Category Archives: Industry News and Tips

admin    August 4, 2018   CATEGORY: Industry News and Tips

The Average Lifespan of Common Aquarium Fish: How Long You Can Expect to Keep ‘Em

You’ve probably heard of goldfish dying before they got the chance to live. A day or two of accidental maltreatment and they’re gone, and you’ve come to think of pet fish as being that sensitive and expendable. Well, it definitely doesn’t have to be that way with goldfish or any other livestock in your fish tank. The average lifespan of common aquarium fish varies widely. In fact, goldfish specifically are strong little guys, and some have been known to live up to a whopping 30 years.

Average Lifespan of Common Aquarium Fish

So how long can you expect your fish to live? It depends on a variety of factors, including how much attention you give them, the quality of their water, the aggressiveness of other fish in the tank, the type of food you give them, and the cleanliness of the fish tank.

The fish with the shortest lifespan is known to be the killifish, which only lives about a year, but many fish live upwards of 10 to 15 years, with the average being about 7. Following is the average lifespan of common aquarium fish based on a variety of sources.

• Angelfish: 10 to 20 years

• Bala Shark: More than 10 years

• Betta: 2 to 4 years

• Blackfin Cory: More than 5 years

• Blennies: 2 to 4 years

• Blue Hippo Tang: 8 to 20 years

The average lifespan of common aquarium fish varies widely.

Blue Tang

• Cherry Barb: 4 to 7 years

• Chromis: 8 to 15 years

• Clownfish: More than 10 years

• Damselfish: 2 to 4 years

• Discus: 10 years

• Gobies: 2 to 4 years

• Goldfish: 10 to 30 years

• Guppy: 3 to 5 years

• Killifish: 1 to 2 years

• Midas Cichlid: More than 15 years

• Molly Fish: 3 to 5 years

• Neon Tetra: More than 5 years

• Oscar Cichlid: 10 to 20 years

• Pearl Gourami: 5 to 8 years

• Rainbowfish: 5 to 8 years

• Yellow/Lemon Cichild: 6 to 10 years

The average lifespan of common aquarium fish varies widely. The yellow cichlid, for example, can life up to about 10 years.

Electric Yellow Cichlid

Learn More About How to Care for Them

In addition to the above factors, the average lifespan of aquarium fish also depends on if they are saltwater fish or freshwater fish. If you provide them with the proper environment and care, however, you should be able to keep your fish happy and healthy for a long time.

If you want to learn more about the needs of your saltwater fish or freshwater fish, let us know. We’ll teach you how to give them the best life possible.

 

The average lifespan of common aquarium fish varies widely based on a variety of factors. Contact us to learn more about how to make sure they are strong and healthy for as long as possible.

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admin    June 28, 2018   CATEGORY: Industry News and Tips

Should You Use Different Lighting for Saltwater Aquariums and Freshwater Aquariums?

Light is light, right? Isn’t it all the same thing? Well, when it comes to fish tanks, there’s much more to it than that. You should use different lighting for saltwater aquariums and freshwater aquariums for a few reasons.

Using Different Lighting for Saltwater Aquariums and Freshwater Aquariums

As an aquarium is set up, the goal is to mimic a natural sea life environment. That’s why a fish aquarium often includes items like dry or live rock when setting up saltwater environments, live plants, coral, and various substrates, depending on if it’s a freshwater aquarium or saltwater aquarium.

While the fish probably don’t need as much light as we think they do, some lighting is critical. The purpose of the light is more for us to see them, but it’s also important for the natural behavioral characteristics of the fish and for the overall health of the aquarium and its inhabitants, especially if they would naturally live in shallow water.

Following are some basic guidelines regarding the best lighting to use for different types of aquariums, as listed by Doctors Foster and Smith.

Different Lighting for Saltwater Aquariums and Freshwater Aquariums

• Fish-only aquariums that contain fish, artificial plants, and decorative wood or ceramics: Standard, power compact fluorescent system, or LED lights at 1 to 2 watts per gallon.

• Freshwater aquariums that contain live plants that depend on light: Standard fluorescent, T-5, HO, VHO, Power Compact, Metal Halide/HQi, or LED at 2 to 5 watts per gallon. When it comes to freshwater aquariums, too much light may result in the growth of algae, but not enough light can endanger the plants. For that reason, it’s important to ensure that the right amount and intensity of light is used.

• Saltwater aquariums / marine reef aquariums that contain fish, invertebrates, corals, and live rock: The recommended lighting system is T-5 HO, VHO, Power Compact, Metal Halide/HQI, or LED. The strength and saturation of light depends greatly on the natural habitat of your specific fish and other wildlife. In the wild, corals can be found deep underwater or in shallower areas, and the same goes for the type of fish that are in your saltwater aquarium. Generally, if your reef aquarium is 24 inches deep or less, use a lighting system of 4 to 8 watts per gallon.

Regardless of how much or what type of light is used, it’s important to regulate the temperature of the tank. Tank water that is overheated can be dangerous to the wildlife. For this reason, you also should limit the use of strong lights or use a lighting system that can be dimmed. It may be wise to have the lighting system on a timer as well.

Have Seatech Aquariums Install Your Aquarium and Its Lighting System

Now that you understand a little more about the different lighting for saltwater aquariums and freshwater aquariums, there are a couple more things you should know.

First, each aquarium is wonderfully unique, and making it so is our goal. The possibilities are endless when it comes to creating a natural habitat for your wildlife. Each piece of coral is as different as each type of fish in the aquarium, and a combination of all the different elements of your aquarium is what makes it all yours. For that reason, the best type of lighting for your tank will depend on a variety of factors, which is why we will include the best system for your livestock as we install your aquarium.

It’s also important to not only use the recommended lights, but also to have them installed properly for your safety and for the safety of your livestock.

 

Should You Use Different Lighting for Saltwater Aquariums and Freshwater Aquariums? Contact us at Seatech Aquariums to have an aquarium lighting system installed.

TAGS: Aquarium Installation, Aquarium Lighting, Fish Tank Lighting, Freshwater Aquarium, Reef Aquarium, Saltwater Aquarium,