To you poly keepers who have both captive bred and wild caught polys in your collect... do you guys notice any difference in the growth rate and max size between the two?
WC growth rate compared to CB growth rate?
- Thread starter dbcb314
- Start date
dbcb314;3000959; said:
Growth rate varied from different polypterus as it depends on the foods, water quality, environment and tank space.
As for the max growth wild caught grows bigger than captive breed bichirs.
Here are some of my experience on wild caught vs captive breed that I'm keeping/kept in aquaria.
-Polypterus endlicheri endlicheri
WC= 20"-25"+
CB= 18"-20" (Semi-short 14"-18", short 10"-12")
-Polypterus bichir lapradei
WC= 18"-20"+
CB= 15"-18"
-Polypterus ornatippinis
WC= 18"-20"+
CB= 15"-18"+
-Polypterus delhezi
WC= 12"-14"+
CB= 10"-12" (Semi-short 9-10"-18", short 8")
-Polypterus palmas polli
WC=12"-14"+
CB=10"-13" (Semi-short 9-10"-18", short 8")
-Polypterus senegalus senegalus
WC= ?
CB= 9"-13" (Semi-short 9-10"-18", short 6")
I also noticed that they grow faster with less decoration/hiding space to no decoration at all and grow an average rate or slower when keep with plenty of hiding space. This actually works in many different species of fish as a form of self defense against large predators. Reason why they grow faster when keep in with less decor or no decor at all because they are in the open and are expose to predators. The fish need to grow fast or it will get eaten. On the other hand, fish that are keep in with plenty of hiding space grow an average rate or slower because they need to stay in that hiding place and wait till they can no longer fit in that place. They will take advantage of that certain area for protection. Also bichirs that are in the open gets the food first, than those that hides and wait for their turn.
Other bichir keepers might have different experiences.
Both are restricted by the same factors that King pointed out, and he is also correct that wild caught fish have more potential for larger sizes than farmed stock does.
I don't know if it's because natural selection is virtually dismissed in the farming process or some other factor, but we've all seen that big captive bred endlis always look stubby compared to large wild caught endlis.
Now as for hiding places/decore affecting growth, I don't know if I agree lol
I know a stressed bichir will not grow well, but Kings description of growth gives it too much consciousness IMHO.
I don't know if it's because natural selection is virtually dismissed in the farming process or some other factor, but we've all seen that big captive bred endlis always look stubby compared to large wild caught endlis.
Now as for hiding places/decore affecting growth, I don't know if I agree lol
I know a stressed bichir will not grow well, but Kings description of growth gives it too much consciousness IMHO.