# Fish Growth - we can't work it out.



## Simoriax (Apr 10, 2005)

Me and a mate of mine down the road are rather confused as to whats going on. We have the same size fish tank, we use the same foods, same water and a lot of the same fish. Most of his are twice the size of mine. Even the fish of the same age. It has had us baffled for ages. 90% of my fish hardly grow at all, any ideas?


----------



## shev (Jan 18, 2005)

water changes and more food?


----------



## Simoriax (Apr 10, 2005)

Once a week and same feeding steal


----------



## Thunderkiss (Mar 19, 2005)

Water parameters and water change schedule?


----------



## shev (Jan 18, 2005)

he's using illegal steroids on his fish?


----------



## Simoriax (Apr 10, 2005)

shev @ Sun Apr 10 said:


> he's using illegal steroids on his fish?


lol, i doubt it.

My nitrate and amonia readings are both 0. I have more than enough surface activity and all the fish are happy with no sickness issues.


----------



## Thunderkiss (Mar 19, 2005)

What are his readings?


----------



## fish_doc (Jan 31, 2005)

What are the male/female numbers? If your tank has more males that could explain it. Some breeds the females grow larger and if you have more than one male in a tank they are known to release a hormone to stunt growth so the one releasing the hormone can become the largest and most dominant male to appeal to the females.


----------



## Damon (Jan 18, 2005)

Could be genetic. We humans come in different sizes also.


----------



## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

I would doubt that your problem is genetic, because you have more than one fish in a tank genetic variation would give you a chance of having a longer/larger than normal fish as well as a smaller than normal fish... my guess is growth inhibiting hormones


----------



## Thunderkiss (Mar 19, 2005)

The other thing to consider is some fish grow at different rates, and also some exude growth inhibiting pheromones for fish of the same species. The only species i know to do this for sure are discus, but is worth researching.


----------



## Cichlid Man (Jan 19, 2005)

Simoriax @ Sun Apr 10 said:


> Me and a mate of mine down the road are rather confused as to whats going on. We have the same size fish tank, we use the same foods, same water and a lot of the same fish. Most of his are twice the size of mine. Even the fish of the same age. It has had us baffled for ages. 90% of my fish hardly grow at all, any ideas?


Alright mate, I noticed your from England too. The obvious thing to do would be to feed plenty of protein enriched foods, plenty of water changes, and give them plenty of light.


----------



## shev (Jan 18, 2005)

> I would doubt that your problem is genetic, because you have more than one fish in a tank genetic variation would give you a chance of having a longer/larger than normal fish as well as a smaller than normal fish


I'm a little confused about this statement, I could be missing something entirely.

DNA doesnt just start mixing with the other fish in the tank. not all fish are going to be exactly alike in every way, like color, or size.


----------



## Imbrium (Feb 7, 2005)

Thunderkiss @ Mon Apr 11 said:


> The other thing to consider is some fish grow at different rates, and also some exude growth inhibiting pheromones for fish of the same species. The only species i know to do this for sure are discus, but is worth researching.


Bettas do this to. Drives me nuts when I'm trying to get my fry to grow.


----------



## Jobrien323 (Jan 19, 2005)

Do platys do this as well? I have a batch of fry where one is enormous, and the others are all about the same size (about half his size)


----------



## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Pretty much all fish do it to some extent.

Okay, there is obviously SOMETHING different between the two tanks.

Feeding? 
Photoperiod and light intensity/spectrum?
Water change volume and frequency?
Replacement water chemistry?
Species of fish?

Ahh... species of fish. You said you had a LOT of the same fish, but not ALL the same fish. That could be your cause.

Shev, Fishfirst meant that genetics wouldn't make them ALL smaller, since genetics would naturally not affect all the fish the same way; some should just as statistically be bigger instead of smaller if genes were to blame.


----------



## Simoriax (Apr 10, 2005)

Fish that i have that he doesnt have:

3 Silver dollars (about 3 inches long)
2 opaline gouramis about 4 inches

He has that i dont

Fire eel
bumblebee catfish


Same fish
Bala sharks - his 4 inches mine are 2
Keyhole cichlids his are 3 inches mine are 1
Featherfin syno catfish. His is about 6 inches mine is 2.5 inches.

We got most of these around the same time. We both also have some random smaller fish. 

Tank differences
His tank has real plants were as mine are plastic as i have silver dollars. His tank is slighting deeper and mine is slightly taller. Also he likes to say "i have never put a chemical in that tank" but i use tapsafe to make tapwater safe. Could that be something?

Thanks for the replies so far


----------



## Thunderkiss (Mar 19, 2005)

The syno's i'd wager weren't getting thier share of food, despite thier aggressiveness. Juist before you turn the light out 2-3 times/week drop in some shrimp pellets. They'll get em and love you for it. Adjust your water change schedule accordingly.

Other than that i'm at a loss.


----------



## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Aw, man.. those two tanks are VERY different. No wonder the growth rates don't match.

1--Plants absorb the things which retard growth and produce things which stimulate it.

2--His tank has a higher surface area-per-volume ratio than yours, ergo more oxygen.

3--His fish aren't swimming in yucky-tasting chemicals while yours are. 

heh. I thought we had a mystery here for a little while.


----------



## Simoriax (Apr 10, 2005)

hmm, do you not use de-chlorinator then?


----------



## mousey (Jan 18, 2005)

I bet swordtails do too as I only have one grow big at a time. When I remove a large fry, another one suddenly grows. 
Mouse


----------



## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Yes, mousey, that's very likely part of what's going on with your fish.

No, I don't use dechlorinator. My tapwater is wholly unusable for aquarium use, and frankly pretty useless for human use, so I use bottled water. ( If I need the water to have a higher hardness or pH I add a bit of tapwater and/or some electrolytes, but tetras like it just fine right out of the jug.)

The condition of my fish improved dramatically when I quit using tapwater with dechlorinator.


----------



## Simoriax (Apr 10, 2005)

wow, that must cost a fortune!


----------



## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

58 cents per gallon


----------



## atltk (Feb 16, 2005)

How about switching from Megadeath to Mozart, like your friend (he's just not telling you his secret).


----------



## Fla280zxDrifter (Mar 27, 2005)

haha, hmm i always knew that a whole bunch of chemicals in the tank pissed off fish but, i never knew it made that big of a difference. . . so you really think bottled water is the way to go? i may have to give it a try some time. what about plant fert chemicals? are these as bad ass other chemicals?


----------



## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

The PLANTS are what are making the biggest difference in this case. The chemicals are only secondary.

As for chemicals, don't get too worried about it. I use bottled drinking and distilled water by the gallon, and it works very well for me, but you don't have to use it.

As for plant stuff, I'm sure they're perfectly fine.


----------



## Simoriax (Apr 10, 2005)

I have some riccia in a smaller tank, i will put some of that in there. Thats the only thing my dollars wont maul. They even eat java fern which many people have said they wouldnt :S


----------

