not sure if you want to keep the aquarium for a long time, get fish with a short lifespan. For experienced breeders, the number of years is important in calculating the number of spawns that the fish will have time to complete.

The life span of aquarium inhabitants can be affected by several points:

• The size;
• Water temperature;
• Overfeeding;
• underfeeding;
• Conditions of detention;
• Neighborhood.

Fish size

The main criterion is the size of the fish. By this indicator, you can judge how long you can admire your pet in the aquarium. The lowest limit is for small inhabitants, whose dimensions do not exceed 5 centimeters. For example, neon, guppy, swordsman. They live from one to five years.

Record-breakingly small sizes were found in the South American fish - cinolebias. The duration of her life depended on the rainy season, as soon as the drought set in, the cinolebias died. The only thing that saved the fish from extinction was the timely spawning. During the period of high water, she managed to appear, grow, spawn and die.

Fish, whose sizes are defined as average, can live up to 15 years, and some representatives are over 25, for example, piranhas. Therefore, when starting such pets, be prepared for a long neighborhood.

An interesting fact is that males live much longer than females. Sometimes, the difference reaches almost two years. Breeds are known where the female dies after the birth of fry. Of course, no one is immune from unsuccessful spawning or a number of diseases, but most often this is observed in swordtails and goupes.

Aquarium water temperature

The life span is affected by the temperature of the water in the aquarium. Cold-blooded animals cannot control their body temperature on their own, so water sets the rhythm for most processes occurring in the body. The body temperature of a fish is equal to degrees of water. Thus, the higher the indicator, the more intense the metabolic processes in the body of the fish, and, therefore, the life expectancy is reduced. Sometimes this figure reaches several years.

It has been proven that if you rarely change the aquarium water, the concentration of harmful substances in the water will be higher than normal, which will lead to a reduction in the years of existence of the inhabitants. Use settled water, the chlorine content of which is close to the permissible value. Bad water can lead to dysfunction of the respiratory organs and diseases of the digestive organs.

Diet

How long do aquarium fish live? , feed affects. It's about overfeeding and underfeeding. Obesity in fish is a fairly common problem. Most often this happens in a family with young children who are interested in seeing the inhabitants of the aquarium eating food. Don't underestimate underfeeding. Due to the lack of nutritional and vitamin elements, they will not have enough energy for a normal existence. If you are in doubt about the correct amount of food, smell the water. If you overfeed the fish, the water will have a specific smell. Ideally, no fragrance should come from it.

Overfeeding takes place if:

• The water has a rotten smell;
• Gets cloudy quickly;
• A film is formed;
• Algae have a slippery coating.

In order to avoid the death of your favorite fish and increase the number of years of cohabitation, it is necessary to observe the measure in feeding, then life expectancy will correspond to the figure indicated in reliable sources. There should be enough food so that the fish have time to eat it within a few minutes after the food is served.

Choosing the Right Neighbors

The number of years lived may vary depending on the nature and type of neighbors. When you create a dream aquarium, it is not enough to know the aesthetic criteria and dimensions, it is necessary to evaluate the preferred habitat and character. If the fish can get used to the hardness of the water, then they will hardly endure the unacceptable habits of their neighbors.

The combination of fish dimensions is one of the fundamental rules of the aquarist. big fish able to eat small fish or fry, regardless of taste preferences. Before launching new inhabitants, carefully study compatibility.

Overpopulation negatively affects the lifespan of aquarium fish. Negative effects of overpopulation:

• Feed shortage;
• High competition;
• lack of oxygen;
• Frequent illnesses;
• Aggressive behavior;
• Fight for leadership.

All this can lead to the death of fish. It is important to observe the number of liters per individual. Otherwise, the life of the fish may be shortened. Be careful of cocky breeds, they are able to kill an opponent in the struggle for leadership.

Most people know that dogs live 8 to 12 years, cats live about 12 to 14 years. But how long do aquarium fish live? When hobbyists decide to have a fish in their home, they are rarely interested in the issue of life expectancy, and then wonder why the pet suddenly died. Although the lifespan of wild fish has not been fully explored, what can we say about aquarium species. With proper care, many pets live from 2 to 20 years or more, depending on size, personal endurance and feeding. Even fish with a short lifespan will live longer than expected if you create a "paradise" corner in the aquarium.

Quick navigation through the article

freshwater species

Many freshwater fish species live from 1 to 6 years. The most popular small fish, characterized by a short lifespan: swordtails, mollies, irises, catfish corridors, some cichlids, rasboras, carnegiells, tiger barbs. There are also several species of fish that live more than 5-6 years with proper care and feeding. Among them: kissing gourami, zebrafish, beta, Jack Dempsey fish.

If you're looking for fish that have a lifespan of 10 years or more, look no further than blue neons, angelfish, oscars, or plecostomuses. A well-known aquarium centenarian is a goldfish. With proper feeding, a clean and healthy aquatic environment, they live up to 15 years. The oldest aquarium goldfish lived to be 30 years old, the only officially recorded case.

Look at a 25 year old goldfish.

Species that live in salt water

How long do aquarium fish live that they prefer salt water? Despite the narrow distribution in home nurseries and the complexity of the content, some fanciers still try to provide them with all possible living conditions. A balanced level of salt in water can prolong life, proper nutrition and the corresponding volume of the aquarium. Most marine fish live in public aquariums where they live in best conditions. Many sea ​​fish succumb to disease early in life due to poor care.

Some brackish water species live 2 to 4 years. Among them: butterfly fish, mandarin duck, Moorish idol, gobies, blennies, Napoleon, monodactylus (swallow fish), triggerfish, surgeon fish, degu. Most small tropical seahorses live in aquariums for 3-4 years. Larger seahorses may live longer but are rarely available for the home aquarium.

More hardy marine species can live in captivity for 10 years or more: these are lionfish, clownfish, eels and groupers. There are many varieties of angelfish that live long in brackish water. sea ​​fish angels can live for over 20 years, and grow to impressive sizes.

Admire marine aquarium fish species.

Families of fish, life expectancy in years of some representatives

Large aquarium fish live longer than small ones, some are able to outlive the person himself. Because fish are cold-blooded animals, their body temperature matches the temperature of the water. With its increase, the processes in the body are accelerated, as a result of which the body wears out and ages. Improper feeding or overfeeding also shortens the life of pets. Aquarium cichlids have a sensitive gastrointestinal tract, and in the event of an incorrect dose or the addition of live larvae, they can easily get sick. The purity of the water is also important - species without scales are sensitive to impurities of chlorine, nitrites, nitrates and organics. Fish of the genus Polypterus and Labyrinths need access to atmospheric oxygen.

Representatives of the Kharatsin family live an average of 5-10 years: tetras, congos, neons, minors, piranhas, metinnis, pacu.

The life expectancy of the Karpovs is from 5 to 30 years: zebrafish, morulius, parsing, barbs, labeo, cardinals (5-10); goldfish, shark ball (10-30).

Cichlids live from 5 to 18 years: discus, frontosa, African and South American cichlids, nimbochromis, astronotus, severum, labidochromis, apistogramma.

Members of the carp family, viviparous fish live 3-15 years: swordsmen, platies, mollies, guppies and others.

Representatives of the Loach family live 10-15 years: common loach, botia.

Types of fish of the Catfish family live from 5 to 15: glass catfish, otocinclus, plecostomus, pimelodus, synodontis, mistus, banjo, sturizoma, tarakatum.

Other aquarium fish, representatives of different families: atheosimions (1 year old); tetraodons, archer fishes, wedge-bellies, irisfishes, leporines (5); panaki (10).

It may seem to people who are far from aquarists that fish are strikingly different from other pets - they are unemotional, do not wag their tail and do not show great joy when the owner appears. However, the owners of the fish are very attached to their wards, and many representatives of the aquarium world reciprocate them. Naturally, the aquarist is interested in the question of how long fish live in captivity. You always want your pets, although they are so unusual, to be around for as long as possible. And, of course, it is important to know how this period can be extended.

Despite the fact that everything is individual, there are average indicators of how long certain fish live:

• in baloo sharks, ordinary loaches, piranhas - the life span usually does not exceed 10 years;
• metinnis, nimbochromis, Malawian cichlids, angelfish, cockroaches, sturizomas, panakias - is more than 10 years;
• in apistograms, guppies, swordtails, platies, rainbows, gourami - the life limit does not exceed 5 years, more often the cycle is only 3-4 years;
• cardinals, neons and mollies usually live no more than 4 years;
• tetradons, archers, wedge-bellies, synodontis, congos, otocincluses, mistuses - 5-year life span is measured;
• tetras and laliuses live about 5-6 years;
• life expectancy of danios and catfish of corridors - 5-7 years;
• in labeos, barbs, black morulis, rastobors, this period varies from 4 to 10 years;
• pimelodus angels and glass catfish on average live about 8 years;
• the life cycle of plecostomuses, banjo catfish, frontoses is 7–15 years;
• cichlomas and bots live from 10 to 15 years;
• astronotus, discus and severum - from 10 to 18 years;
• among goldfish, centenarians are often found - they live from 10 to 30 years.

The life cycle of marine fish

Marine life is not as common among aquarists as freshwater, but many hobbyists gravitate towards exotic species and acquire unusual fish without fear of difficulty. The lifespan of such individuals will be longer if they live in water with a balanced salt level.

It is important to provide them with quality care - often the fish die in the first year of life from diseases that have arisen due to poor living conditions. Short eyelids of the following marine species:

• butterfly fish;
• tangerines;
• Moorish idols;
• gobies;
• triggerfish;
• swallow fish;
• Napoleons;
• surgeonfish.

They live from 2 to 4 years. Small seahorses from the tropics are also short-lived, their life cycle is only 3-4 years. The life expectancy of lion fish, clownfish, eels and sea bass in an aquarium is 8-10 years. But for sea angel fish, this period takes about 20 years or more.

What is the lifespan of fish

The owner, when choosing the population for his aquarium, can focus on various criteria, including taking into account their life expectancy. Perhaps the long-term maintenance of the reservoir is not included in the plans of a person, or perhaps this is his favorite thing, and he cannot imagine life without underwater inhabitants.

It is important for professional breeders to consistently get offspring, therefore, the more they spawn, the better. Duration life cycle fish is associated with the following factors:

• the size of individuals;
• temperature regime;
• malnutrition - overfeeding or underfeeding;
• livability and neighborhood;
• tank volume.

In some cases, due to just one violation, the cycle of fish can be significantly reduced.

Fish size

This is one of the main criteria. As you know, in the body of small individuals, all vital processes proceed faster, and therefore they live less than their larger relatives. The shortest life is for fish, the size of which does not exceed 5 cm, for example, “swords”, “gupeshki”, neons do not often live up to the 5th anniversary and often die after 1-2 years.

Cynolebias fish found in water bodies turned out to be unusually small South America. The duration of their life cycle is directly related to the rainy season. As soon as it stopped and dry days set in, the formed reservoirs dried up and the cynolebias died. But this species did not die out - for their entire 6-month life, the fish managed to spawn. Six months was enough for them to be born, reach puberty, leave offspring and die.

Medium-sized fish live about 10-15 years, but among them there are also centenarians, for example, the life expectancy of piranhas can reach a quarter of a century. Naturally, such inhabitants will stay around longer, and this is important to consider when establishing them. Interestingly, females live less than males, and often the difference reaches 1.5-2.5 years. In some species, females die immediately as soon as they reproduce offspring.

Of course, not a single aquarium fish is immune from diseases and unsuccessful births, but most often this happens in viviparous guppies and swordtails.

Temperature indicators

Water temperature has a significant impact on the duration of the life cycle of the inhabitants of the aquarium. The peculiarity of cold-blooded creatures is that they are not able to independently regulate their body temperature, so water performs this function. What is the temperature of the water in the tank, the same indicator for its inhabitants.

The warmer the water environment, the more active the metabolism in the body of fish. This leads to faster wear and a shorter life cycle. In some cases, the life of the fish becomes shorter than one year.

Water quality

Practice has shown that with a rare change of water in the tank, the concentration of harmful, toxic components in it increases significantly, which negatively affects the quality of life of the inhabitants and its duration. When replacing, it is recommended to use only settled water, which contains allowable level chlorine. Due to being in bad water, fish often experience disturbances in their work. respiratory tract and diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

Diet and feeding regimen

Another important aspect that affects the life of aquarium inhabitants. As a rule, fish can suffer from both overfeeding and lack of food:

1. Overfeeding. Obesity is a common pathology that occurs due to host errors. Often, fish eat more than they should when the family does not have a clear schedule - they feed everyone who remembers them, give food "by eye", not caring about the portion size, or they allow children to be given food to please the latter with a funny spectacle.
2. underfeeding. If the fish are malnourished, they become deficient nutrients, vitamins and microelements. They become lethargic, inactive, as there is not enough strength.

If the owner doubts whether his wards are getting enough food, you can smell the water - if too much food gets into it, it acquires a specific smell. It is best if it does not exude an extraneous aroma. It is worth worrying about overfeeding fish in the following cases:

• if the water in the tank smells like rotten meat;
• quickly loses transparency, becomes cloudy;
• a film appears on the surface;
• plants and decor are covered with an unpleasant, slimy layer.

The main rule of feeding any pets, including water ones, is a measure. According to generally accepted rules, the fish should receive as much food as they can consume in a few minutes after the start of the meal.

Competent neighborhood

Often, in pursuit of the aesthetic beauty of the aquarium, novice owners miss this moment. In such situations, the common reservoir is not a very comfortable place for all the inhabitants:

1. Large predators begin to eat smaller neighbors - what are the chances for the latter to live all the time allotted to them by nature?
2. Territorial fish clearly monitor their zone - they harshly drive away everyone who invades it. And then what should the rest of the inhabitants who prefer to live in the same layer do? aquatic environment? Just stress and hide.
3. Phlegmatic fish with luxurious fins constantly suffer from hooligan, hyperactive neighbors - they will definitely bite and peel off their tails and fins, while the victims are not only stressed, but often get sick and do not live long.
4. Many representatives of the breeds cannot stand their own brethren. For example, just a couple of bettas can turn an aquarium into a permanent battlefield, and these fighting fish fight not only to the first blood.

These are far from all unsuccessful combinations of creatures that are forced to live on the same territory with " light hand» owner.

Video about why fish die in an aquarium

overcrowded reservoir

It is important to take into account the needs of the inhabitants in free space - for swimming and zoning. If you put more fish and other aquatic creatures in the container, you may encounter the following problems:

• living creatures will not have enough food;
• there will be increased competition - the fish will sort things out for the slightest reason - because of food, territory, different characters. Of course, we are not talking about a full, calm life;
• the oxygen regime of the tank is disturbed - this is one of the most common causes of the death of aquarium inhabitants;
• the incidence of fish increases - they do not feel well. In addition, many diseases begin to spread, affecting more and more individuals;
• aggression is increasing - intolerance towards neighbors can occur even among quite peaceful and calm inhabitants - and who will like constant interference from the outside?
• individuals with leadership inclinations will fight for the place of leader and leader - tough, uncompromisingly, oppressing the weaker ones along the way. In a rush, cocky fish are able to kill an opponent.

Any of the above situations causes the death of the inhabitants of the artificial reservoir. It is important that each fish has its own "living space", and the needs of an individual of a particular breed in the volume of water should also be taken into account.

Social security, funded pension... Don't worry about your own age, let's think about fish. Up to what age do fish live? My friend Harald and I argued which of the fish species in our waters live the longest. He claimed it was a carp, and I thought it was a pike.

Which one of us is right and what is the maximum lifespan of fish? How long a fish can live depends on various conditions and the most important of these is the species to which the fish belongs. There is the following general rule: The larger a fish can reach, the longer it can live.

A fish that grows to a maximum of 10 cm has a much shorter lifespan than a fish that can reach a meter in length. The same rule is true for other classes of animals, for example. mammals. An elephant lives much longer than a mouse. The causes are hereditary and are associated with the way of life of the species.

The elephant becomes sexually mature only after many years, and the mouse after a few months. But species that do not reach old age, multiply much more rapidly. A pair of mice will produce millions of offspring in the same amount of time that a pair of elephants will produce only one or two babies.

Water temperature affects growth. There are a number of exceptions to the rule that large animals live longer, among fish. It depends on heredity or environment. Fish are poikilothermic animals, that is, their body temperature corresponds to the temperature of the water that surrounds them (the exception is tuna - their body temperature is higher). Read about the features of catching fish in autumn in this - .

In fairy tales, the pike reaches biblical age, but in reality it only lives up to 30 years.

The course of biological processes occurring in the body is largely regulated by temperature. Heat accelerates biological processes, low - slows them down. This, however, is only true for temperature range within which a particular fish species is viable.

Water temperature affects the growth rate and lifespan of fish. This is known to all fish farmers who are trying to maximize the growth of fish by constantly keeping them under optimal temperature water. But farmed fish do not live as long as wild ones, even if the fish are kept in ponds until they die of old age.

If we compare the maximum age of fish that reach approximately the same size, we will encounter another exception. Take, for example, perch and crucian. Carp, like many other cyprinids, fall into hibernation, while perches remain active all year round. For this reason, the age of crucians can be significantly older than that of perches.

Old carp literally have moss-covered backs. Still, carp can reach the age of 50 years.

The maximum age cannot be precisely determined. The intensity of growth and age of fish is usually determined by annual rings on the scales, the so-called auditory stones and dorsal vertebrae. However, this is true only for those fish that live in areas where the seasons are very different from each other, so that fish grow at different rates depending on the season.

In fish living at a constant water temperature, annual rings do not form. From age studies, we know that carp live up to about 50 years, and pikes - up to 25-30 years. Sturgeons are very old, they can reach the age of 100 years (below we give the age of fish of some other species).

However, it should be remembered that the maximum age of the fish cannot be determined exactly. Even if a cod over 30 years old has not yet been caught, this does not mean that it cannot be older!