Question on growth

[tc51]

Back in Sept I bought 15 Cyps Utinta from Chums, at the time all were in the 1/2" range.

Now some three months later most have grown into the 2" range but four have not grown that much at all maybe around 3/4" they are all healthy, eagerly wolfing down the N.L.S. small fish formula.

So my question is, is this normal, out of the 15 to have four runt's.

The four fish in question are normal looking, just small.

Thanks guy's

Tom.

[Vallisneria]

I'm not sure what the case is with Cyps but i know this happens with my fish(malawi). I have a group of 8 Acei. Some are 3"+ and some are still only 1 1/2". This is also the case with my group of yellow labs. The dominant ones grow quickly and get large, while the sub dom ones(some are also females) dont' grow as quickly.

I think it has something to do with the dom. ones getting more food and the sub ones being under a bit more stress. But i could be wrong. Thats just my observations

[RDFISHGUY]

Its also possible that you've got a couple of runts. I had 2 runts out of my last batch of rostratus,and 1 out of my last batch of taiwon reefs. Not just a little smaller but significantly smaller. If they were the same size as the others when you got them then its probably as Val said :just stress or slower maturing fish.

[Cap'n]

I bought some of the same cyps and then again from Chums when they had another tank of small cyps. From the first group of nine two were runts and from the second group of 6 I got two more runts. I don't think it has anything to do with dominance as the only fish who show that behaviour are the adult males against other adult males and breeding females.

Glad you posted this Tom, I was wondering about my cyps as well. I have 5 juvies in a grow out tank and all seem to be growing at the same rate. I'm interested to see if the next generation shows the same runt ratio.