Cichlid growth rates

[Quo Vadis]

I am currently growing out a lot of baby cichlids for my 300-400g plywood tank I am building. I would like to know about their growth rates relative to each other, because while most of them are growing out in a 90g currently, I'd like to add a few to grow out in my 150g West African tank, because all it's inhabitants are still smaller as well, and I think some of the slower growing species would grow faster in that tank because I feed a lot of live and frozen food to my Elephantnose school. I have heard Green Terrors grow slowly in comparison to Vieja types, so I am planning to put my baby Gold Saum in there to give him a head start. I am also growing out my fire eel in the 150g.

Below is a list of the cichlids (and sunfish actually) I am growing out in various tanks, I'd love to know which ones tend to grow the fastest, and which ones grow the slowest. (I will be probably thinning the fish out as needed, as they grow. I have a great LFS, so that isn't a problem for me.) Thanks!

Astronotus crassipinis x2 ~3"
Heros efasciatus sp. x2 ~3" & 7"
Gold Saum GT x1 ~3"
Paratilapia 'large spot' x1 ~3"
Vieja Synspilum x2 ~6"
Herichthys carpintus x1 ~4"
Firemouth x1~3"
Sajica x1~3"
Vieja Herterospila x1 ~2"
Thorichthys pasiones x3 ~2"
Astatheros robertsoni x1~2"
Blue gene Jack Dempsey x1 ~2"
Nics x2 ~2"
Vieja Regani x2 ~1"
Chuco Micropthalmus x2 ~1"
Herichthys Pearsei x2 ~1"
exCichlasoma Boucourti x1 ~1"
Cryptoheros spilurus x7~1"
Bluegill x1 ~6"
Pumpkinseed sunfish x3 ~2-3"
Rock bass sunfish x1 ~2"
Green sunfish x1 ~2"
Longear sunfish x5 ~1"
Dollar sunfish x5 ~1"
Amphilophus lyonsi (don't have yet)
Hoplarchus psittacus (don't have yet)

 

[duanes]

Growth rates are always affected by such things as water change frequency, food quality, and crowding (and type of tankmates). So it is a very subjective question.
I do daily 30% changes in summer, and only feed once per day.
I find Astatheros are generally slow growers
Here are some rostatum the week I got them (at maybe 1"), June 2013

as of June 2014, they are @4", I am growing out 15 together which may influence the rate

Your carpintus went from this size fry, to the size it is now, in 1 year.

Its parents went from this

to this (about 6") in approximately the same amount of time

my bocourti went from about 2"-3" when I got them

to this, in less than a year

and Paratilapia came in starting like this in Oct 2013

and are now like this, taken 2 weeks ago

 

[viejafish]

The relative growth rate is proportional to the ultimate size of the fish. So Green Terror is expected to grow slower than Vieja as GT ultimate size is about 9 inch, versus 14 inch for Vieja. Likewise, the slowest growing cichlids would be cryptoheros and thoritchthys species as their ultimate size is only about 6 inch.

I notice that you are keeping several sunfish species with cichlids. That's an interesting mix and wonder which, cichlid or sunfish, will be the top fish.

 

[Quo Vadis]

OK thanks for all the info... I might just end up giving the smaller CA species their own tank with some swordtails, and having the large tank only have have fish that are at least 8-9", and then add a Kelberi peacock bass (smallest species, topping out at around 15").

I have some of the sunfish with the cichlids right now, and for the most part they seemed to have reached an understanding, and don't interact that much. Sunfish are nice because they tend to be more in the middle and top of the tank, while many of the cichlids stay more at the bottom. In general it seems that if the sunfish is bigger than the cichlid = sunfish>cichlid, but if the cichlid is bigger than the sunfish = cichlid>sunfish. Honestly I think mixing them is a lot like mixing various cichlids - it often can and does work, but every fish is an individual and you have to be prepared to intervene. Even though they are babies still I really like the mix I have going on right now!

 

[Ray neo]

Bro,as I know the growth rate of grammond is much petty slower than other ca.

 

[Mythic Figment]

I am currently growing out a lot of baby cichlids for my 300-400g plywood tank I am building. I would like to know about their growth rates relative to each other, because while most of them are growing out in a 90g currently, I'd like to add a few to grow out in my 150g West African tank, because all it's inhabitants are still smaller as well, and I think some of the slower growing species would grow faster in that tank because I feed a lot of live and frozen food to my Elephantnose school. I have heard Green Terrors grow slowly in comparison to Vieja types, so I am planning to put my baby Gold Saum in there to give him a head start. I am also growing out my fire eel in the 150g.

Below is a list of the cichlids (and sunfish actually) I am growing out in various tanks, I'd love to know which ones tend to grow the fastest, and which ones grow the slowest. (I will be probably thinning the fish out as needed, as they grow. I have a great LFS, so that isn't a problem for me.) Thanks!

Astronotus crassipinis x2 ~3". FAST
Heros efasciatus sp. x2 ~3" & 7". SLOW
Gold Saum GT x1 ~3". MODERATE
Paratilapia 'large spot' x1 ~3". IDK
Vieja Synspilum x2 ~6". MODERATE-FAST
Herichthys carpintus x1 ~4". MODERATE-FAST
Firemouth x1~3". MODERATE
Sajica x1~3". MODERATE
Vieja Herterospila x1 ~2". MODERATE-FAST
Thorichthys pasiones x3 ~2". MODERATE
Astatheros robertsoni x1~2". GLACIER SLOW
Blue gene Jack Dempsey x1 ~2". GLACIER SLOW
Nics x2 ~2". FAST
Vieja Regani x2 ~1". MODERATE-FAST
Chuco Micropthalmus x2 ~1". IDK
Herichthys Pearsei x2 ~1". MODERATE-FAST
exCichlasoma Boucourti x1 ~1". MODERATE-FAST
Cryptoheros spilurus x7~1". MODERATE
Bluegill x1 ~6". IDK
Pumpkinseed sunfish x3 ~2-3". IDK
Rock bass sunfish x1 ~2". IDK
Green sunfish x1 ~2". IDK
Longear sunfish x5 ~1". IDK
Dollar sunfish x5 ~1". IDK
Amphilophus lyonsi (don't have yet). MODERATE-FAST
Hoplarchus psittacus (don't have yet). MODERATE

I wrote growth rate in caps next to each species with a few I don't know about. As duanes said, growth rate will vary heavily depending on environment (temp, water parameters, competition for food, aggression from tankmates, etc), so my listings are just a guideline.


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