Will my pacu outgrow my tank? odds?

[Dormy]

I don't want the automatic "yes, Pacu's grow 3-4 feet or whatever, actually think about it.

My red bellied pacu (named pac) lives in a 90 gallon tank, and has for 4 years and is just over a foot long. Now before you say "he'll outgrow within the year", keep in mind i've had him for 4 YEARS! What kind of odds do you give me for him not outgrowing the tank?

 

[mshill90]

Chances are you've stunted him and no he probably won't grow any more while kept in that tank..

However, fish have something called indeterminate growth. So put him in a larger tank, and he will probably grow some more!

 

[12 Volt Man]

if you start power feeding him he should easily get 20" in that tank. mine reached that size in two years in a 90g before I sold him back in the early/mid 90's. this was before the internet and the baench atlas I have stated they get 12" LOL. so much for that info LOL

is there a lot of competition for available food? he really should be a lot larger than that.

should grow about an inch per month.

if you bought him that size and he was not properly cared for, he could be stunted.

but if you start powerfeeding him he should start to grow again.

 

[Bluey]

Fish grow because of good water conditions , not tank size. it staying that size for 4 years means your water is not the best,actually think about it.

 

[mshill90]

Fish grow because of good water conditions , not tank size. it staying that size for 4 years means your water is not the best,actually think about it.

That is not always true.

 

[Bluey]

That is not always true.

How so?

 

[mshill90]

How so?

If you keep a goldfish in a 5 gallon tank and run an Fx5 on it, the fish is not going to grow to their full 24" potential. They will maybe reach 5".

They will stop growing until they are in a tank/setting in which they can begin growing again.

They release hormones in the water in which prevents them from growing.. it's called Adrenergic regulation of growth hormone.

 

[Cakilla]

Any Pacu kept in favorable conditions, clean water, healthy diet would be Alot bigger then 12 inches in 4 years ....
sounds like someone is trieing to be a troll

 

[Bluey]

If you keep a goldfish in a 5 gallon tank and run an Fx5 on it, the fish is not going to grow to their full 24" potential. They will maybe reach 5".

They will stop growing until they are in a tank/setting in which they can begin growing again.

They release hormones in the water in which prevents them from growing.. it's called Adrenergic regulation of growth hormone.

But that has got to do with water conditions and FX5 would only break down NH3 and NO2 not No3 or PO4, small daily water changes will reduce the Growth hormone and the fish will outgrow the tank.
This has all been studied before.

 

[mshill90]

But that has got to do with water conditions and FX5 would only break down NH3 and NO2 not No3 or PO4, small daily water changes will reduce the Growth hormone and the fish will outgrow the tank.
This has all been studied before.

Even water changes wouldn't make the hypothetical fish grow... trust me.. been there done that.

I had 2 fancy tailed comets in a 5 gallon for over a yr.. water changes were done every week and it was over filtered. They maxed at 4" while in that tank.

Moved them to a 1500 gallon pond, and they are about 9" now and growing.