# Stunting growth



## Pimprn (Feb 3, 2006)

Hi i bought this black piranha about 2 years ago i boguht him when he was very small i put him in a 5 gallon tank for about 1 month then i put him into a 40 gallon for 1 year, now i got a big 6-7'' red belly in the 40 gal tank.....well my question is my black piranha is in this 20 gallon tank for about a year now and i am wondering if i stunted his growth or if its possible to stunt his growth, cause the fish store guy told me he should be growing fast???? how fast are they supposed to grow? , would putting him into a bigger tank make him grow faster or would his growth be stunted already ? he is about the size of an large egg 
alright guys thanks


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## Cichlidae (Aug 14, 2004)

Theyre growth rate is only about 1" a year. Thats give or take, some fish will grow really fast to 5-6" then stop, others just grow slowly from the start. It can depend alot on water, tank, food etc. Yours could be stunted but its hard to tell seeing how slow their growth is. Also the fish store guy was full of sh*t, most are...learn to avoid them.


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## harrykaa (Jan 10, 2005)

to Discussion Forum

Harry


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## taylorhedrich (Mar 2, 2005)

S. rhombeus grows up to 6-7" it's first year and then about 1" a year after that. If it possible to stunt your fish's growth if you keep him in too small of a tank and let the hormones build up, which is caused by not doing frequent waterchanges. You should be doing a 25%+ waterchange at least once every 2 weeks.
~Taylor~


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## Hater (Apr 21, 2006)

I'm not a Rhom expert but here is a good read if you want your Rhom to grow fast:

Read me for faster Rhom growth.

Hater


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## Pimprn (Feb 3, 2006)

thx man that helped alot but it is possible i stunted his growth i do not know if i di stunt his growth im gunan flushim cause theres no point in keeping a fish that cant grow its no fun :S


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## taylorhedrich (Mar 2, 2005)

pimprn said:


> thx man that helped alot but it is possible i stunted his growth i do not know if i di stunt his growth im gunan flushim cause theres no point in keeping a fish that cant grow its no fun :S


How often have you done waterchanges on the tank, and do you have good filtration?

Don't flush him, that would be irresponsible. If you don't want him, put him up for free in the member classifieds forum here on P-Fury. I'm sure he'd get a nice home...but definitely don't flush him.















~Taylor~


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## Hater (Apr 21, 2006)

pimprn said:


> thx man that helped alot but it is possible i stunted his growth i do not know if i di stunt his growth im gunan flushim cause theres no point in keeping a fish that cant grow its no fun :S


I doubt it man. Rhoms have been reported to live over 30 years in captivity so I'm sure if proper care is taken with the fish, it can re-grow again.

Hey if you don't want the Rhom I will take it. I have a 110 gl tank empty and never had a Rhom for more then 4 months. I would love to take it from you.

Hater


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## cueball (May 24, 2005)

flush him ha he he come on you aint got a gold fish you musta payed 20 bucks for him,, go to work by a big tank then see what happens..


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## Pimprn (Feb 3, 2006)

well i g uess i actually payed 30 dolalrs canadian for him  he was on sale







and im pissed off cause i had him for 2 years and hes the size of a large egg i feed him once a week the water has no ammonia and i have no canipe on it so water evaporates so i jsut keep adding water.... he is not stressed cause i got a cave he hides in all day then he comes out in the dark and chills by the heater... but i am thinking of buying a 210 fallon tank and put some red bellys in it and put the black poirnaha in the 40 gallon tank i dunno so if i do a 10% water change every day, and then feed him everday, i should see some gains on him ?


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## gimmemyshit (Oct 7, 2005)

Water changes have an enormous effect on growth rates....especially for a Rhom....plus they grow slower in the first place....it takes alot to permenantly stunt a fish's groth....if you have him housed & fed properly and good husbandry there is no reason he shouldn't be growing again.


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## jaceh14 (Jul 6, 2006)

i'd feed him more than once a week, and maybe try doing weekly 25-30% water changes instead of 10% daily... at least for me, it stresses out my p's while i'm doin the water change... dunno if that will work or not, but i'd definately try feeding him more if i were you

jace


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## Pimprn (Feb 3, 2006)

ok i will feed him regularly and he is housed properly i seen a bit of growth over the 2 years but not much like i expect him to be liek 6 inches instead of 3 hes grown prolly 1.5 ionches in 2 years but i dunno mabye i can tell by colors if he is growing or somethign i dunno anyone can tell me ???? his body is sparkly now when i first got him he didnt have sparkles and his back is hunched now lie kthat piranha shape and when i got him he didnt have that........he got all that the first year when i had him in the 40 but now hes in the 20 and i dont see any improvements????? hes been in the 20 for a year now ??


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## Cichlidae (Aug 14, 2004)

Do you have a pic of this fish?


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## gimmemyshit (Oct 7, 2005)

I would also enjoy a picture if ya got one.


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## Mr. Hannibal (Feb 21, 2003)

Just keep in mind growth depends on many many factors: genes (the individual), water conditions (filtration + water changes, no nitrates, enough oxigen), feeding (varied diet, enough food), exercise (tank current), water temp (related to fish metabolism), tank space (related to water quality), general health (no illness, parasites, stress...)... personally i'd recommend tank temp at 82-83º (raise your water temp slowly since subit temp changes are harmful to your fish), feed him everyday and practice weekly partial (30-40%) water changes... you should consider stunted growth is reversible in most cases







!


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## gimmemyshit (Oct 7, 2005)

Like Hanninal said....varied diet is big too....which reminds me of this fact: * Live fish need to be quarantained first, so they are safe to feed (containing no disases or parasites). Goldfish, minnows and other members of the Cyprinid family (Carp-like fish) should be avoided, as these fish contain growth-inhibiting hormones (Thaiminase/Vitamine B1 inhibitors) that could negatively affect the fish's health and development.

THAT'S RIGHT GOLDFISH AND MINNOW TYPE FEEDER FISH SLOW GROWTH OF PREDATOR FISH IF FED TOO OFTEN.


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## Pimprn (Feb 3, 2006)

well heres a picture of my fish i feed him smelt its frozen when i buy it i stopped giving him feeders cause i just found that out about thiamese and all that stuff but i dunno ??? u guys tell me what u think hes about the size of a large egg.....


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## Cichlidae (Aug 14, 2004)

Are you 100% sure thats a rhom? i see sanchezi, which would explain the lack of growth.


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## Leasure1 (Jul 24, 2006)

> Are you 100% sure thats a rhom? i see sanchezi, which would explain the lack of growth.


I agree, that does not look like a rhom.


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## gimmemyshit (Oct 7, 2005)

Sanchezi / Red Throat.....Don't think it's a Black Rhom. More photos if you have 'em.....closer if possible.


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## taylorhedrich (Mar 2, 2005)

Yes, that's definitely a nice looking S. sanchezi you have there. It is most likely full grown at that size, since they usually don't get larger than 6". I think you should consider keeping it, they are usually a pretty aggressive Serra.
~Taylor~


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## harrykaa (Jan 10, 2005)

And this sanchezi does not demand so big tank to keep him happy.
He is going to be very well, if you can put him in a 40 gallon tank at some later stage.

Harry


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## Pimprn (Feb 3, 2006)

THATS NOT A RHOMBEUS!!!! wtf is there a difference?


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## taylorhedrich (Mar 2, 2005)

pimprn said:


> THATS NOT A RHOMBEUS!!!! wtf is there a difference?


Yes there is a difference. They are an entirely different species of piranha. Sanchezis are a lot like rhoms though because they have that awesome rhomboid shape and deep red eyes when matured. Sanchezis work out great for people who likes rhoms, but don't have space for a large tank for a rhom.
~Taylor~


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## Pimprn (Feb 3, 2006)

taylorhedrich said:


> THATS NOT A RHOMBEUS!!!! wtf is there a difference?


Yes there is a difference. They are an entirely different species of piranha. Sanchezis are a lot like rhoms though because they have that awesome rhomboid shape and deep red eyes when matured. Sanchezis work out great for people who likes rhoms, but don't have space for a large tank for a rhom.
~Taylor~
[/quote]
yeah man umm so ur saying he is fine in my 20 gallon for now and its not stunting his growth??? and is he the right size for 2 years i had him since he was really small i mean he didnt have that shape developed.....thanks man i noticed though he is not as shy anymore he comes out when mu bedroom light is on now and hangs out by the heater instead of in his cave all day, and when i tosss some smelt in he goes for it right away and runs back to his cave and eats it its pretty awsome now but is this normal behaviour thanks guys


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## P boost (Sep 17, 2006)

Sounds pretty normal to me just like he's just settling in and feels at home in your tank, Prolly some finger chasing very soon

also nice fish he's a keeper for sure


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## Dezboy (Apr 2, 2006)

emmmm that truely doesnt look like a S, Rhombeus to me, by the colouring arouind the gill it looks like a sanchezi








this a pic of a sanchezi








that is a rhom


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## taylorhedrich (Mar 2, 2005)

pimprn said:


> THATS NOT A RHOMBEUS!!!! wtf is there a difference?


Yes there is a difference. They are an entirely different species of piranha. Sanchezis are a lot like rhoms though because they have that awesome rhomboid shape and deep red eyes when matured. Sanchezis work out great for people who likes rhoms, but don't have space for a large tank for a rhom.
~Taylor~
[/quote]
yeah man umm so ur saying he is fine in my 20 gallon for now and its not stunting his growth??? and is he the right size for 2 years i had him since he was really small i mean he didnt have that shape developed.....thanks man i noticed though he is not as shy anymore he comes out when mu bedroom light is on now and hangs out by the heater instead of in his cave all day, and when i tosss some smelt in he goes for it right away and runs back to his cave and eats it its pretty awsome now but is this normal behaviour thanks guys
[/quote]
Yes, that's what I'm saying. He could stay in a 30 gallon for life, in my opinion, since they don't get big (about 6-7" max.).
~Taylor~


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## Pimprn (Feb 3, 2006)

ohh yah for sure hes a sanchezi thanks guys !!! how bnig do u think my fish is 3 inches and how long will it take hom to become 6-7'' and do u guys have a picture thanks


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