With all my research on different fish such as tangs and large angels you hear about what size tank they require for there max sizes. But how often do these fish actually get that big? Almost all of the info I have seen is they never seem to get to that size. Just like humans I guess, the tallest man was almost 9 ft, but the average is say about 5 1/2 ft. Any comments from anybody on this???
Fish sizes
- Thread starter nsfishguy
- Start date
Triggerfish
Active member
there's all sorts of generalizations regarding things in this hobby.
like how many inches of fish per gallon and crazy stuff like that. there are many variables that can be involved.
some of the larger fish grown in captivity will rarely max out i think. but some of the smaller fish like a bangaii could easily get 3" within a few years time depending on food intake as they dont move all that much..at least mine doesnt.
IowaReefer
New member
IMO, you don't see max sizes because most fish die before maturity in home aquaria. If you check out some of the "oldest fish" threads on this site, you will see fish reaching max size because they have lived long enough to do so. If you are looking for an excuse to get a fish that will outgrow your tank, just make sure you have a place to go lined up for it when it gets too big (LFS usually will take fish on trade).
I really don't think it's as simple as that. The angelfish at the Nancy Aquarium is 41 years old, in a 1600g tank, and is 30cm (max size listed on FB is 46 cm).
I have a 265 gal 7 ft long tank, so it is pretty big and my plan was to house any fish I get long term. I just see so many different opinions about can't put this in, too big, to small etc. I want the fish to be as healthy and have as much space as possible but I also don't want to put two large fish in there and that's it just because of size. I have to agree with you below that you can't really generalize because of so many size variations, just like people. I am sure not all fish go to max size even in the wild.
Thanks eveyone for you help by the way.
Thanks eveyone for you help by the way.
I am not looking for an excuse I just looking for info. If everybody is that worried about what is best for the fish then aquariums should be banned and if you want to see these animals then you should travel to there natural habitat and go diving!
Your belief that there is no middle ground is idiotic. That's like seeing someone who is torturing a cow with a blowtorch, saying something to him, and then that person accusing you of hypocrisy because you're not a vegetarian.
Let's just take a deep breath and relax. Referring to peoples' posts as idiotic is not a great way to go about things.
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<i><br>Here at Reef Central, we believe that dialogs between participants should be conducted in a friendly and helpful manner. If you disagree with a posting, please express yourself in a way that is conducive to further constructive dialog. Conversely, when you post on any given subject, you must be willing to accept constructive criticism without posting a hostile or inflammatory response. Personal attacks of any kind will not be tolerated. Please work to insure that Reef Central remains a friendly and flame free site where everyone, especially newcomers, can feel free to post questions without fear of being unfairly criticized. Thank you for your cooperation.</i>
Yes and no. I guess it depends where you live. I spoke with Ted about this previously. Apparently where he lives he can trade in large triggers, angels, whatever without issue. Here in San Diego, you can't give large fish away
SantaMonica
Well-known member
My understanding was that stunted growth of fish was due to lack of food, not space.
CoralsAddiction
Active member
Longevity goes beyond tank and fish size. A prolonged power outage, equipment failure and bad water quality due to poor maintenance can all kill fish even in the largest of the tanks.
wayne in norway
New member
I think it's food too - if a fish in the wild can eat constantly then you'll struggle to match that on two small feeds a day.
In contrast tank raised cichlids like Apistogramma can be much larger than their food deprived counterparts in the wild.
In contrast tank raised cichlids like Apistogramma can be much larger than their food deprived counterparts in the wild.
I definitely agree. I am guessing that most aquarists feed once a day (?) and some even less frequently. As Wayne says, in the wild fish eat constantly so that would be a significant difference.
Dmorty217
Saltwater Addict
I agree with this also. Everyone that sees my fish are like "wow your fish are huge" and I tell them I feed variety and often. I feed 8 different varieties of food all soaked in selcon and vitachem 5-8 times a day, and that is in the 8 hrs I have my lights on.
