Pacu isn't growing

[jclyde13]

I had it in a larger tank but it didn't grow so I threw it in this tank and it still won't grow. It popped his eye when he was young so I think he is blind in his one eye. I feed him pellets, he would steal flakes from other fish, he gets fresh cut plants from my other tanks, he gets snails, worms, eatin numerous guppies. Never has shown any sign of sickness and gets his water changed. From what I have read online they will grow no matter what the size of the tank but he has more than enough room to swim in the one he is in. I think I just got a runt..... lol

He was probably already severely stunted when you got it (which would explain why it didn't grow).

 

[farmclub]

If that is the case is it looking grim for him to grow larger or is there a way to "spark" his growth?

 

[kdrun76]

gets his water changedl

Define that. How much water and how often?

They are mostly vegetarian, what sort of pellets are you giving it? Algae wafers would be better.

 

[fishysocks2012]

hes probably stunted

 

[all_or_nothin]

beefheart and waterchanges should do the trick if you want it to grow... but be aware. if you have it in a 20g and no tank for the future you dont want to "spark" its growth.

 

[jclyde13]

If that is the case is it looking grim for him to grow larger or is there a way to "spark" his growth?

I'm not sure, I have never had a fish that was that badly stunted. The only way I know of to spark the growth of a stunted fish is to just keep its tank as clean as possible and to feed it small amounts multiple times per day rather than one big feeding once a day.

 

[farmclub]

I used to have some cichlids in with him so he would just eat like 30 of the cichlid pellets and I just started giving him my algea wafers because my other fish that ate them died so I figured I would just get rid of them. I change about half his water every week give or take a few days. And I do have many larger tanks to move him into. If I get him growing again miraculously is there a way to stop his growth at like 16-20 inches or does he just keep goin once he starts?

 

[manlyfish]

sounds like it is a runt if you took that good care of it it should be huge by now

 

[farmclub]

I dunno.. I don't neglect him and I was just wondering why on earth he wasn't growing like everyone else says theirs grow... such a mystery..

 

[Otherone]

I don't know exactly why your Pacu isn't growing - can only guess it is stunted usually due to very poor water conditions, high levels of amonnia/nitra. That is also a leading cause for eye diseases as well. Mostly after pop-eye the eyeball is defunked.
What I would watch for now is any crookedness in the spine or the tall locking to either side. Some PPL say you can reverse the condition if caught in it's early stages, in extreme cases the fish will suffer from poor health and die.