Growth rate on BGK

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
the questions are, is that too fast compared to nature??
Are you feeding them on the same foods found in the wild?
Are you beefing them up too fast?
How long is their survival rate after that?
This does make me ask why people say they dont grow much more than 12" in captivity, internal organ failure due to fast growth?
I don't know the answers, i'm asking questions too as no one has went into much detail about their answers.
It does sound fast but i dont know of the natural growth rate.
 
RichyBGK;3028427; said:
the questions are, is that too fast compared to nature?? For being such a popular Knife species that is used in science and kept in the hobbly trade, there isn't too much information found on their natural growth rate, but I assume that it is faster in the wild.
Are you feeding them on the same foods found in the wild? Since these are in the pet trade, most of us feed pellets, frozen, freeze-dried, feeders, and flake...so technically no because they mainly live on wild indigenous insects.
Are you beefing them up too fast? Usually the wild grows faster than captive species due to open swimming space and different diets.
How long is their survival rate after that? BGKs can live over 10 years captive or wild.
This does make me ask why people say they dont grow much more than 12" in captivity, internal organ failure due to fast growth? There are members here with BGK well over 12"
I don't know the answers, i'm asking questions too as no one has went into much detail about their answers.
It does sound fast but i dont know of the natural growth rate. BGKs are one of the slowest growing fish you can keep.
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Your answers are in RED.;)
 
I can only give details on how my BGK has grown. When I bought him, he was about the size of my index finger approx 7cms, He has always eaten a mix of frozen, dried and live food with no problems. He started off in a 55gal and them I upgraded him to a 180g in the first two years he grew to just over 30 cms, since then he has slowed down a great deal in growth rate and is now about 38cms. I have been told that they can live up to 20 years of age. I'm hoping. Not knowing how old he was when I got him I can only tell you that I have had him for 8 1/2 year now. He Strong and healthy but is known to go on hunger strikes on occassion I don't know if this normal and it has only just started in the last 12 months. In the wild they are omnivores. My BGK will eat flake etc but does prefer a higher protein diet if give a choice. Hopes this helps.
 
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