Sizing Fish

[tqfan]

how do you size fish?

obviously sticking a ruler in your tank is a bit silly!

so do you just have to be patient, and hold a ruler on the outside, and wait for the fish to swim by?

i know what size the fish are roughly supposed to be when fully grown, but how do you know they are fully grown, if you have trouble measuring?!

also, do you measure the whole fish, from nose to tail end? or is it fish length minus the head and tail (which is what i've heard) or minus just the tail.

thanks in advance

 

[BigC]

Most Show Standards measure fish from the snout to the Caudal peduncle. (start of the tail area). These sizes have been compiled over many generations by experienced aquarists and are only specific to the size which can be attained by captive specimens set against the size normally associated with the wild specimen. The standards will however be revised from time to time as larger fish will move the standards bar.
Experience will tell you what size your fish is if you have a good grasp of measurements i.e. you are able to physically judge roughly the size of a small object, this will get you near or near abouts.
The exact way to do it would be to place a damp cloth on a flat surface. Catch your fish and place it on the damp cloth, take a ruler and measure from the snout to the caudal peduncle, log the data and quickly return your fish to its aquarium. (this is not however recommended if you are just wanting to measure a fish for fun rather than for scientific purposes)
ATB
BigC

 

[tqfan]

thanks for the reply.

think i'll just judge, rather than catching them, lol

they don't always look like they've grown, but they obviously have! like our bristlenose plec, it wasn't until we got 2 more, that we realised how big the 1st had gotten! he just always looked small, now he's like a giant compared to the little ones!!

 

[BigC]

I know exactly what you mean. Try taking a photograph every now and then, if your planning to keep a species long term. This will show you that it has grown, after all your feeding it, so what else is it going to do.
ATB
C