Stunted Growth

[mattybecks]

Hello all
I have a 500L 5ft tank currently housing 9 Nimbocromis (2Venustus & 7Livingstonii) and 7 Dimidiochromis compressiceps.

How long does it take these guys to reach full size?
I ask as I got these guys from a fish store when they were about 8-9cm and some of them had concave hollow looking bellies like they hadn't had food in a while. The water looked clear though. I was wondering about the stunting of growth in them and what to expect. They are on average all about 15-16cm now. males are larger females smaller. I have had them for just over a year now, maybe 13- 14 months.

Do you think stunting stops growth right then and there (as the bad conditions occur), or they continue to grow after lack of food, just don't get as big?

Thanks

 

[tlindsey]

Hello all
I have a 500L 5ft tank currently housing 9 Nimbocromis (2Venustus & 7Livingstonii) and 7 Dimidiochromis compressiceps.

How long does it take these guys to reach full size?
I ask as I got these guys from a fish store when they were about 8-9cm and some of them had concave hollow looking bellies like they hadn't had food in a while. The water looked clear though. I was wondering about the stunting of growth in them and what to expect. They are on average all about 15-16cm now. males are larger females smaller. I have had them for just over a year now, maybe 13- 14 months.

Do you think stunting stops growth right then and there (as the bad conditions occur), or they continue to grow after lack of food, just don't get as big?

Thanks

It sounds like they were in deplorable conditions when you purchased them I suggest weekly wc's and good foods.

 

[Aquatank]

If there is shunted growth then the whole body will be small but the eyes will be bigger (eyes are not in proper ratio to the body length,size)
Or you can try to do weekly water changes (2x) for about a month and then please do proper feeding regime to maintain constant craving for food at proper time and don't miss the scheduled time to feed them
I guess this will work for them and hopefully the will grow out like monsters
Give them love from me Aquatank

 

[mattybecks]

Didn't know about the eye thing. All seems in proportion now thankfully.
My schedule has been water changes (80%) every 5 days or so. I have a bio filter than runs along the length of the tank, and two power head filters inside. They get pellet food as staple (fish dervided non wheat or corn) with algae, along with pangasuis fillet once or twice a week) I'll see if I can get some pics of them now ...

 

[Aquatank]

That's a pretty good diet that they are on and I guess you just do water changes about 50% after 3 days or so to maintain your parameters in case any thing is left do this water hanger cycle for about 2 weeks and you will find the difference

 

[mattybecks]

 

[Aquatank]

They look to fit in the proportion scheme and are healthy and happy
May be you should give them some tasty food and time to avercome any depression faced due to water parameters

 

[mattybecks]

I think so. I was just worried about long term damage and if they all would all grow ok now, but never to their full size.

 

[Drstrangelove]

Do you think stunting stops growth right then and there (as the bad conditions occur), or they continue to grow after lack of food, just don't get as big?

...I got these guys from a fish store when they were about 8-9 cm... They are on average all about 15-16cm now.

Did you forget your own fish in the first part of your question? They obviously did not stop "growth right then and there."

But to answer the more important and interesting second part of your question, in at least some species, fish will "catch up" in growth given the right conditions. This has been found in controlled studies of charr. The right conditions vary by species (fresh water, proper amounts and types of food, oxygen, reduced stress, reasonable pH, etc.)

Does that apply to every species? I would doubt that, but one can hope that it applies to many or most.

 

[mattybecks]

Did you forget your own fish in the first part of your question? They obviously did not stop "growth right then and there."

But to answer the more important and interesting second part of your question, in at least some species, fish will "catch up" in growth given the right conditions. This has been found in controlled studies of charr. The right conditions vary by species (fresh water, proper amounts and types of food, oxygen, reduced stress, reasonable pH, etc.)

Does that apply to every species? I would doubt that, but one can hope that it applies to many or most.

Awesome . Thanks !!