How long do Mandarin fish live in captivity

[Reefbound]

I awoke this morning to find one of my older fish has died. My 4 year old Blue Mandarin.For about a week has not been eating and his tail has eroded a little or has been harrassed by another.This fish has had a very good pod population to hunt and also ate Ocean nutrition formula one. My question is, How long do they live in captivity?
My tank is nearly five years old and the other fish I have had since the beginning are doing well. They are a Royal gramma and a Flame angel.
Is there another problem I may have to watch for because of the eroded tail?

 

[leebca]

Before you continue to read much further on my reply to your post, I'd like to read this post, if you haven't already:
Pod Eaters

We know that a captive pod population is not 'natural.' The fish is eating only a part of its normal intake in food variety. The supplemental food that has been given this fish is a boost to its longevity and health, but in my estimation, not yet enough to satisfy what I think the fish need nutritionally.

My last Mandarin, given away a few years back is about 11 years old now.

Near death the other fishes know. Mother Nature doesn't waste resources. So a dying marine life form is often picked on for a couple of possible reasons: One so the target doesn't consume any more resources; and two so the target dies fast and provides nutrition to the living. By this I mean to say that the route of death you reported is relatively normal.

Mandarins don't live long in captivity. I believe it isn't because they don't live long at all, but because the very large number of hobbyists just don't get how to take care of them. They are very attractive and that might be their downfall. However, ask most hobbyists how long their Mandarin lived and most say they had it from between 1 and 3 years. Yours bested the average, I'd say.

 

[Reefbound]

leebca, Thank you for your response... You are always straight to the point and I appreciate that. Very good article also, thats the first time I have read that.
When I first started my aquarium the Mandarin was a fish that I really wanted and when I purchased him I did QT him and tried other type of live food and dead for that matter and he never once took to any of it. One day I tossed a couple small pellets in and he ate them right up so after that and looking at the size of the pellet even tried daphnia to no avail and this went on for weeks and he would not except anything but the Ocean nutrition formula one. I also do hatch brine shrimp weekly for all the inhabitants.
You mention a copperband butterfly fish in your wright up and thats another fish I have always wanted but after reading so many stories of mortality I always and still stay away. They seemed to be even harder to keep alive than a Mandarin. imho.

 

[mfinn]

I have a mandarin that has been in my 240 for the 4 years I had it going and I had the same mandarin in my 180 for most of the 7 years I Had it up.
It is a male and I've tried two females over that 11 years. One lasted about 3-4 years in the 180 and the other lasted,,, well I added it to the tank and never saw it again.