Breeding Stunting Growth

[windsurfer]

i've bred a lot of angelfish in my past and I would say early breeding slows down and even stunts growth, I saw it a lot without a doubt.

In angelfish, it's the female that is affected by early breeding the most - I think it can definitely result in stunting with them. It does affect the males too. In captivity, the conditions are aritificially too good and they breed all of the time unless you separate them. In nature, due to food and water conditions and competition for spawning spots, they only breed at certain times of year letting them put more energy into body growth.

windsurfer

 

[WildCAught]

Stunting while breeding tends to affect females more noticeably. Females have to spend alot more energy to produce massive amounts of eggs.

 

[Mystix212]

Fish that can often reproduce fry such as livebearers and cichlids (Convicts are a great example) will have a hard time keeping up with the males growth speed as in the convicts case, constant egg production does take a toll on the growth. I remember when I introduced my male con to my female... The male was 1.75" and the female was 2.25". After a few months on breeding, the male was 3" or so and the female 2.75".

 

[croc 2-3]

I don't think breeding stunts fish, just slows down the growth. The energy used for breeding (making gametes) is not used for growth. What I've heard anyway, don't know how much of that is true or not.

This is true growth slows down in animals that are breeding as energy,hormones,etc. go to reproduction. Prime example are convicts if you keep sexes seperate & they don't breed; males can get 6" & 4" or 5" for females. THis is also why when mammals(dogs & cats) that are fixed(spayed/neutered) get bigger. The hormones,energy,etc. go to growth since all reproduction is ceased. If you take a breeding animal & stop breeding it, it will start to grow. Water changes also play a considerable part in fish growth (but that is another level).

 

[John Rambo]

would it be wise then to separate a breeding pair until they are full grown? Is this stunting temporary?

 

[croc 2-3]

would it be wise then to separate a breeding pair until they are full grown? Is this stunting temporary?

Yes, if you want to get a maximum size seperate them. Stunting is temporary if you stop breeding before they have repeative spawns. Once you seperate them do 25% water changes every 2 weeks & they should grow like weeds.

 

[John Rambo]

I have a few pairs, just continuously laying eggs, none hatching, but I know it still takes its toll. I hate to separate a happy pair but I guess I should do it.
thanks!