measuring fish

[terrence]

Since there are several discussions on fish size vs. # of Gals of water.....let me ask everyone a question. I've read both of these in variuos aquarium books. One says...when you measure fish....you DON"T add in the head or tail....fish size = body size. The other states fish size = tip of nose to tip of tail...........
WHICH IS IT?????? I NOSE there's a right answer out there!!!

 

[guppy slayer]

i agree w/ jwtrojan44
if not the tip of the nose then where...the gill

 

[terrence]

In one of my original books...which I loaned out so I don't know the author, he stated that you measured the'body' not the finnage or nose...therefore....on a tang....which may be 6" from snout to end of tail.....and 4 1/2 " from top of dorsal to bottom of anal fin....you can clearly see the 'body' is only about 2 1/2 " tall and 3" long...... I've actually looked in several other publication...and can't find one that tells you HOW to measure fish..........
That's why I threw this out on the message board......lokking for everyones opinion.......Thanks..........Terry
PS I'm inclined to go with "total" size...because they need the room to swim.......but a fish with more finnage probably wouldn't create as much 'waste' as a fish of equal size...but ALL body.
Error should be in the favor of the fish!!!

 

[reefnut]

Isn't the length based on a full grown adult? If so there are sites and probably books that will tell you how big a particular fish will grow in an aquarium.

 

[terrence]

That can be confusing too!!!! My tank has been set up 13 months and next month it will be a year since I started buying fish. I bought according to the size they would grow to....and NONE of them have. I'm very happy about that...it makes the tank look more colorful and peaceful!!! I have a snowflake that reached about one foot....but my yellow tang and valenti puffer are both under 4"....tip to tail....
I had originally bought several 'pairs' of fish and was a bit overcrowded....but I took the advice of several persons on this site....took back 4 fish (about 9 or 10 inches), took out a bucket full of crushed coral and one 11lb rock....anyways....I went from doing water changes evry 6 days to every 6 weeks......i had also thrown in a cleaner crew......things are NICE!!!!!

 

[reefnut]

Ya I know what you mean. I have a damsel still from my original cycle that is still only about 1" long...