Just curious. How long must something survive in your tank before you consider yourself successfulin keeping it?

[wartooth1]

Title says it all. According to some conversations Ive had with people, the lifespan of pretty much all creatures in an aquarium is very upredictable. So how long is it when you decide for yourself youve had success with something?
Few examples... Snails. Almost every snail Ive had has kicked the bucket, except for my nassarius snails. So most of my snails has been a fail.
An arrow crab, which Ive bought when it was tiny, about the size of a silver dollar, Ive watched grow into a huge critter with a legspan the size of a basketball, but later died. It lived in my tank for about 4 months. Was I succeasful with it? Eh, the jury is out on that.
A cleaner wrass, which I purchased without realizing its special feeding needs, which the internet told me would die within days and online stores list as an "expert" level animal, is still alive and doing extremely well. Its been almost 5 months for the cleaner wrasse. As Borat would say, "great success."

 

[florida joe]

We as hobbyists have to remember that we are attempting to do the impossible. We could never replicate the time line of anything taken from the ocean and placed into a closed system. There are just too many variables involved. I think all we can do is strive to provide the best quality of life for the specimens we keep. If we are confident in the fact that we did all we can to achieve this end then I guess we can call ourselves successful hobbyists’

 

[saxman]

We don't consider ourselves "moderately successful" with a fish species unless we're able to keep it for over a year. However, once we get that far, we should theoretically be able to keep the fish for at least half its known lifespan. Granted, there are some species that only live a couple of years tops, but the fish Cranberry and I "specialize" in ATM all have fairly long lifespans.
Inverts are a bit different, but most of them live almost "forever" under the right conditions, and some such as sea stars may actually take as lond as a year to starve to death, so I use 18 months as our "moderately successful" mark.

 

[florida joe]

Perhaps we should also give the species we are keeping their due. I am sure there are many species living long lives IN SPITE of the hobbyists

 

[bang guy]

Like you were indicating, it depends on the lifespan of the animal. For immortal animals like Anemone & coral any death is a failure.
For Tangs that should live 50 years or so I think 20 - 30 years should be deemed success. Perhaps 15 - 20 years for Clownfish, a couple years for may of the smaller gobies, 10 - 20 years for some of the larger snails, etc.

 

[travelerjp98]

This is a cool thread. I must agree with saxman the most.

 

[btldreef]

Like the others stated, it really depends on the species in question, etc.
Personally, I think having a fish for more than 3-5 years is acceptable in most cases to say you're having success. I don't even claim to "own" a fish if it doesn't make it through quarantine.

 

[geoj]

Setting hypocrisy to the side for a minute, If I look in to the tank and I smile, success! :jy:

 

[btldreef]

Quote:
Originally Posted by GeoJ http:///t/389156/just-curious-how-long-must-something-survive-in-your-tank-before-you-consider-yourself-successfulin-keeping-it#post_3437155
Setting hypocrisy to the side for a minute, If I look in to the tank and I smile, success!

How very true!.
Another measure of success, when my family and friends come over and "oooh and aah" over the tank.

 

[travelerjp98]

Quote:
Originally Posted by BTLDreef http:///t/389156/just-curious-how-long-must-something-survive-in-your-tank-before-you-consider-yourself-successfulin-keeping-it#post_3437163
How very true!.
Another measure of success, when my family and friends come over and "oooh and aah" over the tank.
I can't agree more!! Especially with a 3 year old at my house spending hours in front of the tank and being amazed by it!

 

[florida joe]

So do we also then have to factor in how much money we can spend on our tanks? If the wow factor is a gauge of how successful we are then a hobbyist who can continually replenish their livestock for said wow factor can then consider that they are successful. Hypocrisy indeed.

 

[travelerjp98]

Quote:
Originally Posted by florida joe http:///t/389156/just-curious-how-long-must-something-survive-in-your-tank-before-you-consider-yourself-successfulin-keeping-it#post_3437170
So do we also then have to factor in how much money we can spend on our tanks? If the wow factor is a gauge of how successful we are then hobbyist who can continually replenish their livestock for said wow factor can then consider that they are successful. Hypocrisy indeed.
It may be so...

 

[wartooth1]

In my case, my tank is 7 months old. It contains 9 different fish, 12 differeny corals, about a dozen of different snails and hermit crabs, a couple of shrimps, a crab, 2 starfish and a sea.urchin. No fish deaths yet. Not sicknesses yet. Corals are all happy and thriving.
I test the water every few days, and perform water changes once a week or once every other , and feed the tank in the morning when I get up in he morning and once when I come home from work. So far the only things that died were some of the snails and an arrow crab.
Id like to think so far my tank is a success. Lets see how things are by its 1 year birthday ;-)

 

[al&burke]

I think when you start to understand why they survived you are successful.

 

[mx#28]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bang Guy http:///t/389156/just-curious-how-long-must-something-survive-in-your-tank-before-you-consider-yourself-successfulin-keeping-it#post_3437107
Like you were indicating, it depends on the lifespan of the animal. For immortal animals like Anemone & coral any death is a failure.
For Tangs that should live 50 years or so I think 20 - 30 years should be deemed success. Perhaps 15 - 20 years for Clownfish, a couple years for may of the smaller gobies, 10 - 20 years for some of the larger snails, etc.
Agreed

 

[xcali1985]

Set a goal, reach that goal... SUCCESS!!!
Not trying to dumb this down, because it's not a simple answer. However, if you research the norm or the average captive lifespan, and try to hit near that range, while maintaining a healthy looking fish, I would say that's successful.
Take into account the type of fish and it's needs.
I have a friend who has a Moorish Idol that he has had for 3 years. Albeit is in a tank by itself, and feed live foods, however, it was something he set out to do. Keep a Moorish Idol... so far I would say he is successful!!! Boring tank in my opinion, but beautiful fish.