Hi everyone, would someone please explain to me about a grow out tank? I understand the concept but I'm confused about actually growing the fish, wouldn't a smaller aquarium cause their growth rate to slow down?
Grow out tank
- Thread starter Cherrybomb
- Start date
Not if you do enough water changes (like everyday) and pull the fish out at the right time (before stress of having too small of a tank). Stress and water quality affects the growth rate. However, I wouldn't keep a 1" oscar in a 5 gallon growout though.... 20 g as a quarantine tank for a month is about at most I would do for the 1" oscar.
How do you know when it's the right time? Say if you already have fish in a larger aquarium and you could only find one that you want but it's way too small. A lot of people say "don't keep with tankmates small enough to be eaten" but that varies. My tsn had to be at least 1/2 the size of my jaguar. I took a nap and when I woke up I wondered why she had a piece of hair hanging out of her mouth.
In general the term “grow out tank” is just used to describe a tank other than the main display tank that will be used to let a fish or group of fish grow large enough or strong enough to be kept with the other fish.
All to often people say this is a “grow out tank” as an excuse to get a fish they know is or will be to large for the tank In the future.
They justify getting the fish before the aquarium they need to keep the fish properly by saying “this is just a grow out tank”.
That said, a grow out tank can be useful if used properly and really is just a tank to let a smaller fish put on size and strength.
All to often people say this is a “grow out tank” as an excuse to get a fish they know is or will be to large for the tank In the future.
They justify getting the fish before the aquarium they need to keep the fish properly by saying “this is just a grow out tank”.
That said, a grow out tank can be useful if used properly and really is just a tank to let a smaller fish put on size and strength.
You have to know the personality of the tankmates and the anatomy of the fish. The same size vieja doesn't have the same throat width and mouth size as your jag of the same size, as an example of knowing the anatomy of the fish.
Then you have the gulper catfish, capable of consuming a fish twice its lengthing, "folding a fish in half in the stomach" and expanding it's body....
I use growout tanks to raise fish from the same batch. Uniform size reduces competitive aggression. Main advantages are high temperature, constant light, continuous power feeding, 50% daily water changes, easier monitoring and harvesting. Just write the species name and start date on each tank/rack of tanks.