18 year old pleco suddenly got bigger?!

[Klayski]

I got this pleco as a gift on my first day of kindergarten on august 20th, 2005. He has been through a lot, started out in a 10 gallon which had a heater malfunction and water reached temps of 140 degrees, then moved to a new house got him in a 29. He got really sick with ich/something related about 5 years ago, fins almost completely gone. We rehabilitated him into a 55(i know what youre thinking, too small) about 5 years ago and he has been doing great since. He has his driftwood hiding spot and is very active at night and gets fed daily and I make sure to do water changes every week and whatnot. His water ranges between 75-85, really depends on the weather outside tbh. I came home to my parents from my college house the other day after not seeing him for a couple months and he seems to be much much bigger in such a short time frame. Idk if I just havent noticed or if this happened suddenly, but is it normal for a pleco to grow at this age and so suddenly? I worked as an aquatic specialist at petco and I never learned anything about this either. All jokes but does anyone know if this is normal? He used to be around 11 or so inches, now from the naked eye looks to be around 13-14?!

 

[Klayski]

He lives alone in his tank btw and has for a few years now( moved the cichlids to my 29 gal) and the water is definitely consistently warmer than it used to be. Not sure if that plays a factor

 

[TwoTankAmin]

I have read.been told that fish continue to grow until they die. However, after a certain point that growth is very minimal. But if you were away from the fish for years, it could have gotten a bit larger if what I believe is actually true. Toward that end, have a quick read here:

Age and growth of fishes brochure.pdf - NC.gov

 

[fishorama]

Well, I didn't read all of 2 tank's link but I got the idea (you know I skim). I do believe fish can grow larger given very good water conditions & good foods. Some fish hit a "plateau" & stop growing very much for a while. They may get over that "hump" & continue to grow...Often more frequent water changes & better quality or more often feeding helps too. As we keep fish longer & learn more we often become better keepers.

But I also believe there is a fish "maximum" growth size. They may grow new scales & some longer fin extensions but they eventually max out. That's not to say we can't see larger fish but there are limits to most of our tank's possible size fish. That will never equal a river's worth of size or water changinging. Like people of 100 years old are not still growing or they'd be 7-10 ft tall, lol. There's a limit but it may take some time to get to it. & like 100 yo people it's probably rare to hit their maximum possible. & maybe, like old people, do fish actually start to shrink? I've seen that old fish tend to have less than perfect fins, some fraying is normal. Often backbones are bent...ya know like very old people. They move slower, give up on the breeding thing. It's not that they're not happy, just less active...

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Almost all cold-blooded animals, including fish, will continue to grow as long as they are alive, and may outgrow a small tank. however, this continued growth is within reason and based on the normal template laid out by mother nature. The "full grown" size of a fish is determined by genetics, not by aquarium size, and individual fish will reach different sizes, just as adult humans reach different sizes.

The actual size of most mammals – including humans – is mostly set from birth. Our growth rate is influenced by the environment, but our skeleton stops growing once we reach adulthood. But it’s true about animals such as kangaroos — they indeed never stop growing. The skeletons of kangaroos and the larger wallabies continue to grow – slowly – throughout their lives.

There are many other kinds of animals with the capacity for unlimited growth. For example, invertebrates, such as corals, never stop growing. This pattern is called “indeterminate” growth – adult size depends largely on environmental conditions.

Most fish, amphibians, lizards, and snakes are indeterminate growers. In theory, they can get as big as their environment and diet allow. So why don’t we see huge creatures in nature? It’s mainly because the longer an animal lives, the more likely it is to come in contact with predators, diseases, and natural disasters that end its life before it gets very big. And, for many species, there may be structural constraints – where a single set of organs can only support a body of finite size.

 

[fishorama]

Yeah, I read that but I'm still skeptical. Are your 20+ year old zebra plecos still growing? How can you tell exactly from year 5 or 10 to year 20? My 11 y.o. goby is the same size or almost? as when I got him. Or maybe it's like old people that their immune systems don't work as well so they may be more susceptible diseases to the point that almost any bacteria or, in fish, even water issues can be fatal? Some diseases are like algae or bacteria, they're everywhere, ready to strike when conditions are right & fish are susceptible for some reason.

Now if we were talking about redwood trees...or that giant fungus in Michigan? Well, that's different than warm or cold blooded animals to me.

Not picking a fight, just some thoughts...

 

[dougall]

Are you sure it's the same pleco?

Don't rule out the fish being replaced in your absence

 

[fishorama]

Good thoughts, dougall...theres alway "ghost fish"... OK, I've been reading Neil Gaiman lately...

 

[dougall]

Good omens 2 is tomorrow!

 

[fishorama]

LOL!