hi guys
just a quick q. will a stunted fish grow as normal after you put it in a better environment?
thanks
just a quick q. will a stunted fish grow as normal after you put it in a better environment?
thanks
can a stunted fish be unstunt?
- Thread starter fishbee
- Start date
I think it would probably depend on how severely stunted it is. I've never bought a stunted fish so I can't say for sure, but here's a free bump.
While ago I bought a female JD that was stunted from Wal-mart, she would breed, but would only lay 25% of the eggs that one would expect, her fitness was greatly reduced.
In perfect water, with adequate water changes and feeding nothing ever changed. She grew, but much slower than the male did, while it was clear that the "stunting" did have an affect on her and I could still get her to grow and be happy, the damage had been done. IME you can prevent further damage, but not reverse what has already been done to any sizable extent.
In perfect water, with adequate water changes and feeding nothing ever changed. She grew, but much slower than the male did, while it was clear that the "stunting" did have an affect on her and I could still get her to grow and be happy, the damage had been done. IME you can prevent further damage, but not reverse what has already been done to any sizable extent.
I've had fish that - for whatever reason - just didn't grow much under certain conditions...just take off when placed in a different tank.
For example, I had 2 Paratilapia polleni in a 300g. One of the grew huge. The other one remained small. When I removed the smaller one to a 125g community, it was nearly the size of the bigger one within a year.
Matt
For example, I had 2 Paratilapia polleni in a 300g. One of the grew huge. The other one remained small. When I removed the smaller one to a 125g community, it was nearly the size of the bigger one within a year.
Matt
I agree with the post above, that you can definitely prevent further damage - - and even give the fish a healthy life - - but any damage done is unlikely to be reversed
it really depends on how severe the stunting may have been . . . I picked up a juvie Carpintis that I thought was stunted, but more likely just underfed . . . given clean water and adequate food, he turned out to be perfectly normal and a really handsome fish
but I also bought a gymno whose tail was growing upwards - - at an angle - -because it had lived in a tiny tank for months; that never changed . . .
it really depends on how severe the stunting may have been . . . I picked up a juvie Carpintis that I thought was stunted, but more likely just underfed . . . given clean water and adequate food, he turned out to be perfectly normal and a really handsome fish
but I also bought a gymno whose tail was growing upwards - - at an angle - -because it had lived in a tiny tank for months; that never changed . . .
what i meant by stunting is not deformities, its just a normal shaped fish, looking healthy but seem small for its age.
Like others said - it can go either way depends on how bad the damage is and what caused it and just because a fish is "small" for it's age doesn't equal stunted it could be a runt or sub-dominant fish.
The longer the fish has been stunted, the less likely and/or slower it will grow in a bigger hospital tank.
But that is more-so for stunting due to tank restrictions. If it is due to not getting enough food because of maybe a faster tankmate, the chances are slightly better.
But that is more-so for stunting due to tank restrictions. If it is due to not getting enough food because of maybe a faster tankmate, the chances are slightly better.
Very unlikely. A stunted fish most likely has large eyes in comparison to his body and is lethargic. They have a shortened life span and wont live very long at all.