Will overstocking your fish tank stunt fish growth?

[jlnguyen74]

I don't post stuff I just think!

Still waiting for a link

 

[gwrace]

I have had examples such as an oscar i had when i was 9 my friend also got 2 while he was with me they were all about the same size but my friend had a 50 gallon and i had a 20, my water quality was always good but i noticed after about a year his fish were noticably larger then mine was

I've seen some references that state a 6 inch oscar puts out as much waste as 200 1 inch oscars. So water quality is the issue not tank size. It is very difficult to establish a proper "eco system" in a small tank. Water conditions can change drastically in just a few minutes. I personally would not recommend anything smaller than a 50 gallon.

 

[RD.]

I believe that the correct term is Growth Inhibiting Substances, not Growth Hormones (GH). Stunting can occur in aquariums, as well as in the wild. This much we know for fact. But the jury still appears to be out as to whether this is caused by pheromones, increased levels of cortisol (from stress) or combinations of these and other factors. There are numerous studies that can be found that support stress causing impaired growth and disease resistance, and even death. And while this will vary among individual fish, as well as species, stress is certainly a very real concern in any closed system such as an aquarium.

Here's a few examples that support cchhcc's earlier comment.
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6VNH-4GKW7GP-3&_user=10&_coverDate=07%2F31%2F2005&_rdoc=1&_fmt=high&_orig=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_searchStrId=1254265220&_rerunOrigin=google&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=a15c97ab01c25c094d4c01636be17eac

http://joe.endocrinology-journals.org/cgi/content/abstract/176/1/47

http://www.thefishsite.com/articles/42/the-role-of-stress-in-fish-disease


The Technical Abstract found in the link below sums it all up rather well.
http://www.ars.usda.gov/research/publications/publications.htm?SEQ_NO_115=210302


Another interesting read on this subject ..... The 5 gallon Oscar Tank http://www.theoscarspot.com/viewtop...k=t&sd=a&sid=00b94b364f9cb6326b96ee7be0bc804a


HTH