[SAW39]

For the heck of it, I took out my fish journel and then used a spreadsheet to record each major fish or invert that I bought (not small snails or hermits), the date I bought it, and the day it died. I was thinking that things were getting worse in my tank and that the statistics would show it.

I have a lot of data -- I've bought 55 creatures over the past 19 months. The average lifespan is 99 days, but the median lifespan is 33 days, mainly because 14 (25%) lasted a week or less. I've had 11 creatures live longer than 200 days. Currently, my longest-lived fish is a Decorated Firefish that I've had over 400 days, since November 2005.

There are no clear trends. There were two spikes in the death statistics and I'm pretty sure I know what caused each. Things are not especially any worse or better now than they have been for the past year.

So, I don't think that I am a bad hobbiest. I know many of you have had fish or inverts for years and years. But, how long does your average resident last?