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Loading ...how big will koi fish grow when they are in a tank?
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My dad has 40 baby koi fishes and goldfishes in a 50 gallon tank. My brother and I are always telling him that there too many fish in there. He thinks that when koi fishes live in a tank they don’t grow big because of their environment and when we put them in a pond they will be really big. I don’t believe him. Is it true?
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2 Responses to “how big will koi fish grow when they are in a tank?”
Many people belonging to the older generations still buy into the myth that fish can be kept insufficiently sized tanks and that they will grow to "fit" their surroundings. This is just not true. That statement gives the impression that the fish simply stops growing with no ill effects. But they will suffer from poor water quality and stunted growth which causes a severely reduced lifespan.
Tell him that if the fish are not growing to potential than poor care is to blame. Fish grow when they are given appropriate room and good water quality. The oldest koi on record was 226 years old, they probably won’t last out a decade in such poor conditions.
Koi require 1000+ gallons to thrive. Tell your dad that animals under his care should thrive.
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This is an uban myth. Fish will grow regardless of the space they have. Koi fish will grow to over 3 feet. These fish need a pond of atleast 10,000L not a 200L tank. These fish will not last in a tank as the parameters will become unstable as the biological loading capacity of the water is exceeded. This will lead to ammonia and nitrate levels rising and poisoning your fish. I cannot urge you enough to put these in a suitable pond or to rehome them. These fish CANNOT be kept in aquariums.
You must show your father my reply. If he wants fish for a tank he shoud be looking at common tropical fish.
Look at http://www.aquaticlifedirect.co.uk to see what you like, then start a new question and I will advise you on the fish you like. Please do your best to get these fish to a better environment as they are being poisoned in that tank and have no room to move.
To explain the sizes better, this is a teenage / Young adult Koi:
http://www.offthehookfishing.com/images/380_FISHING_PICS_016.jpg
Good luck, come back for advice on new species!
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