Freshwater Fish Growth

[Joanne_]

Hi,

I have heard and read about fish growing to the size of the tank, is it true ?
Eg. If you have a small tank, the fish will only grow to suit the amount of water it is in ?

Or will the fish grow to full size even if it's in a really small tank ?

Thanks !

 

[Ruskull]

My 10 year old son has a friend that had a Giant Danio in a .75 gallon tank with a plastic little plant. that's right, it was less than a single gallon. The fish's back was curved and deformed. It was dead a few days after I saw it. That's what happens when parents buy their kids the smallest, cheapest available setup with absolutely no regard or research into the fish they're buying.

 

[Joanne_]

Oh no, the poor fish !!!!!!! I thought the . was a typo, but .75 gallon tank !

 

[Ruskull]

Oh no, the poor fish !!!!!!! I thought the . was a typo, but .75 gallon tank !

The fish's back was all curved & deformed........the kid didn't know know any better.

 

[onidrase]

It's debatable. There's a lot of controversy behind this issue, most popular belief (and the one I believe in) is that the small tank will stunt their growth and lead to a shortened lifespan and deformities. A side of it you will hear on the forums a lot is that if you keep a big fish in a small tank, although its skin stops growing, its organs still do, which causes a slow painful death, though there isn't much research backing this one up.

Ultimately, if your tank is not big enough to support your desired fish's full grown size, don't get the fish. Regardless of how much you want it, if you'll have a bigger tank later, etc etc etc.

 

[Ruskull]

It's debatable. There's a lot of controversy behind this issue, most popular belief (and the one I believe in) is that the small tank will stunt their growth and lead to a shortened lifespan and deformities. A side of it you will hear on the forums a lot is that if you keep a big fish in a small tank, although its skin stops growing, its organs still do, which causes a slow painful death, though there isn't much research backing this one up.

Ultimately, if your tank is not big enough to support your desired fish's full grown size, don't get the fish. Regardless of how much you want it, if you'll have a bigger tank later, etc etc etc.

You do have to sample the supposed knowledge out there on a particular fish, you will get varying results sometimes.

For instance my father got a Pictus Catfish for his 29 gallon tank and a few people have told me they require a 4 or 5 foot long tank but I've read more than a few places that the minimum tank size is 20 gallons.

 

[thereverendturtle]

It's debatable. There's a lot of controversy behind this issue, most popular belief (and the one I believe in) is that the small tank will stunt their growth and lead to a shortened lifespan and deformities. A side of it you will hear on the forums a lot is that if you keep a big fish in a small tank, although its skin stops growing, its organs still do, which causes a slow painful death, though there isn't much research backing this one up.

Ultimately, if your tank is not big enough to support your desired fish's full grown size, don't get the fish. Regardless of how much you want it, if you'll have a bigger tank later, etc etc etc.

You do have to sample the supposed knowledge out there on a particular fish, you will get varying results sometimes.

For instance my father got a Pictus Catfish for his 29 gallon tank and a few people have told me they require a 4 or 5 foot long tank but I've read more than a few places that the minimum tank size is 20 gallons.

Now see, after seeing some pictus around 8", while working a an lfs, I'd be the one recommending at least a 4' tank.

 

[onidrase]

It's debatable. There's a lot of controversy behind this issue, most popular belief (and the one I believe in) is that the small tank will stunt their growth and lead to a shortened lifespan and deformities. A side of it you will hear on the forums a lot is that if you keep a big fish in a small tank, although its skin stops growing, its organs still do, which causes a slow painful death, though there isn't much research backing this one up.

Ultimately, if your tank is not big enough to support your desired fish's full grown size, don't get the fish. Regardless of how much you want it, if you'll have a bigger tank later, etc etc etc.

You do have to sample the supposed knowledge out there on a particular fish, you will get varying results sometimes.

For instance my father got a Pictus Catfish for his 29 gallon tank and a few people have told me they require a 4 or 5 foot long tank but I've read more than a few places that the minimum tank size is 20 gallons.

That's because pictus catfish prefer to school in groups of 6 or more, and can get 6-8 inches long, and never stop moving. I have never seen an inactive pictus catfish. They make danios look like lazy slugs. Assuming you want to support a single 6 inch pictus catfish that is left inactive and stressed out, yeah, 20 gallons seems like a good minimum. If you want a keep a healthy school of these very active (and somewhat sensitive) fishes, 4 feet is much more preferable.

Also, I've read in more than a few places that you should rinse your filter pads under warm tap water once every 2 weeks and replace your pads once a month. That doesn't mean I do it.

 

[Ruskull]

It's debatable. There's a lot of controversy behind this issue, most popular belief (and the one I believe in) is that the small tank will stunt their growth and lead to a shortened lifespan and deformities. A side of it you will hear on the forums a lot is that if you keep a big fish in a small tank, although its skin stops growing, its organs still do, which causes a slow painful death, though there isn't much research backing this one up.

Ultimately, if your tank is not big enough to support your desired fish's full grown size, don't get the fish. Regardless of how much you want it, if you'll have a bigger tank later, etc etc etc.

You do have to sample the supposed knowledge out there on a particular fish, you will get varying results sometimes.

For instance my father got a Pictus Catfish for his 29 gallon tank and a few people have told me they require a 4 or 5 foot long tank but I've read more than a few places that the minimum tank size is 20 gallons.

Now see, after seeing some pictus around 8", while working a an lfs, I'd be the one recommending at least a 4' tank.

Yeah, but his fish is less than 3 inches at the moment and most only get to be 4 or 5 inches. He's already planning a bigger tank.............

 

[Ruskull]

It's debatable. There's a lot of controversy behind this issue, most popular belief (and the one I believe in) is that the small tank will stunt their growth and lead to a shortened lifespan and deformities. A side of it you will hear on the forums a lot is that if you keep a big fish in a small tank, although its skin stops growing, its organs still do, which causes a slow painful death, though there isn't much research backing this one up.

Ultimately, if your tank is not big enough to support your desired fish's full grown size, don't get the fish. Regardless of how much you want it, if you'll have a bigger tank later, etc etc etc.

You do have to sample the supposed knowledge out there on a particular fish, you will get varying results sometimes.

For instance my father got a Pictus Catfish for his 29 gallon tank and a few people have told me they require a 4 or 5 foot long tank but I've read more than a few places that the minimum tank size is 20 gallons.

That's because pictus catfish prefer to school in groups of 6 or more, and can get 6-8 inches long, and never stop moving. I have never seen an inactive pictus catfish. They make danios look like lazy slugs. Assuming you want to support a single 6 inch pictus catfish that is left inactive and stressed out, yeah, 20 gallons seems like a good minimum. If you want a keep a healthy school of these very active (and somewhat sensitive) fishes, 4 feet is much more preferable.

Also, I've read in more than a few places that you should rinse your filter pads under warm tap water once every 2 weeks and replace your pads once a month. That doesn't mean I do it.

But it isn't in a 20 gallon tank, he has a 29 gallon, which is 31 inches long. They are happier kept with other Pictus but they do very well on their own. I wouldn't tell him to add any others until he upgrades the size of his tank. I didn't tell him to get the first one either, it was a spur of the moment thing he said. He just saw it and he had to have it. I think we've all been there...........

He will upgrade the size too, he was looking at a 55 gal & a 75 gal. I've been telling him the footprint of the tank is most important since he likes catfish so much.