Hardest fish to keep & what is your oldest fish

[my2rotties]

What species is the hardest to keep for you and why?

Do some species have lower immune systems?

What is the oldest most healthy fish you have had?

What kind of fish did you lose despite a perfect water and feeding and such?

What kind of fish would you avoid getting no matter what?

[digital-audiophile]

My longest living fish is my Purple Tang, I've had him for ~4 years and through two tank crashes from moving tanks.

I think the hardest fish I have ever tried is a mandarin, i've tried two different times with both ending in death. I only tried once my tanks were mature enough but also keeping a six line at the same time I think was the downfall.

[fdiddy]

Hardest fish for me to keep so far would have to be a Kole tang. Don't know why, other tangs seem to do great, but I've tried two of these fish and they don't seem to do as well. Longest fish I have, and they've been in there since I started the tank, is a yellow-tailed damsel and a gold stripe maroon clown. Both approx. 1.5 years old. Been through a tank crash and an upgrade to a 160g from a 40g.

[GreenSpottedPuffer]

Copperband Butterfly for me.

Longest fish I had was a Green Spotted Puffer for almost 9 years. I also had a few Archer fishes for 5 years.

Longest actual saltwater fish would be a Stars and Stripes Puffer for 3 years. Kind of sad that for saltwater fish, the longest is 3 years :( He is still alive and well though with a friend in Florida. So he is about 6 or 7 years old now.

I would avoid many, many fish personally (mostly the usual suspects for hard to keep fish). Just not worth the effort or risk to keep them alive for. Many are better left in the ocean.

[EmilyB]

Black Blotch Trigger 11 years so far

Black back butterfly 9 years so far

I sold a yellow tang when it was 9, don't know if she is still around.

Lost many along the way unfortunately.

[reefy]

hardiest one for me would be Morish Idol
longest one that I have is my 2 perculas and pyjamas cardinal 3 years sinces I start salwater.

[marie]

my longest lived fish is my clarkii clown, I'll have had her 10 yrs in sept. The rest of my fish (with the exception of a few little guys and the copperband) I have had for at least 3 yrs

[untamed]

Copperband butterfly fish was the one fish that frustrated me because I couldn't keep it alive no matter what I tried. Never again. (unless someone provides me with one they have already kept for a year or more)

My best record is with a yellow-tail damsel - 13 years...and a convict damsel at 12 years. Both have passed away and I really believe they both just died of old age.

My current longest lived is a gold-striped maroon clown at almost 4 years.

[Trigger Man]

Copperband butterfly and Regal Angel fish were the hardest ones for me to try and in the end both slowly died away despite my best efforts.
The Achilles tang was the one that still has me confused, as it was great for over a month never showed ick, ate everything, had great color and then one day just died in a span of 5 hours, breathing heavy and slowly did the sideways thing, but no other fish or coral in the tank looked un normal and the water checked out perfectly when I tested it.
My longest living fish are currently a little over 2 years old (were introduced within 2 months of eachother) and are my Crosshatch trigger, Jumbo Chromis, Purcula Clownfish.

[xenon]

My true percula is 4years old and very easy to care for.

I tried 4 different copperband butterflies of all different sizes that were eating at the LFS before I brougt them home and none survived longer than 3weeks.

[JDigital]

Hardest fish for me to keep alive has been Clownfish... True Perculas, all of them.. I have basically decided that I won't keep clowns anymore, I've lost 5 of them in my time.. I don't know what it is about them or me, but they just do not survive more than a couple weeks.

I can't really comment on my longest lived fish, but all the fish in my current tank have an opportunity to take the title. :mrgreen:

[mark]

7+ years with a Purple Tang. Got him as a SW rookie and tank was only up for abut 6 wks when I added him.

[naesco]

I have never been able to keep any of the following alive for any reasonable time. They just peter off and die for no apparent reason.

1. Any angel
2. Powder Blue, and Achilles tangs
3. Copperband Butterflyfish
4. Cleaner and Leopard Wrasse
5. Any anthias

I simply won't try them anymore because so many reefers have the same problem.

Longest Fish I have had

Betty- powder brown tang 11-13 years (died of old age.)

[Canuckgod420]

For me the hardest fish to keep have always been the Dragonface Pipefish....never lasted more than 3-4 months.

My oldest fish are my yellow tang and my lyretail anthias, both been with us for 4 years.
Also my 2 madarins, kole tang and copperband butterfly are about 3 years old.

[jon.smolders]

My longest surviving fish so far are a pair of tank raised Ocellaris clownfish, who are turning 9 in August (my first marine fish too!). I also have a royal gramma who is almost as old... probably close to 8. These guys have survived brutal tank cleanings, hair algae epidemics, and several tank moves (one a 36 hour move from BC to Alberta).

The hardest fish to keep for me was my flame angel... cost me $100 and seemed to be doing great, but died a month later. :( My three green chromis also died mysteriously after a month.

[my2rotties]

My purple tang has been with us since the beginning 15 months ago now. He has lived through three tank moves, ich, and my stupidity. My percula clowns lived just as long, but my puffer ate one and the other lives in a peaceful nano now. I also have damsel fish from the beginning as well but they will live forever since they are the devil himself.

Since this new tank my only fish issues are with the two angels, my Majestic and Emperor. Sadly they just got sick and died very rapidly for no reason that I could see. I have two others that are healthy, but they are form tank shut downs and are super healthy. The two I lost are form a store and perhaps they are not as hardy as the fish that have been in an aquarium for quite some time.

I won't be doing anymore angel since it is not worth the chance. I think my healthiest fish are the puffer and my tangs, they just thrive. My angels looked wonderful, but they are not as interactive as the tangs so perhaps I should have seen something much sooner.

Thanks for the replies everyone. I know what fish not to get or try ever again.

[fishoholic]

What species is the hardest to keep for you and why? Flame angel, I got it from a bad source and never was able to get it to eat. Lasted for about a month before it died. I would get another one if I could find a healthy one.

Do some species have lower immune systems? Not really sure, probably though.

What is the oldest most healthy fish you have had? My two clown fish, I've had them for over 3 years.

What kind of fish did you lose despite a perfect water and feeding and such? My mysis and pellet eating mandarin :cry: He was about 6-7 years old so I'm guessing it was from old age.

What kind of fish would you avoid getting no matter what? probably an sps only eating type of fish

Answers in quote in red.

[gixxer604]

easyest- Marine Betta had him for 4 years with 3 tank changes from 30gal-80gal to 220gal

hardest- power blue tang, had him in my 80gal tank, always got itc.

[Drock169]

Hardest fish: probably powder blue, moorish idol, mandarin dragonet and copperband butteryfly
All of these are alive and doing fine in my tank but I still consider them some of the most difficult to keep, along with the achilles tang, never tried to keep it though.
Easiest: My true perc, been alive for a couple years since i started the hobby