[hunnyxbunny]

please could someone tell me - is it a myth that fish will only grow to a size suitable for their surroundings or is it true that this is actually very bad for them and stunting their growth, shortening their life

 

[DaveM]

it is a myth that fish will only grow to the tank size, so it would be very cruel keeping big fish in smaller tanks and the tank gets polluted very quickly

 

[Duzzie]

It is a myth that has some truth behind it. It is true that a small tank can stunt the external size of fish, however it doesn't stunt the growth of the internal organs. In other words, the fish might be smaller but the internal organs will be crammed into a smaller area. As you can imagine, this is not good.
Make sure you know how big your fish will potentially gety and house them accordingly. Keepng fish in a tank that is too small is cruel to the fish and will result in harming the fish.

Duzzie

 

[mike515]

complete bollocks.

to an extent yes. but thats only due to stunting the outside shape of the fish.

Think of it like this. Red Tail catfish, a fish which potentially grows to 5ff plus. Do you think a 6 inch baby one will stop growing at this sze because of a small tank

 

[carl24bpool]

I think Its true in some ways. Not sure about teh biology of it, but me and my friend bought a Plec (those brown sucker fish) each at the same time.

He had a 5 foot tank and I had a three foot tank.

His grew considerably bigger and faster than mine.

The organs thing may be true to an extent but there is no way on gods green earth the insides of my mates fish would of fitted inside the one I had. What ever you say there is no way.

 

[della.g]

The bigger the fish tank the quicker the fish will grow.Keeping a fish in a tank too small for it will stunt it's growth and stunt it's life.

Della

 

[Duzzie]

complete bollocks.

to an extent yes. but thats only due to stunting the outside shape of the fish.

Think of it like this. Red Tail catfish, a fish which potentially grows to 5ff plus. Do you think a 6 inch baby one will stop growing at this sze because of a small tank

Not sure if the "Complete Bollocks" was aimed at me.
I never said that it was completely true, i said it was myth that has some truth to it. To use your example Mike. Put an identical pair of RTC's in tanks, one in a 3 ft and one in an 8ft for a year or 2 (not sure how fast they grow). Both will grow but the one in the 3ft will grow much slower. It's eventual maximum size will also be stunted, but would get way to big for the 3ft.

Carl you showed this yourself with your plec. Your plec will never get as big as his due to his having more space. The thing with the organs does not mean that the organs will be the same size in both fish, just that proprtionaly, the organs will be bigger and more crammed in a stunted fish, resulting in a shorter life. All things being the same, your friends fish will live longer.

This myth is used by some fish shops to justify selling bigger fish to unsuspecting punters. I've heard a salesman tell someone an Oscar would be OK in a 3ft. :roll:

Duzzie

 

[mike515]

nah mate, completely aimed at the myth.

no trust me i hate the fish only grow to the tank myth. i work in a fish shop and we won't sell a fish into a small tank if it will outgrow it.

We get loads of calls saying my fish has got too big can you take it off me etc. then they come in and say a guy in the other shop said it would be fine.

I myself rescued a 2.5foot snakehead a few months back who outgrew his 3 foot tank. He's now in a 8 footer with some BIG severums