Fact Or Fiction?

[JoanneH]

can anyone tell me is it fact or fiction that fish will only grow to the size of your tank? My lfs said it would be ok for me to have 3 clown loaches in my 27.6 gallon tankbut according to my little book they grow far too large for a tank of my size (80cm) A family member has been told that they only grow to the size of your tank??

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Not true. 3 clowns can not stay in 27 gals for very long.

 

[WILDER]

Fiction, they get stunted growth, and the lfs is crap if it's saying you can keep clown loaches in a 27gal tank, nothing less then a 75gal.

 

[JoanneH]

Fiction, they get stunted growth, and the lfs is crap if it's saying you can keep clown loaches in a 27gal tank, nothing less then a 75gal.

mmm... thanks, I haven't bought anything from him anyway, I buy from another lfs 20 plus miles away, they seem to have sound advice, usually the stuff you read in books, they are always really helpful, which is great because as a beginner I'm asking lots of questions!!

 

[WILDER]

Good that how you learn, clown loaches need very large tanks to be happy, the will be miserable in that size tank, and it wouldn't be long before you would have to upgrade the tank anyway, to stop the fish getting stunted growth and being unhealthy.

 

[steelhealr]

Fiction. SH

 

[Suriliel]

I've heard that a lot too, and always kind of wondered if it was true. Good to know it's not I think they grow a lot slower in a small tank though right? Is that what you mean by stunted growth?

 

[WILDER]

Bad water quality and diet can stunt a fish growth as well.

 

[mark.w.jones]

I've heard that a lot too, and always kind of wondered if it was true. Good to know it's not I think they grow a lot slower in a small tank though right? Is that what you mean by stunted growth?

If you were made to live in a world where there was a glass ceiling at 4 foot you'd gradually get a rounded spine from bending over a lot. You'd also end up moving on all fours and would find it difficult to grow any bigger or to move about. You'd put up with life thou, get on with things but not live as you were intended to. Would you be happy? Would the fish?

Dont know where that strange, alternate world crap spouted from but it sounds good reading it back

 

[andywg]

One quick thing to point out though, is that clowns are one of the slowest growing fish there are. I had 5 in a 6x2x2 and they only grew about 1.5 inches in 6 months, during which time most of my other fish that grow to a similar size or smaller have doubled, or trebled in size. I have read some reports that they take some 20 years to grow to full size in the wild, though am yet tos ee any supporting evidence.

So while the tank is not ideal, it will probably suffice for some time yet.

 

[helsekia]

definately fiction...........

at least you had the common sense to check!good for you

 

[JoanneH]

Thanks for that folks, not going to have any clown loaches, going to visit my fave lfs tomorrow to see what to have next, fancy 3 more cory's to keep my panda company (did have 2 but 1 died) i think they're really cute and fun to watch. Any body got any more ideas for what next - I got a community tank with 5 platies, 2 honey gouramis, 6 glowlight tetras, 5 five banded barbs and me little panda!