Is my spotted raphael stunted?

[Carefree_Dude]

Back in late 2007, I got back into the fish hobby and one of my first fish was a spotted Raphael. It was a tiny little 1/2" guy. He quickly disappeared and I more or less forgot about him. many years, moves, and tank upgrades later he still manages to stay out of sight and out of mind. He even survived me having a redtail catfish for about a year.

I assume after all this time, he has been finding misc scraps from my other fish to live on. Except for the redtail catfish days, he has been in very clean water. I set up a hide at the front of my tank, and i got a chance to measure him. He is just under 4". Research online has showed me that these guys can get 8".

So is my fish stunted? is there anything i can do to make sure it lives the longest/happiest life possible?

attached is a picture of him.

 

[aquaculture]

Nope. normal.

 

[Paroon]

Yea i'd say normal. I got the one I have now back in 1993. Its my oldest fish and lives in a 300 gallon rubbermaid. I see it about once every 2 or 3 months. Its a shy one but lives through anything. And after all that time its only 3".

 

[Yinikren]

Raphaels seem to grow stupid fast for their first year, then slowly max out over time after. I had a striped and a spotted, both purchased at the same time. Both grow to 5" in less than a year, and both took another two years to hit 7" after. Striped Raphaels do grow slightly larger than spotteds, but I doubt there was a half-inch difference the entire time I had them.

 

[Fishman0]

I purchased my spotted about 2years ago at around 2.5". Now he is around 3.5". I have NEVER seen the little guy eat. I drop sinking wafers every other night before the room lights are turned off. Im not sure if the other small fish (serpae tetras, blind cave tetras, bloodfins...) pick at it over night. The cat just hangs out, upside down wedged in a crevasse on driftwood. I catch him around once a month cruising the bottom, or when I clean the tank. Wish he got a little bigger. Any tips for growth?

 

[bigbadfish711]

Stunted no. Kinda slow growers yes. Depends on how much food they can get. I have noticed that mine will not come out to eat if the light is on. I for a long time thought that they had died. I hardly ever saw them.

 

[ali12345]

I have had several over the years and most remained small - under 4-5" but I have one now who is at least 6" and does look odd to me at that size. Had to look twice when I saw him - assumed he was a striped one at first.

 

[kdrun76]

Mine is in a 450, its only 4" too. I only see him if I roll his rock over when I clean out from under it.