Grow an inch in a month?

SDhky · 07/27/2007, 05:57 PM

I want my porcupine puffer to grow an an inch this month. I just bought some Zoe and if I feed him twice a day and do a 25% water change twice this month can it happen?

areze · 07/27/2007, 06:08 PM

ummm not likely... you should manage to screw your tank with overfeeding and excess nutrients though... algea from hell, ect

you can slightly speed metabolism by having higher water temps, but past 80-82 youll just kill everything...

nothing happens fast in this hobby(except tank crashes, which is ironicly what you end up with if you try to make things happen too fast)

SDhky · 07/27/2007, 06:23 PM

ok, will zoe help though?

xcreonx · 07/27/2007, 09:48 PM

Out of curiosity, why do you want your puffer to grow so fast?

Just feed him/her normally and keep the tank clean and well maintained and it will grow fine.

Mykayel · 07/27/2007, 09:52 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by areze
you can slightly speed metabolism by having higher water temps, but past 80-82 youll just kill everything...

I just love the miss-information that goes around. My tank reaches 84-85 on most days, and everything is doing great. Would I like to keep the temp more steady and a little lower, yes.. but I don't see the need to buy a chiller for a system that is doing great the way it is.

SDhky · 07/27/2007, 10:11 PM

because I have had my puffer for 2 years and he has only grown an inch and a half. he isnt growing steadily. I have been feeding him a big variety of food and getting annoyed cuz I want a big puffer lol. Any suggestions or thoughts?

areze · 07/27/2007, 10:12 PM

yeah I figured someone would call me out on that info. I mostly said that because its a fair number and I expected he would likely stretch whatever I said thinking he could eek out a bit. problem is, if you shoot for 85, it may drift higher during the day, which can spell trouble. having your tank REACH 84-85 probably means your morning temp is 80-82.

I wouldnt buy a chiller to get it under 85, but my point is not to HEAT it to get it anything above 82.

SDhky · 07/27/2007, 10:14 PM

my thread is not about the temperature of the tank or a chiller..

xcreonx · 07/27/2007, 10:17 PM

"Just feed him/her normally and keep the tank clean and well maintained and it will grow fine."

SDhky · 07/27/2007, 10:20 PM

it clearly isnt though

xcreonx · 07/27/2007, 11:39 PM

Alright well nevermind

ChuckLawson · 07/27/2007, 11:48 PM

Hmmm.... How about taking the small puffer plus anticipated expenditures for the heavy feeding, supplements and salt for large weekly water changes you propose to the LFS and say "if I trade this puffer in and throw in this much cash, how much larger of a puffer can I get?"

Instant gratification...

AquaReeferMan · 07/28/2007, 12:48 AM

Is the puffer in your 55g? If so move it into a larger tank. He probably feels cramped in a 55g. They can grow to a foot and a half. IMO growth can be stunted due to being housed in too small of a tank.

SDhky · 07/28/2007, 01:29 AM

some people say stunted as well. Anybody experience growing a large fish in a 50 gallon without stunting? Ive heard they still grow in small tanks

Mykayel · 07/28/2007, 05:16 AM

You can't stop a fish from growing from putting them in to small of a tank... but by putting a big fish in a situation that stresses them (i.e. to small of a tank), that could "stunt" their growth as they won't be as healthy.

Jorgens · 07/28/2007, 05:54 AM

aye, thats why I never reached full height. Kids at an early age, stress. I managed to reach 5'9".

But seriously, fish do not grow stressed. Water parameters, tank conditions, how the rock are laid, size, all play a role.

Neptune777 · 07/28/2007, 06:48 AM

IMO this thread is ridiculous.... Give the fish a nice home and he/she will grow at whatever rate it/nature desires. Be happy with what you have and how it is now.

To answer your original question: No!

areze · 07/28/2007, 07:55 AM

took a year to grow an inch and a half...
if you feed a child 10 meals a day, and plenty of milk, think he'll grow a foot in a month?

it doesnt work like that.

reefkoi · 07/28/2007, 08:20 AM

I think it was a valid question he had. Yes diet will help, give it vitamins or zoe or whatever you can. Feed it a high protein diet but keep the water quality high as well. If you are doing the right amount of water changes then a 25% shouldn't be needed unless you are underchanging water right now right?

Good luck with your puffer, I do think ChuckLawson hit the nail on the head though, that may be the best route to go.
Chris

areze · 07/28/2007, 11:22 AM

vitamins make you healthy, they maximize the growth perhaps, but fish just dont grow that fast. an inch in a month is way way way off teh chart of realistic growth. maybe if he spent the past year with all of this, he gets 2" instead of 1.5? maybe, who knows.

SDhky · 07/28/2007, 12:43 PM

neptune777, this thread is not ridiculous, an inch was an exaggeration to get a point across, you are ridiculous

TriniStylez · 07/28/2007, 01:08 PM

I mentioned before in another thread that this puffer is not going to get big...You do not have a big tank. And you wanted to add another puffer to it! These guys get very big in the right conditions. This fish is most likely stunted and will grow very, very slowly.

All of the puffers I have ever owned (and they are my favorite fish) have grown very fast for the first year and then slowed down. My Porc is with my brother now but when I had it for a year, it grew from 3 inches to about 12. He was in a 180G tank.

Puffers are very sensitive to water quality too. If your water quality happens to be off, they will not grow very fast either because of stress. The reason I bring this up, is because keeping a porc in a 55g and feeding heavily is asking for problems and will not help. Feed normally and get a bigger tank or a smaller puffer.

Sorry if it sounds harsh but I cant even imagine a porc in a 55G looking right. How wide is the tank? I think its narrower than the expected adult size of that fish.

areze · 07/28/2007, 02:28 PM

well lets be honest here, a 12" fish probably doesnt belong in any aquarium, 180g or otherwise.

TriniStylez · 07/28/2007, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by areze
well lets be honest here, a 12" fish probably doesnt belong in any aquarium, 180g or otherwise.

What fish does BELONG in an aquarium?

You can argue that 8 inch tangs have no business being in an aquarium too because of how much swimming room they need and use in the wild...A porc in a 180G tank is no different than a clown in a 20G tank. Its all relative. Puffers also do not swim nearly as much as most fish. They are lazy.

When diving back home (Im from the caribbean), I used to mostly see porcs laying at the edge of the reefs or in sandbeds.

areze · 07/28/2007, 02:50 PM

I donno, 12" puffer just seems large... given that puffers are such fat fish. thats gotta be a big fish. Ive never seen a puffer bigger than 3 or 4" though. so its just hard to really get my head around.

07/27/2007, 05:57 PM	#1
SDhky Moved On Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: San Diego Posts: 258	Grow an inch in a month? I want my porcupine puffer to grow an an inch this month. I just bought some Zoe and if I feed him twice a day and do a 25% water change twice this month can it happen?

07/27/2007, 06:08 PM	#2
areze Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 4,048	ummm not likely... you should manage to screw your tank with overfeeding and excess nutrients though... algea from hell, ect you can slightly speed metabolism by having higher water temps, but past 80-82 youll just kill everything... nothing happens fast in this hobby(except tank crashes, which is ironicly what you end up with if you try to make things happen too fast) __________________ current tanks:240g of wallet draining capacity.

07/27/2007, 09:48 PM	#4
xcreonx Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Austin, Texas Posts: 1,362	Out of curiosity, why do you want your puffer to grow so fast? Just feed him/her normally and keep the tank clean and well maintained and it will grow fine. __________________ Nature knows no indecencies; man invents them. -Mark Twain Current Tank Info: 90g shallow with H. Barbouri Seahorses

07/27/2007, 10:12 PM	#7
areze Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 4,048	yeah I figured someone would call me out on that info. I mostly said that because its a fair number and I expected he would likely stretch whatever I said thinking he could eek out a bit. problem is, if you shoot for 85, it may drift higher during the day, which can spell trouble. having your tank REACH 84-85 probably means your morning temp is 80-82. I wouldnt buy a chiller to get it under 85, but my point is not to HEAT it to get it anything above 82. __________________ current tanks:240g of wallet draining capacity.

07/27/2007, 10:17 PM	#9
xcreonx Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Austin, Texas Posts: 1,362	"Just feed him/her normally and keep the tank clean and well maintained and it will grow fine." __________________ Nature knows no indecencies; man invents them. -Mark Twain Current Tank Info: 90g shallow with H. Barbouri Seahorses

07/27/2007, 06:23 PM	#3
SDhky Moved On Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: San Diego Posts: 258	ok, will zoe help though?

07/27/2007, 10:11 PM	#6
SDhky Moved On Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: San Diego Posts: 258	because I have had my puffer for 2 years and he has only grown an inch and a half. he isnt growing steadily. I have been feeding him a big variety of food and getting annoyed cuz I want a big puffer lol. Any suggestions or thoughts?

07/27/2007, 10:14 PM	#8
SDhky Moved On Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: San Diego Posts: 258	my thread is not about the temperature of the tank or a chiller..

07/27/2007, 10:20 PM	#10
SDhky Moved On Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: San Diego Posts: 258	it clearly isnt though

07/27/2007, 11:39 PM	#11
xcreonx Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Austin, Texas Posts: 1,362	Alright well nevermind __________________ Nature knows no indecencies; man invents them. -Mark Twain Current Tank Info: 90g shallow with H. Barbouri Seahorses

07/27/2007, 11:48 PM	#12
ChuckLawson Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Plano, TX Posts: 383	Hmmm.... How about taking the small puffer plus anticipated expenditures for the heavy feeding, supplements and salt for large weekly water changes you propose to the LFS and say "if I trade this puffer in and throw in this much cash, how much larger of a puffer can I get?" Instant gratification...

07/28/2007, 12:48 AM	#13
AquaReeferMan Got Reef? Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Under the Sea, Pa Posts: 4,593	Is the puffer in your 55g? If so move it into a larger tank. He probably feels cramped in a 55g. They can grow to a foot and a half. IMO growth can be stunted due to being housed in too small of a tank. __________________ Couple SPS/Zoanthid tanks and a couple of FW planted tanks. Current Tank Info: 5 pieces of glass with some silicone and plastic frames holding them together

07/28/2007, 01:29 AM	#14
SDhky Moved On Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: San Diego Posts: 258	some people say stunted as well. Anybody experience growing a large fish in a 50 gallon without stunting? Ive heard they still grow in small tanks

07/28/2007, 05:16 AM	#15
Mykayel Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 586	You can't stop a fish from growing from putting them in to small of a tank... but by putting a big fish in a situation that stresses them (i.e. to small of a tank), that could "stunt" their growth as they won't be as healthy.

07/28/2007, 05:54 AM	#16
Jorgens Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Sheboygan, WI Posts: 309	aye, thats why I never reached full height. Kids at an early age, stress. I managed to reach 5'9". But seriously, fish do not grow stressed. Water parameters, tank conditions, how the rock are laid, size, all play a role. __________________ Can't fix stupid Current Tank Info: 180g Acrylic, mixed reef, 55 fuge,DSB,

07/28/2007, 06:48 AM	#17
Neptune777 Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Virginia Posts: 1,700	IMO this thread is ridiculous.... Give the fish a nice home and he/she will grow at whatever rate it/nature desires. Be happy with what you have and how it is now. To answer your original question: No!

07/28/2007, 07:55 AM	#18
areze Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 4,048	took a year to grow an inch and a half... if you feed a child 10 meals a day, and plenty of milk, think he'll grow a foot in a month? it doesnt work like that. __________________ current tanks:240g of wallet draining capacity.

07/28/2007, 08:20 AM	#19
reefkoi Premium Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Colorado Posts: 3,983	I think it was a valid question he had. Yes diet will help, give it vitamins or zoe or whatever you can. Feed it a high protein diet but keep the water quality high as well. If you are doing the right amount of water changes then a 25% shouldn't be needed unless you are underchanging water right now right? Good luck with your puffer, I do think ChuckLawson hit the nail on the head though, that may be the best route to go. Chris __________________ 1Kw bulb club Current Tank Info: A 600gal. on Zeovit & a 240gal.

07/28/2007, 11:22 AM	#20
areze Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 4,048	vitamins make you healthy, they maximize the growth perhaps, but fish just dont grow that fast. an inch in a month is way way way off teh chart of realistic growth. maybe if he spent the past year with all of this, he gets 2" instead of 1.5? maybe, who knows. __________________ current tanks:240g of wallet draining capacity.

07/28/2007, 12:43 PM	#21
SDhky Moved On Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: San Diego Posts: 258	neptune777, this thread is not ridiculous, an inch was an exaggeration to get a point across, you are ridiculous

07/28/2007, 01:08 PM	#22
TriniStylez Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Caribbean Posts: 928	I mentioned before in another thread that this puffer is not going to get big...You do not have a big tank. And you wanted to add another puffer to it! These guys get very big in the right conditions. This fish is most likely stunted and will grow very, very slowly. All of the puffers I have ever owned (and they are my favorite fish) have grown very fast for the first year and then slowed down. My Porc is with my brother now but when I had it for a year, it grew from 3 inches to about 12. He was in a 180G tank. Puffers are very sensitive to water quality too. If your water quality happens to be off, they will not grow very fast either because of stress. The reason I bring this up, is because keeping a porc in a 55g and feeding heavily is asking for problems and will not help. Feed normally and get a bigger tank or a smaller puffer. Sorry if it sounds harsh but I cant even imagine a porc in a 55G looking right. How wide is the tank? I think its narrower than the expected adult size of that fish.

07/28/2007, 02:28 PM	#23
areze Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 4,048	well lets be honest here, a 12" fish probably doesnt belong in any aquarium, 180g or otherwise. __________________ current tanks:240g of wallet draining capacity.

07/28/2007, 02:50 PM	#25
areze Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 4,048	I donno, 12" puffer just seems large... given that puffers are such fat fish. thats gotta be a big fish. Ive never seen a puffer bigger than 3 or 4" though. so its just hard to really get my head around. __________________ current tanks:240g of wallet draining capacity.