# size of growout tank vs. growth rate



## Rick_Lindsey (Aug 26, 2002)

Does the size of a grow-out tank seem to affect the rate at which the fry/juvies grow? Is too big a tank problematic? Lots of folks use 10gallon or 20gallon growout tanks, would there be any advantage or disadvantage to using something like a 55 instead? (the growing fish in question would most likely be cyps and gobies)

-Rick (the armchair aquarist)


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## MalawiLover (Sep 12, 2006)

The only limitation the smaller tank could cause the fish growth wise if that smaller tanks are more prone to water quality issues. Nitrates seem to have quite an effect on growth rate of young fish and in smaller tanks the nitrates will build up faster requireing much more frequent water changes. Using a larger tank, you can be slightly more lax as their is a great volume of water to affected by the fish waste.


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## cjacob316 (Dec 4, 2008)

in larger tanks you have bigger filters and larger flow rates, meaning more current for fish that really can't handle it also you have a larger chance of them getting sucked into the filter


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## Rick_Lindsey (Aug 26, 2002)

cjacob316 said:


> in larger tanks you have bigger filters and larger flow rates, meaning more current for fish that really can't handle it also you have a larger chance of them getting sucked into the filter


So long as the growout tank is dedicated for that purpose, one could use sponge filters regardless of the size, no?

-Rick (the armchair aquarist)


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## Mcdaphnia (Dec 16, 2003)

If you put small fry in a large tank, they use up lots of energy trying to find the food you put in, and won't grow as quickly. Also they may be more insecure in a large tank, expecting some large predator around the corner. Starting the tank only partly filled and adding water level as they grow is a good strategy.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

You could put a sponge over the filter intake to solve any excess current and getting sucked up issues.

I've never raised Tang fry, but I have a holding cyp in a 10G so we will see! I've heard cyp fry are spit large, so I expect it to be like raising mbuna fry.

Now if we were talking about caudo fry...those guys are tiny. Don't know the size of goby fry.


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## cjacob316 (Dec 4, 2008)

as mc stated the fact that your are forcing these tiny fish to swim in that large tank to find food is probably not good for them, and i'm not sure that a sponge filter would be sufficiant for a 55, you wouldn't really get enough turnover


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## BioG (Oct 12, 2008)

WHat? would we call Tanganyika a "Small environment"? I know that's a bold comparison but I'm with Mlover on this one. Except I'll add that A.) many Tanganyikan fry, IMO, do better well with small amounts of current even though there's not much current in the lake (I think due to the beneficial anaerobics and plants that use nitrate whereas our tanks require filtration or power to move nitrates into a safer location than all resting on bottom). Also B.)While I agree too much current is bad (IMO, anything which causes fry, or any other tang, to swim against current to stay "Righted" is too much), Tang fry should be allowed to swim for the same reason human children should be allowed to play, Exercise. Besides, when feeding BBS, Fry powder, cyclops or the like, they shouldn't have to swim far to nab one. Sponge filters (Plural) and, or sponges over the intakes work fine.

For example, I used to grow Alto fry in 10's and 20's in which I expected to lose at least half the broods for space reasons. Now I've switched to 30's and 50's and I retain about 2/3rds in the 30's and 90% in the 50's. Plus these Super slow growers are making it to 2 inches well within one year.

Supposing I had just a few fry, half dozen or so, I would be fine in a CLEAN, 10 gallon, with "excessive" filtration. They'll grow faster the cleaner and warmer the water.


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