Fish growing to size of enviroment?

[Bedge]

Here is another riviting question from me:

Is it true that fish grow to thier enrivonment?? Or is it a wives tail?

Further more, is there a science in figuring out what size tank a indervidual fish should have?

And how do you know if your fish has stopped growing??? hahahahahahaha!

[japes]

Here is another riviting question from me:

Is it true that fish grow to thier enrivonment?? Or is it a wives tail?

Further more, is there a science in figuring out what size tank a indervidual fish should have?

And how do you know if your fish has stopped growing??? hahahahahahaha!

Definitely a myth.

I believe if you do keep fish that will grow larger than the aquarium, it's body growth will be stunted but the internals will to continue to grow and as you can imagine that's not healthy.

[KIMO]

I was once asked, what if you put a great dane in a budgie cage, would it stay the size of a Jack Russell..........definately a myth.

[Shady]

Well heres my comment.

I have a 8 year old giant gourami measuring over 2ft in length which has spent its life in 8ft aquarium, now i know of a 12 year old giant gourami that spent most of its life in a 4ft tank & this fish measures only 30-40 cms in length which is because of the evironment it was raised in.

The more room u give ur fish the faster they will grow.

I believe if you do keep fish that will grow larger than the aquarium, it's body growth will be stunted but the internals will to continue to grow and as you can imagine that's not healthy.

Its a scary thought but not really possible, fish can stunt their own growth until they have the room to grow out although sometimes they dont grow again.

[gingerbeer]

Yep - stunts growth in length mainly, so you get deep short fish.

This linky is a good place to start reading.

http://malawicichlids.com/mw01019.htm

Certainly there the tank has got to be big enough for the adult size fish - and my pet hate is peeps who buy a fish plannig to upgrade later. Main reason for my hatred of this practice is that life changes and sometimes people can't afford the bigger tank later - and then have dreadful problems. (OK I will get of the soapbox now)

I think also got to think and talk about filtration. The ability of your filter system to cope with the amount of waste from your fish is crucial and often overlooked.

You need a tank big enough for the fish but then for some fish you can overcrowd - and there is even benefits in overcrowding. Particularly for africans I like to overcrowd and up my filters. Can't do this with the yanks but.

Hope this helps

[D6C1]

Nice read on that link gingerbeer

[Symphy]

Hi Gingerbeer

Awesome read, thanks for sharing

Regards Armandi

[Malloy]

I know that Betta's release a hormone that stunts thier growth, the concentration of that hormone is what regulates thier growth. So if it was living in a puddle somewhere in Thailand it it would not grow very much at all, whereas a large tank with regular water changes allows them to grow much faster because the hormone is diluted and removed regularly.

Not sure if Cichlids have a similar hormone but it's food for thought.

[Imbie]

I know that Betta's release a hormone that stunts thier growth, the concentration of that hormone is what regulates thier growth. So if it was living in a puddle somewhere in Thailand it it would not grow very much at all, whereas a large tank with regular water changes allows them to grow much faster because the hormone is diluted and removed regularly.

Not sure if Cichlids have a similar hormone but it's food for thought.

Like a tree when small, if kept in a pot will remain small e.g. bonsai