fish growth question
- Thread starter fditty
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flamehawk
Active Member
While I agree that many fish will outgrow tanks that are too small, there is also evidence to suggest that some fish get"stunted" by closed systems,especially if too small. In corresponding with several marine biologists on this topic several months ago, many of them claim to have done research which suggests that many species, large angels in particular, seem to "stunt" in comparison to natural size . Particular reference was made to emperor and french. You will also notice that many aquarium books will refer to captive or tank size VS. ocean size. They will also make statemnts like..."rarely observed" in the aquarium over such and such size which is always less than natural adult size in the wild. This is also recognition of some stunting that does take place in the aquarium.
This info. should not serve as a reason to put large fish in small tanks. WE should strive to give all of our aquatic creatures the best artifical aquarium environment possible. This does not include cramped quarters.
This info. should not serve as a reason to put large fish in small tanks. WE should strive to give all of our aquatic creatures the best artifical aquarium environment possible. This does not include cramped quarters.
k-dawg
Member
It's pretty simple really. I fish that grows to three feet is diffenently going to out grow a ten gallon tank. If you never give it anything larger it obviously wont grow to three feet in a tank that is only twenty inches long and do to lack of proper conditions it's growth will be slowed or stunted. I realize a three foot fish in a ten gallon is an extream example and no one would dispute it would out grow such a tank, but the reason why it is said it will out grow a tank because, true it may not over grow the size of the tank itself but it well grow to the max size it can reach in such an aquarium at wicth point it's heath will suffure do to depression of being confind to an area to small, (depression kills fish too) and most importantly it is too much stess on the aquariums filtration systems and the water quality cannot be maintained properly and the fish dies.
So in other words a fish may not literaly out grow a tank in physical size, but that's really only because it would die before it gets a chance too. Still it is true that there growth can be stunted or slowed so a clown for example that may have all the room it would need in a 25 gallon still may not grow as large or as fast as a clown kept in a 125 gallon though the one in the 25 gallon wouldn't nessacaray suffure for it.
So in other words a fish may not literaly out grow a tank in physical size, but that's really only because it would die before it gets a chance too. Still it is true that there growth can be stunted or slowed so a clown for example that may have all the room it would need in a 25 gallon still may not grow as large or as fast as a clown kept in a 125 gallon though the one in the 25 gallon wouldn't nessacaray suffure for it.
luckyk0505
Member
I have a yellow tang.. I had him for 5 year.. didnt get much bigger.. I dont feed alot.. maybe that is why..