Ancistrus fry won't grow

**Nailroth** · 01-08-2013, 09:30 AM

hey, i have a problem with my ancistrus fry they are about 5 month old now and should be about 2 inch but mine are almost an inch. I have 3 other ancistrus from the same batch that are almost 2 and a half inch the only diffrent between them is that the 3 large ones were living in a 99 gallon 3 weeks before i got a 99 gallon free for all of my fry i have.

i give them algae wafers 2 times a day but they are not eating like they should be they never have. what i mean by normal is according to my uncle that have been breeding them for several years. he feeds the same amount of fry 14 algae wafers a day while mine eats 1-2 a day.

Anyone have an idea why they are not growing? I want to fix this asap so i can sell them off

**ScottishFish** · 01-08-2013, 11:52 AM

Vary their diest with fresh veg like cucumber, courgette, carrot, potato etc

Just an idea

**blu** · 01-08-2013, 03:41 PM

Have you tested your water? If anything is building up in the aquarium it may affect their behavior and eating habits.

**Nailroth** · 01-08-2013, 11:23 PM

it's not anything with the water should have stated that but forgot. I have another ancistrus in the same tank as most of the fry and he has stoped growing now but hes about 2 and a half inch (hard to say exactly since i don't use inch when i messure.

I had all the fry grow in a 29 gallon tank but eventualy it got crowded with over 170 fish in it, i had moved down 3 fry to a 99 gallon but the rest was stuck in the 29 gallon. then a friend was closing down a 99 gallon that he was going to trow out so i took it and made it an grow out tank.

but ill try to feed them some other veg foods might help might not, not thinking highly of it but worth a try.

The 3 large fry and the "teenageer" have not gotten any other food but algae wafers in their life.

**blu** · 01-09-2013, 03:20 AM

170 fry is way too many to grow out in a 29 gallon. You may have moved them since, but unless you did massive water changes everyday I don't see your water parameters having been good in that tank. The damage may have been done there.

**Nailroth** · 01-09-2013, 04:00 AM

yeah the damage was done in the 29 gallon but now they have a bigger tank and alot of the fry are gone only about 100 left and nearly all leaves in a week. they have had the 99 gallon for 2 month and they should be growing now.

the damage i think happend is that fish don't grow big in small tanks and if its a overcrowded tank they will stop growing alot earlier but now they have a huge tank with plenty of space for them but they are not starting to grow.

but ill have to try with other vegi foods and see if that might help it

**scotchbonneteater** · 01-10-2013, 12:34 PM

ScottishFish gave you the answer. Feed them some veggies, if they want to eat they will soon realise it is food, My 2 adults eat Veggies and wafers.

Do you have bogwood in the tank as they need it to chew on too.