Growth rates in fry of common Ancistrus.

[plesner]

I recently got a question I was unable to answer. First a little prequel though:

 

My experience with the fry of the common Ancistrus is that when I feed them what I consider properly, they tend to reach a size of 3 cm after about 10 weeks. There is however quite a big size difference between the largest and smallest fry. I’ve been told and have read several times, that it’s possible to get them to 3 cm under ‘optimal conditions’ in as little as 6 weeks.

 

The question then is:

 

If raised under ‘optimal conditions’, do you still get the big size difference in a batch of fry?

[Matt]

Any idea what these optimal conditions are Karsten?

[mikev]

i tend to see uniform growth rate without any attempts to create optimal conditions (no idea if it is 3cm after 10 weeks — I never paid much attention — but this sounds about right).

The topic incidentally is a very interesting one. I probably bred about 20 species of rainbows… all but one do show uniform growth, but there is one that would not, no matter how much I try.

[plesner]

@Matt said:
Any idea what these optimal conditions are Karsten?

Not really. Whenever I asked, I got some sort of vague answer. Constant access to food and lots of water changes. That’s not very informative to say the least.

[Matt]

I just wonder if the optimal conditions referred to by some breeders that sell these fish involve a specific, perhaps protein-rich, diet?

[MissA]

@plesner said:

Not really. Whenever I asked, I got some sort of vague answer. Constant access to food and lots of water changes. That’s not very informative to say the least.

 

I use to breed Bettas before and to get them to grow faster I gave them plenty of proteinrich food and made almost a 50% waterchange every day. It really worked on them. I think it had something to do with a hormone that the fry produced that stopped the growth in other fry. Unfortunatly I don’t remeber were I read it.

[Author]

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