# Fish growing to tank size



## indecisive (Apr 1, 2004)

My friend thinks that most fish including chiclids and piranha's will grow to their tank size, for example, if i had a jack dempsey and put it in a 10 gal it would only grow to the size of the ten gal just because it is in a small tank.

I think that fish kept in a small tank will not grow as large because their growth is stunted due to things like high ammonia and nitrates?

Who is right?


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## watermonst3rs (Feb 15, 2004)

I think that's goldfish. Cause my friend got a 12" oscar in a 30 gallon, It bumps the lid off the tank sometimes. No sign of stunted growth.


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## skool-of-death (Apr 25, 2004)

I think some fish like cichlids will grow to whatever size suits them in their given environment. A Dempsey or convict, something like that will grow much slower in a small tank. However, other fish like Pacu's, Oscars will grow to their tank size, especially Pacu's, they get really big really fast. It depends on the fish and their natural ability to control metabolism in a given environment.


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## mechanic_joe (Dec 4, 2003)

I asked this question once a long time ago as I was really curious too. The final conclusion I came to was that this is both true and false, depending on the type of fish, and the environment it is in. I have seen a single red belly that a friend of mine keeps in a ten gallon tank and it seems to be stunted at 6 inches for over two years now, however I have personally kept a oscar that reached 12 inches in a 25 gallon tank when I was a much younger and naive fish keeper (boy did I learn how to check for nitrates and do water changes though, lol).

The truth in certain fish only growing 'to their tank size' has to do with many different factors (in my opinion, and what I have seen and read). Knifeman stated in his article on growing captive rhoms that certain fish may have their growth rate inhibited by any ammonia, nitrites or nitrates found in their water (and of course any radical fluctuations in these readings or their base water parameters). Depending on the type of fish it is also commonly believed that they may exude a 'growth limiting hormone' of some kind that is nature's way of keeping their growth rate (and potential overall size) in check. This is why almost all captive aquarium fish seem to grow faster, and potentially larger, in a larger tank with a greater overall amount of water.

The reason the statement may not be entirely true, is that certain fish may not be as sensitive to captive water conditions as others. In my old 25 gallon I did one 75 percent water change a month and fed my oscar every day till he almost exploded. He reached 12 inches in just over a year and seemed to be a healthy happy fish. When I finally learned how to check my water conditions I started doing water changes like crazy because I always had an excessive reading of nitrates in the tank. My oscar died a few months later due to slacking off on my water changes... As Knifeman also stated, a way to cheat the water condions is to invest in a 'drip system' where the fish would always have a constant supply of fresh nitrate free, and growth inhibiting hormone free water.

I hope this is of some help... but regardless of whether a fish can or cannot survive in a smaller tank, I think we have to remember that the fish did not ask to be taken out of the wild and put into a glass box. If any animal is to be kept in an un-natural environment, I believe it should be the most comfortable and true to natural environment as you can possibly make it.










Joe.


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## lemmywinks (Jan 25, 2004)

a big fish will most of the time be stunted if they are kept in a very small tank. and even if the fish is not stunted it is very stressful to them. that would be like a human living in something smaller than a closet. more like living in your car for the rest of your life. that is not cool


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## oscarfish (Mar 1, 2004)

a friend of mines has 6 reds in a 20 gal for the past 6 months now, he got them when they were the size of a dime and now they are all about 3". He's a idiot


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## indecisive (Apr 1, 2004)

I may have phrased my 1st question wrong. What i meant to say was.

My friend believes that there is some sort of signal in the fish's brain that stops it from growing when it is in a small tank regardless of the water conditions

I think the only reason these fish dont grow as big is because of how easy it is for high amounts of toxins to build up rather quickly and stunt the fish's growth


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## mechanic_joe (Dec 4, 2003)

> My friend believes that there is some sort of signal in the fish's brain that stops it from growing when it is in a small tank regardless of the water conditions


 I do not believe the fish has 'signals' to limit its growth rate and size, but it is believed that the fish produces a 'growth limiting hormone' to keep the fish from getting too large in very tightly packed ponds or puddles in the wild. The only way to defeat the hormone is to keep a constant supply of new and fresh water coming into the tank.


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## airtorey15 (Jun 15, 2003)

i think it's true sometimes cuz my friend's spilo was growing slow and steadty in a 20 gallon and he put him in a 30 for a month, he grew so much then, now the spilo is back in the 20 and isn't growin as fast again.


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## jsp8572 (Mar 4, 2004)

I think it would be like you living in a Geo Metro for your entire life. You would grow until your environment could not support you and then die.







I dont know about piranha, but oscars should live for about ten years and get between 12 and 14 inches long. You could keep one in a 10 gallon for its entire life, but it would not live as long as it should.


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## mechanic_joe (Dec 4, 2003)

> I think it would be like you living in a Geo Metro for your entire life












except the Geo Metro would let your pee seep out the door jams...


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## SERRAPYGO (Feb 4, 2003)

Moved to general discussion


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## piranha45 (Apr 8, 2003)

fish kept in too small a tank often leads to stunting

http://www.piranha-fury.com/forum/pfury/in...showtopic=11934


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## Innes (Jan 13, 2003)

indecisive said:


> My friend thinks that most fish including chiclids and piranha's will grow to their tank size, for example, if i had a jack dempsey and put it in a 10 gal it would only grow to the size of the ten gal just because it is in a small tank.
> 
> I think that fish kept in a small tank will not grow as large because their growth is stunted due to things like high ammonia and nitrates?
> 
> Who is right?


 they dont grow to the size of the tank, but in a small tank you may stunt growth - this is not a good thing, it causes problems for the fish, most notibly of which is an early death.


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## gourami-master (Apr 1, 2004)

some bitch kept 2 angels and a bunch of other uncompatable fish in a 10 for 5 years and did total teardowns once a month ignorance is a horroble thing man oh and she aloso said this:"i just cant lose weight*eats 4 doughnuts*"


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## con man (Mar 7, 2004)

there stunted but only in look the organs still grow eventusally causing ur fish to die


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## Guest (May 11, 2004)

I know someone who has a pleco for about 6 years in an overcrowded 10 gallon that only see a few water changes a year. The pleco seems to have stopped growing at about 7 inches.

Technically, the fish wasn't killed; but who wants to keep a stubby fish that's lethargic because he has no where to swim?


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## crazyklown89 (Aug 28, 2003)

gourami-master said:


> some bitch kept 2 angels and a bunch of other uncompatable fish in a 10 for 5 years and did total teardowns once a month ignorance is a horroble thing man oh and she aloso said this:"i just cant lose weight*eats 4 doughnuts*"


 .....


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## gourami-master (Apr 1, 2004)

its true she complains that she weighs 400 pounds,has been on a diet since 18,nad eats an unbeliveable amount of junkfood


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## piranha45 (Apr 8, 2003)

maybe one of these days, we'll get lucky and she'll eat you too...


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## gourami-master (Apr 1, 2004)

maybe shell eat you she could eat anybody her mouth is big enough


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## rUBY84 (Jan 8, 2004)

I've had this argument with my boyfriend, he says that if he was kept in a closet his entire life he would still grow...

I guess thats true... my sister has 2 comets in a tiny 2 gallon tank and they're huge! Theres no room for them to swim, and theyre incredibly nasty but she will not let me feed them to my bfs piranhas...even though they are clearly suffering


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## Peacock (Feb 23, 2004)

Fish donnot grow to the size of their tank..

Stunting is still iffy.. the Fishes spine will start to curve and eventualy kill them.

its no different then putting a human into a closset.


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## lemmywinks (Jan 25, 2004)

piranha45 said:


> maybe one of these days, we'll get lucky and she'll eat you too...


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## gourami-master (Apr 1, 2004)

rUBY84 said:


> I've had this argument with my boyfriend, he says that if he was kept in a closet his entire life he would still grow...
> 
> I guess thats true... my sister has 2 comets in a tiny 2 gallon tank and they're huge! Theres no room for them to swim, and theyre incredibly nasty but she will not let me feed them to my bfs piranhas...even though they are clearly suffering


 then your sis is a dumbass i =m gonna put 2 comets in a 55 soon


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## crazyklown89 (Aug 28, 2003)

comets are a waste of time.

And gourami you have no right calling anyone a dumbass :laugh:


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## piranha45 (Apr 8, 2003)

so in conclusion, the fish will stunt and lead a messed up life and die early. They dont grow to tank size


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## indecisive (Apr 1, 2004)

piranha45 said:


> so in conclusion, the fish will stunt and lead a messed up life and die early. They dont grow to tank size


 That si exactly what I needed to hear


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## Peacock (Feb 23, 2004)

enough said..

fish dont stop growing, they start deforming.


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