Thinking out loud: runt+runt=?

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mattison187

Redtail Catfish
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Jun 28, 2007
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Just sitting here observing one of my tanks, which houses a pure amph labiatus runt. And believe me when i say runt, i mean it. This fish is over a year and a half old, and is 3.5" if its lucky. I have growouts from his siblings fry (so third generation) that have surpassed his size. But due to his/her age, it has the adult attitude,finnage,lips ect. I generally frown apon changing any fish from its natural form in any way ie;line breeding,color morphs ect. But this little one has me wondering if he/she was bred with another runt, would that produce a larger number of smaller growing labiatus? Let me know your input or experience on this.
 
Probably you would get a few more smaller growers then fast growers in the first generation. If you kept the small ones and bred them you would likely get a higher proportion of smaller growers than in the 1st generation and so on.
 
Just a thought
I had a group of 6 Vieja bifasciatta, where 5 grew to normal size quickly (10"), and one, stayed tiny (2-3").
I took him out of that tank, and put him in a tank by himself.
Within 6 months he had outgrown the others.
I don't know if it was growth pheromones, or hormones that held him back, or the other bifasciatta depriving him of food (the others were all females) but after he attained size (12"), he ended up spawning with at least 2 of them, and continued to grow.
 
Just a thought
I had a group of 6 Vieja bifasciatta, where 5 grew to normal size quickly (10"), and one, stayed tiny (2-3").
I took him out of that tank, and put him in a tank by himself.
Within 6 months he had outgrown the others.
I don't know if it was growth pheromones, or hormones that held him back, or the other bifasciatta depriving him of food (the others were all females) but after he attained size (12"), he ended up spawning with at least 2 of them, and continued to grow.

This was originally my plans as well, to let the little one get some size on him so he could fend for himself. And that time never came. Its odd too, because hes one of the biggest eaters i have. Hes always up top ready for anything i drop in there.
 
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This was originally my plans as well, to let the little one get some size on him so he could fend for himself. And that time never came. Its odd too, because hes one of the biggest eaters i have. Hes always up top ready for anything i drop in there.
I think you'd have a higher percentage of runts.
 
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