1 Fish Smaller Than The Other?

[ellena]

My friend bought 2 goldfish and one of those tiny little bowls with no filter. I convinced them they needed something bigger so they bought a filtered 60l with a view to moving the fish to a friend's pond after about a year.
This was about 6 months ago. The 2 fish were the same size when he got them. Now one is about twice the size and the other looks no bigger. I've just fed them as he's away and the big one was really ready for food and gobbled it down as soon as it went in. The other didn't eat at all, not even scraps as they fell. It doesn't look emaciated thin, but isn't as rounded as the big one. I can't see anything else visibly wrong with it. I'm thinking within the next 6 months the big one is def. going to have to go in the pond. Might the smaller one catch up if left in the tank on its own? I think they are common goldfish, orange and white, not that bloated body shape, with longer than average tails.
Thanks for any help

 

[tom130691]

My friend bought 2 goldfish and one of those tiny little bowls with no filter. I convinced them they needed something bigger so they bought a filtered 60l with a view to moving the fish to a friend's pond after about a year.
This was about 6 months ago. The 2 fish were the same size when he got them. Now one is about twice the size and the other looks no bigger. I've just fed them as he's away and the big one was really ready for food and gobbled it down as soon as it went in. The other didn't eat at all, not even scraps as they fell. It doesn't look emaciated thin, but isn't as rounded as the big one. I can't see anything else visibly wrong with it. I'm thinking within the next 6 months the big one is def. going to have to go in the pond. Might the smaller one catch up if left in the tank on its own? I think they are common goldfish, orange and white, not that bloated body shape, with longer than average tails.
Thanks for any help

maybe the smaller one has stunted its self? also this could of happened before he got them

 

[ellena]

Thanks for the reply tom. How do you mean, stunted itself? And they did look exactly the same when he got them. I thought signs of stunting went away if the fish were moved to larger, more suitable tanks/ponds?

 

[kelly528]

Thanks for the reply tom. How do you mean, stunted itself? And they did look exactly the same when he got them. I thought signs of stunting went away if the fish were moved to larger, more suitable tanks/ponds?

I've heard that on this forum but honestly it doesn't make much sense to me. Never seen any studies ot back it up either. I mean fish don't grow for their entire life. It would make sense that if a stunted fish was placed in a larger tank WHILE it was still young, that it might resume growth, but as fish get older the growth curve declines.

In any case, I just recieved a telescope rescued from a watery fate in an undersized tank... I'll have to measure him now and then measure again in a few months. I'll let you know what happens.

 

[Truck]

Thanks for the reply tom. How do you mean, stunted itself? And they did look exactly the same when he got them. I thought signs of stunting went away if the fish were moved to larger, more suitable tanks/ponds?

I've heard that on this forum but honestly it doesn't make much sense to me. Never seen any studies ot back it up either. I mean fish don't grow for their entire life. It would make sense that if a stunted fish was placed in a larger tank WHILE it was still young, that it might resume growth, but as fish get older the growth curve declines.

In any case, I just recieved a telescope rescued from a watery fate in an undersized tank... I'll have to measure him now and then measure again in a few months. I'll let you know what happens.

There is evidence, I'll find the paper.

 

[ellena]

Yes, I think it was a post of yours I was thinking of truck.

 

[kelly528]

Yes, I think it was a post of yours I was thinking of truck.

I've seen a paper on koi but considering koi live for decades or purportedly centuries you gotta wonder how their growth patterns stack up to those of common or fancy goldfish. For instance say you stunted a koi for 10 years when their skeletal growth completely finishes at 20 years of age... its still got room to grow. But if you stunt a fancy goldfish for 3 years and they reach full size at 6 years I highly doubt that all of a sudden this fish is going to pop up to full size in that period of time. Growth is rarely a constant line, usually its a curve determined by age not progress of growth.