With proper care, catfish reach an age of 20 years or more. Due to natural enemies and natural events (eg, dry season) is uncertain whether catfish in nature grow older.
With the prospect of this age you should as an aquarist always think about that you are committed to the animals for the relatively long time.
Ages
approximately 31 years:
Pterygoplichthys/Glyptoperichthys gibbiceps
Source: Claus Gering bei facebook / VDA
approximately 30 years:
Source: Stefan 62, Americanfish
approximately 28 years
Corydoras metae
Source: Hans-Georg Evers in BSSW-Report 2/2014
approximately 27,5 years:
Ancistrus sp. “Gemeiner Antennenwels”
Source: Wolfgang Seifert in Amazonas März / April 2013
approximately 26 years:
Source: Stephan82, Americanfish
26 years:
Corydoras schwartzi
Source: Stephan82, Americanfish
24 years:
Corydoras delplhax
Source: Stephan82, Americanfish
approximately 23 years
Source: personal message
more than 20 years:
Panaqolus cf. maccus (L 448/LDA 67)
Source: abL25, Americanfish
Source: Foxi, Americanfish
Source: Foxi, Americanfish
Source: Foxi, Americanfish
more than 18 years:
Quelle: madate, Americanfish
more than 17 years:
Source: Wikipedia
more than 16 years:
Megelchis thoracatus
Source: Michelchen, Americanfish
Corydoras similis
Source: Borneoboris, Americanfish
Corydoras sp. “C 65”
Source: Hans-Georg Evers in BSSW-Report 2/2014
more than 15 years:
Source: Welscaro, Americanfish
Corydoras sp. “C 45”
Source: Hans-Georg Evers in BSSW-Report 2/2014