Also, mine was 8cm when I got him, but now he's 9 or 10cm! Already! In two weeks! All I've been feeding was Hikari sinking carnivore pellets, as I haven't had time to go to the fish store I didn't really notice because polypterids are thinner than most fish, so they look smaller than they really do.

I noticed when feeding him; even though his stomach wasn't bloated, he was already bigger. Bigger enough to eat the smallest hybrid peacock cichlid fry he wouldn't even look at 2 weeks ago

So I guess my question is, is 1cm per week a good growth rate for very young polypterids? Because the ones I kept before were all over 5 inches, so their growth rate was much slower.

''So I guess my question is, is 1cm per week a good growth rate for very young polypterids?''
Yes its fine your doing fine with it-Anne

Because that reminds me of my old endli......She grew at LEAST 1cm per week to at most 1.5cm......Almost rivaling my greatest fish I ever kept, Boulengerochromis microlepis, in growth rate! She was 5.5 inches long before......I decided to sell her because she grew too quickly

Then again, she could have been endlicheri congicus, which is larger than B.microlepis.

Just one more question(I hope) sorry But until when do polypterids grow so quickly? About 5-6 inches? Because I wouldn't want to miss seeing an animal grow so fast in MY care......

The smaller upper jaw species usually get 7-8'' then their growth rate slows and they add girth insted of length.
Brace yourself i have seen some endis grow 16'' in the first year then it growth rate slowed others i know of hit 10-12'' mark then growth slows.
Growth rates vary due to several causes including genetics,since endi's are now farmed who knows what the gene pool is like.
to help get the maximum growth heres some tips
keep the water as clean as possible
keep the temp at 80F(26-27C)
offer a variety of foods including a good quality pellet
if possible feed small meals thru the day instead of 1-2 larger meals
keep the time of lighting periods constant.

When looking at commercial foods look at the ingredients for the following
Read the labels and look for this information
NUTRITION FOR CARNIVORES
Below are the agreed upon nutritional requirements for predatory fish
below that is a list of necessary vitamins usually supplied and just for informational
purposes.
PROTEIN:: 45% or more (this would be the ideal)
FAT:: 3% Min. to 6% Max.
FIBER 2% Min. to 4% Max

VITAMINS and what they do
(If you want to suppliment vitamins use only vitamin products developed for fish
do not use vitamnins developed for humans use.)
-------------------------------------------------------------
Fat Soluble Vitamins
VITAMIN A promotes cellular growth
Functions: - normal vision, cell growth and resistance to infection
Deficiencies: - poor growth, poor vision, abnormal bone formation and
hemorrhaging at the base of the fins
VITAMIN D3 important for developing bone
Functions: - calcium blood levels (?)
Deficiencies: - unknown
VITAMIN E important for the development of the sex organs in breeding fish
Functions: - antioxidant, may paly a role in muscle cell respiration
Deficiencies: - anemia and poor growth
-------------------------------------------------------------
Water Soluble Vitamins
VITAMIN (B1)
Functions: - Thiamine-aids growth, digestion and fertility, nervous system
Deficiencies: - poor appetite, muscle atrophy, convulsions, loss of
equilibrium and poor growth
VITAMIN B2 Riboflavin- regulates enzymes
Functions: - vision, protein metabolism and enzyme functioning
Deficiencies: - photophobia, cloudy lens, dim vision, abnormal
colouration of the iris, striated constrictions on the
abdominal wall, dark pigmentation, poor appetite,
anemia and poor growth
VITAMIN B3 Nicotinic Acid-needed for proper digestion
Functions: - plays an important role in lipid, protein and amino
acid metabolism
Deficiencies: - loss of appetite, poor growth, lesions in colon,
erratic motion and weakness, edema of stomach and
colon
VITAMIN B5 Pantothenic Acid-controls metbolism and hormones
Functions: - adrenal functioning, cholersterol production, normal
physiology and metabolism
Deficiencies: - poor growth, sluggishness, clubbed gills, loss of
appetite, hemmorhagic skin and cellular atrophy
VITAMIN B6 Pyroxidine-enzymes and metabolism of protein
Functions: - plays a vital role in enzyme systems and protein
metabolism
Deficiencies: - nervous dissorders, fits, loss of appetite, poor
growth, rapid and gasping breathing, flexing of
opercles and hyperirritability
VITAMIN B12 Cyanocobalamin- metabolism
Functions: - enzyme systems, cholesterol metabolism
Deficiencies: - poor appetite, poor growth, anemia and dark
pigmentation
VITAMIN C Ascorbic Acid- formation fo teeth and bones , healing wounds and formation of
cartillage
Functions: - enzyme systems, bone, tooth and cartilage formation
and healing
Deficiencies: - hemorrhagic shin, kidneys, liver, intestine and muscle
tissue, eye lesions and scoliosis of the spine
VITAMIN H Biotin- promotes cell growth
Functions: - enzyme systems, purine and lipid synthesis, oxidation
of lipids and carbohydrates
Deficiencies: - loss of appetite, poor growth, anemia, skin lesions
and muscle atrophy
VITAMIN M Folic Acid- formation of blood and metabolism
Functions: - blood cell formation, blood glucose regulation and
fish metabolism
Deficiencies: - poor growth, lethargy, dark skin, anemia and fragility
of the caudal fin
CHOLIN growth and breakdown nutrients (fat) regulating glucose
Functions: - good growth and food conversion
Deficiencies: - poor growth, poor food conversion, hemorrhagic kidney
and intestine
INOSITOL permeability of cell membrane
Deficiencies: - poor growth, distended stomach, skin lesions and
increased gastric emptying time
p-AMINOBENZOID ACID- stimulates growth (not proven essential)
Deficiencies: - no abnormal indication in growth, appetite and
mortality

Estimated Minimum Vitamin Requirements for aquarium fish
Vitamin A 10,000 IU
Vitamin D 2,400 IU
Vitamin E 100 Mg
Vitamin K 10 Mg
Vitamin B1 10Mg (Thiamine)
Vitamin B2 10Mg (Riboflavin)
Vitamin B3 50Mg (Niacin)(nicotinic acid and vitamin B3)
Vitamin B5 50MG (Pantothenic acid)
Vitamin B6 10Mg (Pyroxidine)
Vitamin B7 1Mg (Biotin aka vitamin H)
Vitamin B9 10Mg (Folate)
Vitamin B12 0.02Mg (Cyanocobalamin)
Vitamin C 250Mg (Ascorbic Acid)
Inositol 440Mg
Choline 2.00Mg

free in water the following happens After 30 seconds this applies to
water soluble vitamins only
Vitamin b6 loss 15%
Folic Acid loss 20%
Choline loss 30%
Panothenic acid loss 50%
Vitamin C loss 70%
Vitamin B12 loss 90%


Got more than you asked for there huh LOL

mine will go to the top to find krill and i feed him ghost shrimp.