RTCxTSN growth rate?

[matthewr262]

I picked a rtcxtsn up a week ago, from what I researched they grow quick because of hybrid vigor.
Any members have large rtcxtsn hybrids? And how quick did they achieve there size?

My little hybrid is about 10" and was thin. Now in a week I have him bulked up. He's eating hikari sinking carnivore, tilapia cuts, and tetra jumbo min. No live foods.
My tsnxmarble grows really fast about the same diet. Got him 14" and in a few months he's currently about 21"

On the other hand my RTC doesn't seem like he's growing much at all. But I believe it's due to the piss poor conditions he may have came from prior to me getting him. Got him 17" and in a year he's at only 22".

 

[matthewr262]

Few more pictures

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

Nice!

I've not noticed the hybrid vigor, which is, nevertheless, a real thing and is indeed observed and reported from the fish farms but they have real laboratories, rigorous conditions and millions of fish for statistics.

IME, the hybrid grows much the same as an RTC or TSN with more or less good genes and care, 2' in year 1 (from 2"-3"), 2.5'-3' in 2 years, ~3.5' in ~5 years, 4' in 10+ years and so on. Poor genes and care result in a great plethora of captive RTCs failing to exceed 3', sadly.

Same with the hybrids. Remember that we do not get well-growing hybrids in the ornamental fish trade. People eat those (when they grow up). We get under-performers - culls, dinks, runts, dwarfs, genetic hiccups, deformed fish (the infamous duckbill snout deformity), etc.

We are fed the "waste" from the food fish farms, let it be TSNxRTC or TSNxAchara hybrids, iridescent sharks, paroons, channels, TSN, Hemibagrus, walking catfish, etc.

I am yet to come across an TSNxRTC hybrid exceeding 3' to any significant degree, while it appears most people expect them to reach 4'-5' with relative ease (on paper).

The problem is the same with TSN - fasciatum, reticulatum, and tigrinum.

RTC are a bit different in that 3.5'-4' RTCs I have come across but, again, most appear to be stuck at 2.5'-3' even after 5-10 years of age. I've got about ten RTCs right now and the biggest is ~3 years old and only 2' plus maybe 4".

My TSNxAchara hybrid is probably also a dink, still ~2' after ~5 years.

 

[matthewr262]

After years of keeping discus, I'm no stranger of massive frequent water changes. I'm just doing what I've done, just on a larger scale.
Since breeding these is out of the question, massive size is what I'm after.
I need to find a hanging scale for weight. Then I'm gonna start a grow out thread.

 

[wednesday13]

largest rtcxtsn hybrids ive seen/touched in person were 38" and 42".... respectively id give them an age of 10-15yrs+ to reach that size... Anyone can grow one to 24"...its kinda a feat of husbandry in itself to get one over 30" even. All i can say is one day ull wish he was still 18" lol... Not tryin 2 derail or be a downer but ur on borrowed time with no extra liner in that pool. def. most def. look into adding a 45mil epdm in at the least, size u need is 15'x20' for the 10' pool. I keep the same fish and pools as urself... my fish eat through 45mil liner like its nothin, electrical cords, tarps, etc. one spooked catfish/arm will go right through also. Im currently rebuilding a 1400 with liner and using 1/2" solid rubber "cattle mats" over top to prevent anyone chewing/poking through again.

 

[matthewr262]

largest rtcxtsn hybrids ive seen/touched in person were 38" and 42".... respectively id give them an age of 10-15yrs+ to reach that size... Anyone can grow one to 24"...its kinda a feat of husbandry in itself to get one over 30" even. All i can say is one day ull wish he was still 18" lol... Not tryin 2 derail or be a downer but ur on borrowed time with no extra liner in that pool. def. most def. look into adding a 45mil epdm in at the least, size u need is 15'x20' for the 10' pool. I keep the same fish and pools as urself... my fish eat through 45mil liner like its nothin, electrical cords, tarps, etc. one spooked catfish/arm will go right through also. Im currently rebuilding a 1400 with liner and using 1/2" solid rubber "cattle mats" over top to prevent anyone chewing/poking through again.

I am completely aware of my temporary situation. My house is temporary. I just opened an auto body shop, now I'm starting to make it very successful and plan on moving. I'm in a Cleveland suburb, being a country boy from Wisconsin I need to move soon. Not trying to sound like kangadrew. Lol. I plan on a cinder block concrete pond lined with pond armor.
Never the less I have a BNIB summer escapes 10' pool on standby and a 300 gal rubber made stock tank for temporary holding.
I don't take what I'm doing lightly. I'm very dedicated to my fish. Most of them are surrendered.
These pools are great. They don't bust wide open when punctured, mine has a few battle scares. Easily patch. I know there's a problem when the water is down faster than evaporation and I'll have a little stream by my washer. So far nothing catastrophic.

 

[wednesday13]

matthewr262 a stream of water running across the floor to a drain sounds like my basement lol...nice 2 hear u got a backup emergency pool... i have the 8' summer escapes pool for the same reason haha... cant seem to catch a break lately with holes in my liners after yrs of no issues. Cleveland suburb? u got room for an extra tsn lol? i have one 2 spare for the cause, im prob 1-1.5 hrs from ya. I recieve alot of "surrendered" fish aswell.

 

[matthewr262]

matthewr262 a stream of water running across the floor to a drain sounds like my basement lol...nice 2 hear u got a backup emergency pool... i have the 8' summer escapes pool for the same reason haha... cant seem to catch a break lately with holes in my liners after yrs of no issues. Cleveland suburb? u got room for an extra tsn lol? i have one 2 spare for the cause, im prob 1-1.5 hrs from ya. I recieve alot of "surrendered" fish aswell.

I'm in Willowick, I think my holes were from the Rtc moving small rocks around and the pacu chewing on clams on the half shell. Never feeding them that again.
If you ever need body work come see me, I'd make your drive worthwhile.