I have 3 senegal bichirs that I bought within a week of each other. They were all the same size but now two are bigger and one hasn't grown. They all eat the same (2 sinking carnivore pellets a day) and I know the small one is eating. I drop the food right in front of him and he snaps it up. I can't think of an explanation why one's growing slower, do some just have slower growth rates?
Do bichirs just have weird growth rates?
- Thread starter TTTT
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Growth rates can vary greatly within poly's, genitics obviously plays a huge role as does the "starvation" factor in young poly's.
Many LFS feed their fish the bare minimum to keep them alive while holding them. Depending on extent and duration this can affect growth rates and max future sizes. (no science to back this up, just some experiance )
Good Luck
Many LFS feed their fish the bare minimum to keep them alive while holding them. Depending on extent and duration this can affect growth rates and max future sizes. (no science to back this up, just some experiance )
Good Luck
Sure there is, observational science. Generally not as accurate as direct experimentation, but valid science. Often a reason for hypothesis and experimentation.Burbotman;3817201; said:
Don't sell your experience short.
Thanks Cholly, here is my observation with respect to growth rate and size.
A tale of Two Endi's
#1-Picked up at an LFS, they said it had been there awhile. Fish was 3 inchs with the body litterally of a toothpick. Brought it home and while it grew, it was very slow and after 3 years is a 14"Endi with no growth in length in almost 8 months.
#2-LFS advised me they had a shipment of endis coming in. I picked one up 3 days after it arrived. 3 inch fish but body like a pencil. After 1 year that endi is now a beast at 17". What is interesting is 4 months after I picked it up I was back at the same LFS and they still had some of that batch, they were now 3.5" Toothpicks, while mine at home was up to 10 inches(power feeding)
Thus to get back on point and not derail, I think this is a significant factor in poly growth.
I often wonder how much this factors into poly's in captivity never getting close to their max listed sizes, How many 30" Endis do you see, what about a 39" Congicus? Lots of other factors but the formative year may dictate future potential.
Done rambling now.
A tale of Two Endi's
#1-Picked up at an LFS, they said it had been there awhile. Fish was 3 inchs with the body litterally of a toothpick. Brought it home and while it grew, it was very slow and after 3 years is a 14"Endi with no growth in length in almost 8 months.
#2-LFS advised me they had a shipment of endis coming in. I picked one up 3 days after it arrived. 3 inch fish but body like a pencil. After 1 year that endi is now a beast at 17". What is interesting is 4 months after I picked it up I was back at the same LFS and they still had some of that batch, they were now 3.5" Toothpicks, while mine at home was up to 10 inches(power feeding)
Thus to get back on point and not derail, I think this is a significant factor in poly growth.
I often wonder how much this factors into poly's in captivity never getting close to their max listed sizes, How many 30" Endis do you see, what about a 39" Congicus? Lots of other factors but the formative year may dictate future potential.
Done rambling now.
yeah im having the exact same problem, i have 3 sens, having gotten the third 1 or 2 weeks after the first two and he has barely grown at all even though i see him eat at every feeding, he is literally half the others' length and girth, he is only 3in pencil, while the other 2 are, 4.5-5in and 5-6in small sausages, also in regards to the petstore thing, my first two were actually the last of their batch at the petsmart and so had probably been there for a couple weeks while the 3rd one i got was bought within a day or 2 of the petsmart getting him in...
Of my two Sens they started out the same size a coupe months ago. One is now 5" and the other still 3.5". They both are on Hikair sinking carnivore pellets, earthworms,
and for frozen: beefheart, carnivore cuisine, brine shrimp, bloodworms and silverside.
Genetics? Who knows. The bigger one that is growing so well, was in bad shape when I got it. The other was not in bad shape at all. Both were skinny but not emaciated.
and for frozen: beefheart, carnivore cuisine, brine shrimp, bloodworms and silverside.
Genetics? Who knows. The bigger one that is growing so well, was in bad shape when I got it. The other was not in bad shape at all. Both were skinny but not emaciated.
I agree with Burbotman that genetic within individual bichirs plays a huge role. I'm also guessing that the smaller bichir may eat but it doesn't wat as much as the other two. Most male bichirs also grow longer and some faster compare to female bichirs.
i bought two endlis from the same lfs at the same time and they both grew to 7" but one just stopped growing and is just over 7" now and the other one is now at over 12" and is a beast and also ive bought another from the same lfs about 9 months later and i dont think its possible that it was from the same batch but ive not seen it eat much but it has grfown slowly to 7" btu compared to the beast the other two are tiny so id say every fish is different so you never know what you will get.
Steve
Steve
My sen has been stuck at 6" for 5-6 years, she's got very little health problems (actually never got sick for all that time that I had her) so nothing to worry about
just keep doing what you do now and it'll be fine
just keep doing what you do now and it'll be fine
