Do you REALLY know how big your fish will get?

[jbird69]

I was at a rainforest cafe last night that had a few BIG SW tanks. I was pretty amazed at how big some of our common sw fish get. You always read their max size but you rarely see them this big in home aquariums. There was a clown tang that had to have been 15" and over 4 lbs. Blue hippos in the 12" range and a fox face that was every bit of 12".

It would be good for all of us to actually SEE how big they really get BEFORE we stock our tanks.

 

[91yota]

agreed... it would cut out a lot of questions about tank size IMO

that said, i'm guilty of "it" too

 

[Dingo Dog]

It is my understanding, that within the basic parameters of the particular fish species, their individual rate and size of growth, is based on their surroundings.
I added my then, 2.5" yellow tang to my 46 gal. on 4/2004. The tang is now about 4".

 

[billdogg]

Little did I know, almost 20 years ago, that the cute little 12" eel would become the 4' brute that he now is. Luckily, tank size was not a concern - he's been in a 120 or 150 the whole time.

The fallacy that the fish "will only grow to the size of the tank" is just that - a fallacy. You may stunt it's growth somewhat. You will also stress it out physically and psychologically, and, all in all, have a unhappy fish if kept in too small a tank. It is our responsibility to provide the best possible homes for the creatures we keep. I had no plan on having a eel for 20+ years, but here we are. When he finally does go to that big fish tank in the sky, I'm going to have the most cycled reef tank ever ! Until then, I will do the best I can to provide him with what he needs for a long life. (rumor has it he could live another 20 years)

 

[jhildebrand]

Yup, just recently saw 18" unicorns at a Rainforest in Florida. That, and 15" puffers. Neat to see in a 3000 gal system, but would be comical in a 300 gal tank.

 

[snorvich]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14666274#post14666274 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by billdogg

The fallacy that the fish "will only grow to the size of the tank" is just that - a fallacy. You may stunt it's growth somewhat. You will also stress it out physically and psychologically, and, all in all, have a unhappy fish if kept in too small a tank.

Yes, that is true. Often the growth inhibition factor is lack of food. Most of us do not provide constant feeding opportunities, some feeding only once per day. That is not what fish are accustomed to in the wild. Some fish will do ok, others, e.g. mandarins, will perish without grazing opportunities. (that is why mandarins that eat prepared food often still die in captivity with insufficent natural food, i.e copepods)

 

[scottallert]

ive seen clown fish clarkiis and maroons in the 7- 8 inch range

 

[tbar]

I have seen Fox face's in the Ripley's aquariums in Myrtle beach and Gatlinberg that would be way to big for my 125. I hope there growth is somewhat restricted to there environment which I think is true. I don't want to have too get a bigger tank for him or the Hippo. I plan on having them for a long time hopefully.

 

[ReeferChick85]

rain forest cafe has some awesomely large sw fishes and its amazing how big these guys really get.

 

[mantaray1201]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14666019#post14666019 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Dingo Dog
It is my understanding, that within the basic parameters of the particular fish species, their individual rate and size of growth, is based on their surroundings.
I added my then, 2.5" yellow tang to my 46 gal. on 4/2004. The tang is now about 4".

This and the "watts per gallon" rule simply, well.......wrong.

 

[GoingPostal]

I can't understand wanting to "stunt" a fish so you can keep it in a smaller tank, what's that doing to their insides? That's not a sign your fish is healthy or doing well if it doesn't grow to it's potential. That yellow tang mentioned would be huge by now given the appropiate space.