How long to reach full maturity .... SO hard to say. Some fish never do. Some don't until they live in a tank alone with no neighbors. Some fish mature in 10-12 months. Others take 18 months to a year.
I'll say this, though....Melanurum and Synspilum, or the Costa Rican Melanurum that used to be called Synspilum, they are the fastest growing fish I've ever grown out (faster than Midas, faster than any other Vieja). The only other fish that grow as fast as Syn's that I've kept are Trimac's and Lyonsi--those grow really, really quick sometimes, too.
But, right now, I have 3 Trimacs. They were all bought at the same time, same size, from Rapps. 2 males and 1 female. 1 male is by himself in a 125, and he's 8-10 inches now and looks like a mature Trimac. The other two are in my 540, they are half his size and look like adolescent fish. I've had all 3 less than a year.
I'll say this, though....Melanurum and Synspilum, or the Costa Rican Melanurum that used to be called Synspilum, they are the fastest growing fish I've ever grown out (faster than Midas, faster than any other Vieja). The only other fish that grow as fast as Syn's that I've kept are Trimac's and Lyonsi--those grow really, really quick sometimes, too.
But, right now, I have 3 Trimacs. They were all bought at the same time, same size, from Rapps. 2 males and 1 female. 1 male is by himself in a 125, and he's 8-10 inches now and looks like a mature Trimac. The other two are in my 540, they are half his size and look like adolescent fish. I've had all 3 less than a year.
