The sixbar angelfish, Pomacanthus sexstriatus, is one of the lesser known species of large angelfish although it is a very common species where it is exported from the Philippines. What the sixbar angelfish might lack in ostentatious coloration it makes up with undemanding care requirements, and a tenacity for life as exemplified by the record breaking 40 year old specimen living at the Nancy Aquarium in France.
Well known for long-lived angelfish and butterflyfish species, the Nancy Aquarium first received this sixbar angelfish December 18, 1971 at which time it was only 14cm, or about 5.5 inches long. Over the last four decades the Nancy Aquarium’s sixbar angelfish has grown to a size of 30cm (15 inches) and it currently resides in a 10,000 liter (1600 gallon) aquarium stocked primarily as a display of large and old reef fish.
Although sixbar angelfish can grow to be 18 inches long, we assume this guy is done growing. If this Pomacanthus sexstriatus has lived in captivity for over 41 years and it was already a medium size when collected from the wild, this particular fish is probably 45 years old, maybe more. For comparison that means this sixbar angelfish is more than a decade older than this author!
In addition to the longevity record that the Nancy Aquarium has obtained with this forty year old sixbar angelfish, they deserve additional accolades for keeping this fish in prime condition, with not a scar of its body, nick of its fins or any hint of HLLE anywhere on the middle aged reef fish. Huge props to the skilled and experienced fish keepers at the Nancy Aquarium and the next time you think your fish is old, just remember that there is a sixbar angelfish out there that’s been cruising its aquarium as long as Greenpeace and NASDAQ have been in existence. [via Bacasab]
[youtube width=”680″ height=”400″]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84_v0tpYQQ4[/youtube]
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