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Unread 04/06/2011, 10:51 PM   #1
iClown
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Size of tank affects size of Clownfish??

Is it true that the size of the clownfish will depend on the size of the tank?

More info: I have a Biocube 14 gallon with approximately 9-10lbs of LR. The tank has been established for more than a year with a Maroon Clownfish, however, today I turned the Maroon in to the LFS and purchased 2 small Oscellaris (One smaller than the other to prevent sex issues). So in regards to the question, does it mean that in my 14 gallon tank my 2 Oscellaris will least likely to grow to their potential mature size???


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Unread 04/07/2011, 07:07 AM   #2
Sugar Magnolia
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You shouldn't have a problem, but once they pair up and mature they will likely not take to kindly to any other fish in the tank so I'd suggest just keeping the two clowns in there. FWIW, a full grown occy will be about 3-3 1/2". My female true perc owns my 30g cube but since she's been a loner since I got her, she tolerates her two tank mates, a six line and a fridmani dottyback.


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Unread 04/07/2011, 09:22 AM   #3
WaffleWalffle22
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I've had two SA Fancy Ocellaris in my BioCube 14 for almost two years now. They're both sexually mature because I'm beginning to see them pre-spawning, however the female is only 1.5" and the male is probably less than 1". I personally think that the size of the tank kept them small, however others may (and will) argue with that. I kinda like my clowns smaller because they're cuter.


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Unread 04/07/2011, 10:22 AM   #4
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Its a fallacy that apparently has been passed from reefer to reefer for many years. The truth is it's about feeding. People tend to feed based on tank size rather than what their fish actually will consume. If you feed more you'll see growth. That said, don't concentrate on quantity as much as frequency.


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Unread 04/07/2011, 10:31 AM   #5
WaffleWalffle22
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Originally Posted by WDLV View Post
Its a fallacy that apparently has been passed from reefer to reefer for many years. The truth is it's about feeding. People tend to feed based on tank size rather than what their fish actually will consume. If you feed more you'll see growth. That said, don't concentrate on quantity as much as frequency.
I've been feeding my SA Fancy Ocellaris (2 years old, female 1.5" male 1") in my BioCube 14 the same amount if not more than my spawning pair of Black Ocellaris in my RSM130. While feeding may be associated with growth, I don't believe it relies a lot on feeding.


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Unread 04/07/2011, 10:36 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by WaffleWalffle22 View Post
I've been feeding my SA Fancy Ocellaris (2 years old, female 1.5" male 1") in my BioCube 14 the same amount if not more than my spawning pair of Black Ocellaris in my RSM130. While feeding may be associated with growth, I don't believe it relies a lot on feeding.
Well than what would you associate it with?


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Unread 04/07/2011, 10:41 AM   #7
WaffleWalffle22
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Well than what would you associate it with?
Tank size.


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Unread 04/07/2011, 11:01 AM   #8
gsechen
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yeah I've always wondered about this also, I got 2 onyx' clowns and right now they are small approx 2inches and wonder if they will ever reach 3+ inches in a 14g tank?


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Unread 04/07/2011, 01:40 PM   #9
WDLV
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Quote:
Originally Posted by WaffleWalffle22 View Post
Tank size.
Well then there are two people who have had different experience. I've kept dozens of clowns over the years in anything from 10 gallons to 210 gallons and have never seen anything that would indicate a growth pattern directly attributable to tank size.
EDIT:
My thielleis have only ever lived in 10 gallons and a 40 breeder and are well above the size cap description Dr. Burgess recorded.
Let me correct myself. The female did spend a month or so in a 100 gallon sump....


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Unread 04/11/2011, 07:01 AM   #10
AaronM
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Why does it have to be one or the other rather than both. I think it's both tank size and feeding.


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Unread 04/11/2011, 07:49 AM   #11
jake levi
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They are related, higher nitrates will inhibit growth, both tank size and heavy feeding can affect nitrates, small tanks on a recirculating system or heavier filtration with a lot more water can give as much growth as larger systems.

Stephen Spotte and Martin Moe both wrote on this extensively in their books, google them or go to amazon.com

Growth inhibition is a well-known factor in commercial aquaculture of food fish.


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Unread 04/13/2011, 04:14 AM   #12
AaronM
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Apart from food, i wonder how much water pressure, swimming room and fish zoning affect growth, the latter 2 possibly mediated by stress.


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Unread 04/13/2011, 06:09 AM   #13
WDLV
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Well, I will goive to opposition some creedance.... The largest anemonefish I have ever seen were at Atlantis Marine World in their 2000 gallon anemone/clown tank. Some were the size of my hand.


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Unread 04/13/2011, 08:28 PM   #14
WaffleWalffle22
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Well, I will goive to opposition some creedance.... The largest anemonefish I have ever seen were at Atlantis Marine World in their 2000 gallon anemone/clown tank. Some were the size of my hand.
So size relies on tank size?


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Unread 04/14/2011, 08:01 AM   #15
WDLV
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I didn't say that nor would it be fair to completely rule it out... I also didn't mention that the mortality rate is much higher in hobbyists' aquariums. Both are valid factors.
I was a little rigid in my first post. I'm trying to remember to keep an open mind....



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Unread 04/14/2011, 08:21 AM   #16
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FWIW, I have a reefing buddy who feeds much more than I do and his clowns grew much much faster than mine. Both pairs were similar in size and I even had the larger tank.


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Unread 04/14/2011, 08:36 AM   #17
Toddrtrex
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JMO -- Not sure if the actual size of the tank will effect the size of the clowns/fish, but some of the associated issues with smaller tanks will. Water quality can/will be a big issue in smaller tanks, which could effect growth. In addition some smaller tanks can/will be overstocked, which along with water quality can cause stress, which could also effect growth.


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Unread 12/08/2018, 08:28 PM   #18
Aquacrazed
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Ask any professional breeder and they will say by far the #1 most important thing for growth is water quality. Feeding frequency comes second.


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Unread 12/09/2018, 05:35 PM   #19
MarinaP
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Originally Posted by Aquacrazed View Post
Ask any professional breeder and they will say by far the #1 most important thing for growth is water quality. Feeding frequency comes second.
Who cares how fast they grow if 90% are deformed as hell? Maybe “professional breeders” should pay attention to conformation, and not to growth speed.


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Unread 12/09/2018, 06:40 PM   #20
bullock111
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ok stupid question...lol...what do you look for in a clown fish to tell if they are deformed?? I can see the obvious. swimming wrong, visual deformations, but I have seen some that people say are deformed and I cant tell why


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Unread 12/09/2018, 07:16 PM   #21
Aquacrazed
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Who cares how fast they grow if 90% are deformed as hell? Maybe “professional breeders” should pay attention to conformation, and not to growth speed.
Sigh... this question has nothing to do with deformed fish or breeders breeding practices. This question is about how we grow the fish that we buy from the fish store. This is what breeders have told me when I have asked them the growth question.


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Unread 12/09/2018, 07:30 PM   #22
MarinaP
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ok stupid question...lol...what do you look for in a clown fish to tell if they are deformed?? I can see the obvious. swimming wrong, visual deformations, but I have seen some that people say are deformed and I cant tell why



Now look at pictures of wild caught fish in this thread.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=2685437

What differences do you see?


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Unread 12/09/2018, 08:35 PM   #23
bullock111
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fin size is different, deformed are smaller, eyes and mouth appear really different. does the color make a big difference? I have been looking around online and some seem much bolder and brighter with the colors. the ones that appear like that tend to have a fuller look to them (bigger fins, Mouth almost looks like a frown instead of just a flat line and the eyes just look better)


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Unread 12/09/2018, 09:40 PM   #24
MarinaP
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fin size is different, deformed are smaller, eyes and mouth appear really different. does the color make a big difference? I have been looking around online and some seem much bolder and brighter with the colors. the ones that appear like that tend to have a fuller look to them (bigger fins, Mouth almost looks like a frown instead of just a flat line and the eyes just look better)
All of the above + deformed gill plates, missing vertebrae (hunchbacks) in extreme cases, overbite/underbite/sidebite, flat faces, wrong slope of head, etc. This is what “professional” breeders brought to this hobby. Do you think that a fish with deformed mouth cares about pristine water or tank size when they cannot eat properly? Now how are they going to tend to the nest, if their mouth is sideways and fins are half the size?
Color is more or less quick fix, but that puts an additional expense on a breeder. Hence bland, washout orange and pale black.


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Unread 12/09/2018, 09:54 PM   #25
Aquacrazed
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MarinaP, stick to the topic, we are not talking about deformed fish here.


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