Is there a way to grow a fish to its max potential size in home aquariums?

[squint]

To me, the word nitrate, is synonymous to "fish piss", or urine to those with less a crass vocabulary than I.
Freshwater fish are constantly pissing (urinating) thru their gills, and a part of that piss (ammonia) is used by beneficial bacteria in filters and substrate, but the rest is in solution in the tank, and remains in the tank, unless diluted by a water change.

It's not really urine, is it? It's pure ammonia. People use it for cleaning. I'm glad you at least acknowledge that the vast majority of nitrogen excretion in freshwater fish is from the gills. I was getting tired of correcting you all the time.

The EPA mandates a nitrate MCL of no more the 10 ppm, because more than 10 ppm can be dangerous to new born humans.

The nitrate MCL isn't 10 ppm. It's 44.3. How could you have worked as a water testing technician and not know this? I'm pretty sure I've pointed this out before.

This limit should be raised, BTW:

 

[Ash02]

It's not really urine, is it? It's pure ammonia. People use it for cleaning. I'm glad you at least acknowledge that the vast majority of nitrogen excretion in freshwater fish is from the gills. I was getting tired of correcting you all the time.

It is not pure ammonia. Fish have kidneys that filter waste, just like we do, and their pee contains ammonia, urea, phosphorus and other waste.

 

[squint]

It is not pure ammonia. Fish have kidneys that filter waste, just like we do, and their pee contains ammonia, urea, phosphorus and other waste.

I don't think the kidneys are connected to the gills.

 

[squint]

Freshwater fish produce very little urea and their urine doesn't contain much ammonia.

 

[RD.]

...... and a little second hand smoke never hurt nobody.

 

[Stanzzzz7]

Personally I've learnt a little here about nitrate. However, I think it's not the sole contributor to the ops opening post.
To my way of thinking, I feel its much more about enrichment and over, rather than underachieving with the living environment created.
The difference between the aquarium and the wild is so vast it's almost a no brainer really.
Fish in the wild are hunting, grazing, searching, chasing,avoiding, darting, nest building, rearing, fleeing, interacting etc etc the list goes on.
No matter how hard an aquarist may try, getting it right is a hard thing to achieve and possibly impossible.
I'm rambling, so to get to the point. For me it's the sheer scale of things that inhibits growth. The scale of freedom to swim at full speed, to exercise in a natural and sometimes challenging way. The stimulation of a great river and all its nooks, caves and crannies. This scale of enrichment and exercise is what I believe makes the difference in most cases.

 

[RD.]

While I have no doubt that environmental enrichment stimulates certain portions of the growth and well being of a fish, the vast majority of fish that I have personally seen over the years that I would consider physically stunted, have been this way due to very poor water conditions, from folks that didn't know any better.

A typical sign is eyes that are much larger than normal, in comparison to non stunted specimens of the same age. This can also be the result of other conditions, including being out competed for food when grown out with a group of siblings, genetics, hierarchy within the group, sex, etc. But lack of water changes leading to polluted conditions seems to be one of the main reasons that I have seen over the years. No need to test for nitrates.

 

[pokebird]

Wow a lot of valuable information here backed by scientific research or long-time experiences. Definitely a lot of things here for me to absorb!

 

[Nilsafeller]

Wow a lot of valuable information here backed by scientific research or long-time experiences. Definitely a lot of things here for me to absorb!

But what do you absorb? One guy says this... the other says the opposite.. one guy was a water tech and the other guy calls him out and says hes wrong?‍ one guys an old prick and will argue with anyone for days because he finds it fun ??? you know who you are babe!

Jk very informative stuff here!

 

[squint]

But what do you absorb? One guy says this... the other says the opposite.. one guy was a water tech and the other guy calls him out and says hes wrong?‍ one guys an old prick and will argue with anyone for days because he finds it fun ??? you know who you are babe!

Jk very informative stuff here!

It's like a debate with flat earthers. There's an appearance of a debate but really there isn't. All the facts are on one side of the argument.

There's probably less than a half dozen people in this entire hobby with new ideas challenging the orthodoxy. Most are content to just repeat garbage facts they saw on social media and perpetuate myths.