Slowest Growing Large Fish

[Wandering Albatross]

Good evening all, I’m looking for a fish that can get large, but grows very slowly. Any kind of grouper, puffer, lionfish, trigger, or if you have another very slow growing fish. Something that if picked up as 1-2”, it’ll only grow an inch or so a year.

What are your slowest growing fish recommendations?

 

[Euphyllia97]

Picasso trigger or a regal angelfish. Not a big fan of keeping fish you can’t support in the long term tho.(I wonder how many “I am going to upgrade in a few years” actually never happen)

 

[Wandering Albatross]

Picasso trigger or a regal angelfish. Not a big fan of keeping fish you can’t support in the long term tho.(I wonder how many “I am going to upgrade in a few years” actually never happen)

I know for a fact I will have at least one more large tank to house some big boys, I just want to start the training early, and test temperament.

 

[landlubber]

I have a Blonde Naso Tang that is about 5" after buying it as a 2" fish 5 years ago. He's thicc, docile and a pretty fish

 

[Wandering Albatross]

I have a Blonde Naso Tang that is about 5" after buying it as a 2" fish 5 years ago. He's thicc, docile and a pretty fish

I haven't done much research on those, how would his temperament be with other tangs when he gets bigger? On par with a yellow, or closer to a sohal? In this instance the fish would be solo in a tank for training and grow out, so I won't get to observe cross species behavior for a bit.

 

[Kooma]

I haven't done much research on those, how would his temperament be with other tangs when he gets bigger? On par with a yellow, or closer to a sohal? In this instance the fish would be solo in a tank for training and grow out, so I won't get to observe cross species behavior for a bit.

I must have a bad example, but my YT is the bully of my tank, and he isn’t even the biggest fish.

 

[Tcook]

What will you be training it to do?

 

[Wandering Albatross]

I must have a bad example, but my YT is the bully of my tank, and he isn’t even the biggest fish.

Haha, go figure. Everyone's tank is different, I had a pair of dottybacks that were very friendly in the tank, bunch of people couldn't believe it. My tomini on the other hand was a fish-killing terror.

 

[56longroof]

Haha, go figure. Everyone's tank is different, I had a pair of dottybacks that were very friendly in the tank, bunch of people couldn't believe it. My tomini on the other hand was a fish-killing terror.

My Tomini hasn't killed anything yet but its not very nice at all.

 

[Wandering Albatross]

What will you be training it to do?

Handfeeding, or maybe tong feeding first, and more will develop if he shows a willingness to learn. He'd be so small he'd get lost in a larger tank in the beginning. It depends largely on the fish chosen for this, but either way he'd be there partially for grow out.

 

[Wandering Albatross]

My Tomini hasn't killed anything yet but its not very nice at all.

Mine has racked up at least 6 murders that I know of and a number of harassments. On the fay I finally managed to catch him for removal, I caught him swim right up to my tailspot and tear into his side and face. Tailspot wasn't perching, wasn't grazing, hasn't grazed since the tomini went crazy. He was sitting on the sand unwilling to go near the rocks, and the tomini sought him out to throttle him for fun.

 

[landlubber]

I haven't done much research on those, how would his temperament be with other tangs when he gets bigger? On par with a yellow, or closer to a sohal? In this instance the fish would be solo in a tank for training and grow out, so I won't get to observe cross species behavior for a bit.

Its in with a Tomini and a Purple and is the least scrappy of the group and while the other 2 have squabbles, nobody seems to mess with the Naso.

 

[56longroof]

Mine has racked up at least 6 murders that I know of and a number of harassments. On the fay I finally managed to catch him for removal, I caught him swim right up to my tailspot and tear into his side and face. Tailspot wasn't perching, wasn't grazing, hasn't grazed since the tomini went crazy. He was sitting on the sand unwilling to go near the rocks, and the tomini sought him out to throttle him for fun.

Mines tried several times to muscle up on the magnificent foxface. He still hasn't learned his lesson yet.

 

[Privateye]

The slowest-growing (and longest-lived) fishes tend to be cold-water species. Think rockfish, sturgeon, halibut, greenland sharks, etc.

Technically you can slow the growth of any fish by keeping it in cooler water (but still within its normal range). Because they're cold-blooded, a cooler environment means their metabolisms and other life processes are slower than in a warm environment. You can also accelerate growth with warmer temps, which is common in aquaculture.

Back when I worked at a caviar farm, our fish produced caviar in about 5 years as opposed to 15 years in the wild because we kept them in warmer conditions.

 

[Wandering Albatross]

Its in with a Tomini and a Purple and is the least scrappy of the group and while the other 2 have squabbles, nobody seems to mess with the Naso.

Cool, so he might work. He would be with the more aggressive tangs, triggers, puffers, and maybe a grouper. But size might help deter some harassment, hopefully.

How are undulate triggers in growth speed? Parrotfish?

 

[Wandering Albatross]

The slowest-growing (and longest-lived) fishes tend to be cold-water species. Think rockfish, sturgeon, halibut, greenland sharks, etc.

Technically you can slow the growth of any fish by keeping it in cooler water (but still within its normal range). Because they're cold-blooded, a cooler environment means their metabolisms and other life processes are slower than in a warm environment. You can also accelerate growth with warmer temps, which is common in aquaculture.

Back when I worked at a caviar farm, our fish produced caviar in about 5 years as opposed to 15 years in the wild because we kept them in warmer conditions.

That makes sense, I've seen how slow growing and long-lived some of the deep arctic species are. I'm looking for standard reef tank temps of 76-78 though. Something that'll eventually go into a large fowlr.

I'd start a maroon pair, as they take a while to mature to spawning size, but I don't know if they'll cohabitate safely as a bonded pair and the only fish in the tank. I've heard of female maroons killing their mate in more cramped environments. Would a nem or 2 help ease that potential tension, or increase it? They're the only ones I'd consider keeping as a pair growing out, anything else would be kept as the sole fish in the tank. It would be nice to get a young maroon pair well bonded for addition to the big boy tank.

 

[larrysaltisfun]

Good evening all, I’m looking for a fish that can get large, but grows very slowly. Any kind of grouper, puffer, lionfish, trigger, or if you have another very slow growing fish. Something that if picked up as 1-2”, it’ll only grow an inch or so a year.

What are your slowest growing fish recommendations?

Definitely a Picasso trigger. This guy is about 11 years old. The Gentle Giant of the tank wouldn’t hurt a fly unless you’re a snail..

 

[Wandering Albatross]

Picasso trigger or a regal angelfish. Not a big fan of keeping fish you can’t support in the long term tho.(I wonder how many “I am going to upgrade in a few years” actually never happen)

I’ve heard that triggers do sometimes chew on cords and such. This grow out tank would have a heater and powerhead directly in the main tank. Would this be a problem, would I need to set up a more AIO with a sectioned off area for these items? I can add gravel and crushed coral size material for him to chew if yhay would help. Assume he’ll get whole clams and some shell on shrimp.

 

[Wandering Albatross]

Definitely a Picasso trigger. This guy is about 11 years old. The Gentle Giant of the tank wouldn’t hurt a fly unless you’re a snail..

How big is he now at 11 years old?

 

[larrysaltisfun]

Definitely a Picasso trigger. This guy is about 11 years old. The Gentle Giant of the tank wouldn’t hurt a fly unless you’re a snail..

How big is he now at 11 years old?

5.5 inches long probably 3/4 inch thick Eats pellet food mysis Nori Rod,s very friendly, comes to the surface to eat. You can tap him on the nose.