Newb question about fish growth...

[wlepse]

So I currently have a tank that is cycling and while this process is going I figure it gives me lots of time to figure out what I actaully want in the tank. I also have read the general rule of thumb of 1" per gallon allowing for the fish to get full grown. But how fast do fish grow? Are they like dogs and cats and within a year they are just about as big as they will get or do they continue to grow every year? Just wondering since a lot of the fish I have seen for say say they get up to 5" but I have never seen one that big and don't know if that is really realistic or not.

[Algenco]

It all depends on diet, temps, and water changes.
Usually 1yr but some species take a little longer, fish never stop growing

[violet]

hmmm... there are alot of fish that grow bigger then 5" I have a giraffe ciclid that is about that size right now and will get alot bigger. What kind of fish are you talking about?

[Algenco]

I should have said most will reach maturity in 1 yr

[kaybee]

But how fast do fish grow?

In addition to external variables (diet, water quality, etc) some species just grow faster, some are capable of adding an inch of length per month. Other's will take years to attain maximum size.

Many fish species will achieve sexual maturity prior to reaching their full size.

[wlepse]

Sorry wasn't being specific saying 5" was the max they get to...just saw a lot of the community fish get to about 5" like swordtails but I have never seen one that big. On the other hand I have seen huge Oscars so I wasn't sure if some of the sizes they say are really just a fairytale for these more common fish.

[Jacko]

Not all fish get the same size... it depends on genes and alot of different factors.
Some swordtails I've seen were 4-5 inches, others were 2"... same with mollies
I've seen a jack dempsy hit 6 inches and stop growing and another hit 8 inches.

It really depends on what fish you are looking at getting... clown loaches take years and years to reach their full size, while a yoyo loach only takes about 2 or 3... and an oscar can hit 12 inches in about a year.

IME, the fairytale sizes are ones provided by unknowledgable employees at stores... and unfortunately these are usually the opposite... instead of iridescent sharks getting to be 12-18 inches as the employees and tags at petco say, they get to reach 3 feet.

[violet]

Sorry wasn't being specific saying 5" was the max they get to...just saw a lot of the community fish get to about 5" like swordtails but I have never seen one that big. On the other hand I have seen huge Oscars so I wasn't sure if some of the sizes they say are really just a fairytale for these more common fish.

Well the Bala shark is a community fish get's to be about 15" in length

[wlepse]

OK so they will get to the listed sizes providing a good environment within about a year.

[domjd05]

If you give us a few fish that you eventually decide you may like to try, I'm sure someone here can tell you how fast they will grow thumbs2:

In my experience, fish grow the most in the first year.. and usually max out (for the most part) at around that 1 year mark.. other fish just keep getting bigger and bigger.. (oscars)

[lahlumdi]

I would hope that you are keeping the aquarium for the long haul. That means that you really need to think about the maximum size they can get from the beginning - even if it is 3 years down the road.

If you are around folks who do a good job keeping their aquarium, you will find the fish getting to their maximum size. I just met a lady who has had a pleco through 6 different moves and it is about a foot long now.

You need to look at the fish you are interested in and see what their size range is. Some never get bigger than an inch. I wish I could find an handy dandy size chart for all tropical fish online, but I haven't run into that.

I love your question about how fast fish grow! Some that are small do initially grow like a puppy! And then the growth slows down a little. Interesting question!

[Aeonflame]

I'd say that you need to consider the maximum size of the fish when stocking (which you should know from research which is recommended for any unfamiliar species) and if your current setup does not accommodate that, do you have alternative housing for them? Some fish grow faster than others, but you need to be in for the long haul when considering stocking options.