# why my small rbps wont grow??



## Toy_Soldier_ (Feb 13, 2005)

I have a tank with one 7" rbp, i took a risk and added to the tank six more 2.5" baby rbp's and 3 more small gold fish.
The big rbp barely moves, never even saw him eating! 
The small six rbps ate the tails of the gold fish and they gold fish still alive...
I feed my baby rbps mostly with cichlid pellets.

its been a month and a half and my p's wont grow! (they also fight alot







but their fine)...
they dont grow becuz of the gold fish? the big rbp? my pellets?

whats going on?

my tank is 1 meter X 0..5 meter


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## r0d1mus (Jul 5, 2004)

I dont really know meters.. but i think 1m = 3ft or something like that... so it sounds like the tank me be too small for all the fish in there... Secondly you should add some variety to their diet such as fish fillets, and shrimp. Live feeders are an occassional treat, but goldfish should be avoided as people say they have a growth restricting hormone in them...


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## Toy_Soldier_ (Feb 13, 2005)

Well i think the feeding is the problem... the tank is not big... but my friend got the same tank and his 5 p's are 7"
these are my p's and tank:


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## r0d1mus (Jul 5, 2004)

A friend of mine has 4 p's in a small tank as well... and they arent growing too well either.. he has had his about 4 months longer then me,... and mine are at least 2 - 3" bigger then his are


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## Toy_Soldier_ (Feb 13, 2005)

should i take off those rocks i have in the tank for making more room? cuz i got lots of big rocks there...

I heard if ill have nothing in my tank then the p's will be nervous and won't grow either....


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## r0d1mus (Jul 5, 2004)

Toy_Soldier_ said:


> should i take off those rocks i have in the tank for making more room? cuz i got lots of big rocks there...
> 
> I heard if ill have nothing in my tank then the p's will be nervous and won't grow either....
> [snapback]901120[/snapback]​


p's like places to hide... it makes them feel safer. The tank setup looks really good... just a little small IMO


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## redbellyman21 (Jun 27, 2004)

man that is way to many fish in one tank!


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## galland (Nov 7, 2003)

This may sound weird. Try taking out the bubble wand, it might be bothering them.


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## goodnews (Oct 5, 2004)

uhhhhhhhhh to many fish


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## Toy_Soldier_ (Feb 13, 2005)

galland said:


> This may sound weird. Try taking out the bubble wand, it might be bothering them.
> [snapback]901152[/snapback]​


it will kill em ??? they need it right?

would it help if i remove the 3 gold fish?


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## celticwarrior (Jul 18, 2004)

IMO get rid of the goldfish,remove the rocks and put in a piece of driftwood they can shelter behind.Then feed them 'whitebait' from the local shop.I pay about 2pounds/4 dollars for a big bag that feeds them for 2 months.Give them some beefheart and finally when they start growing put them in another tank.Mine grew quick on beefheart and whitebait.Then i put them in a bigger tank and their growing well.To be honest you've too many fish in there its probably stunting their growth


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## Toy_Soldier_ (Feb 13, 2005)

guess your right.... 
what do you mean when you say whitebait??


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## DC_Cichlid (Jun 24, 2004)

Why make them big, when you should keep them small and buy a bigger tank first, you need a new tank dude.


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## necroxeon (Jan 21, 2005)

Your 2.5 RBP's are not babies no more, they are growing juveniles. They can swollow a small size feeder fish and able to kill and eat your gold fish you have in there unless you are measuring the p's wrong. 2.5 rbp' s that I have eat everything in sight. They eat 6 goldfish a day ( each) and about 10 pieces of krill if i m not feeding them feeders. Big guys only eat every two days I know some big guys who only eats once a weak. Your set up looks fine. I think you should stop giving your rbp's pellets and give them krill or healthy feeders once in a while (if you want them to grow big).... two my my domestic juvis were dime sized babies when I purchased them 8 months ago and now they are 3.5 inch and they eat like pigs.


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## Phtstrat (Sep 15, 2004)

a. get a bigger tank
b. take out the wand and make sure you have adequate filtration
c. never feed feeders, get a staple diet of shrimp or something
d. check your water params, ammonia/nitrite should be 0, nitrate should
be less than 20ppm


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## cmsCheerFish (Dec 17, 2004)

way too many in one small tank.


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## buette (May 12, 2004)

hey man you are crazy your tank is f*cking small, TOO SMALL
1mx0.5m bad joke
my upbringing tank is bigger and the P´s in there are only 1-1,5cm in leght


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## RhomZilla (Feb 12, 2003)

I agree with all.. tank is way too small for so many Ps. Also, where's the 7"er in the pic that you've stated. The size differiencial would have your 7"er eatting those babies as snacks.

Another is that your feeders aren't the best nutritioned food for growing babies. Theres no such things as "clean" feeders which all are considered thiamine inhibitors... lacking in nutriton and vitamins to help grow.

Your best bet is monitoring your water conditions, change diets, tanks space and do your regular water changes. Hormones which are released to stunt the growth of fish do occur but not sure if it has any significants with small babies. Also is it really true about what you've said about your friend having the same sized Ps, in the same kind of tank, but grew 7" within a month???







I know Ps grow in different rates in different tanks due to how the owner cares for them. But a growth spurt of 4.5" in a month is just impossible!!!


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## Mack (Oct 31, 2004)

You need *AT LEAST* a 140gallon tank for 7 RBPs, dude. That's why they aren't growing.


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## jiaguy (Jan 28, 2005)

Tank size... whihc has been said many many many many you get the point


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## jiaguy (Jan 28, 2005)

cmsCheerFish

55gal with 6 Rbp? lol your tank is crowded as well...


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## mashunter18 (Jan 2, 2004)

My opionion,

as said, switch food.

I use beefheart, krill, and silversides, for that size piranha.If you like pellots, you can add them to pieces of fish fillet, ot krill,shove them in.

Also good consistant water changes, id say go 20-25% a week, and do it every week.

A bigger tank would be nice also


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## corbypete (Jan 24, 2005)

I was looking at that tank and thought, wow its huge.... I didnt look at the background which actually shows that thing is tiny!!!!

Take the fish back to the shop, got get a lizard, feed it crickets.


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## rbp 4 135 (Mar 2, 2004)

corbypete said:


> I was looking at that tank and thought, wow its huge.... I didnt look at the background which actually shows that thing is tiny!!!!
> 
> Take the fish back to the shop, got get a lizard, feed it crickets.
> 
> ...










okaayyy

why dont you get a bigger tank, you are looking at a bare minimum of 125 gal for those seven, and that would still be overstocking. how ever you tank could reasonably house any of the smaller serras. as for growth, you need to feed a varied diet, and feeders are about the worst thing that you can give. My advice is to either sell off your rbp's and get a smaller serra, like a irritan. or start saving up for a larger tank, which you need immetately or sooner.







and if i am correct the tank is 3 feet long and 18 inches wide.


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