I was doing a bit of a ring around yesterday, in search of a female and was informed that an employee of one of the lfs in my area had a 6"er he would bring in today, for me to veiw. So i go and enquire as to the age of the fish and he say's she is two year's of age. I was suprised at this and he replied to my blank look by informing me she had been housed in an 18" cube for the majority of her existance. It was quite obvious to me that she has been stunted by this practice and will not achieve her full potential, but i couldn't resist her, she is such a cutie.
I have never dealt with stunted fish before, so do you think there's any chance of her gaining some more size? As you can see, she's fairly emaciated, but i'm pretty sure i can remedy this. She needs to bulk up before i let her in with the male, who's easily double her size. Although my intension's are primarily to use her for helping his nuchal hump on it's way, i would still like to breed them and use the fry as feeder's for my Carpinte.
I have never dealt with stunted fish before, so do you think there's any chance of her gaining some more size? As you can see, she's fairly emaciated, but i'm pretty sure i can remedy this. She needs to bulk up before i let her in with the male, who's easily double her size. Although my intension's are primarily to use her for helping his nuchal hump on it's way, i would still like to breed them and use the fry as feeder's for my Carpinte.
), digging very prolificly and flaring gill's at both the male and myself. She's a great little fish and aside from being slightly under developt, she's displaying all the charactoristic's i'd associate with a Red devil.