Did the goldfish stop growing?

[JenH]

The pond store has a whole tank of goldfish that look to be at least double the size of my goldfish maybe triple, so I asked how old they are. He told me they are around a year old, which mine are too, assuming they were babies when I got them from PetSmart last year. So if they are all around the same age why are mine so much smaller then the ones he sells? Granted he told me that his are in warm water all year around, so they don't slow down for winter. But, I can't even imagine that mine would have gotten that big based on how much they grew over the summer. I read somewhere that goldfish grow the most in their first couple of years so I am wondering if mine are destined to only be 3-4 inch forever?

 

[Waterbug]

They will continue to grow after 4, 5 years old but it slows down to almost nothing.

Could be the variety mix you have. The Common Goldfish (Common as in "variety", not "any old kind") can get big, other varieties can be smaller.

But generally it's just a matter of the amount of food fed and water conditions.

 

[j.w]

I think warm temps w/ lots of food makes happy big fat fish that don't live as long as slim trim less fed out door fishies!

 

[addy1]

They get fed every day if not once more than once, warm water, controlled environment. I would think the pet store ones will grow a lot faster. Yep jw they get lots more exercise in a big old pond vs a fish tank/

 

[Waterbug]

Never seen a pet store that raised fish. Normally they're purchased from a grower and hopefully sold quick. No way to make money growing them in a tank.

 

[JenH]

It's not a pet store, it's a pond story/nursery. Tank was maybe a poor word choice, They're in more of an open shallow concrete pond/tank. Don't know if pond is the right word either as it is only about 2x4' They looked proportionate not necessarily "fat" They all looked to be either comets, shubunkins or sarassas. I know feeding makes a difference and I usually feed twice a day, although I never really know if I'm feeding them enough cause they always act like they're starving when I go around the water. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't doing something that could be stunting their growth.

 

[j.w]

Found this bit of info on the net:

Goldfish: Maximum Size and Lifespan

It is a myth that a goldfish will grow only to the size of their tank. If a goldfish is kept in a small tank, fed only a small amount once daily, and the water changed regularly, it will grow only very slowly and may live for several years, reaching a maximum size of maybe 3 to 4 inches (8 to 10 centimeters). It is true that the growth of a goldfish may be somewhat stunted in a small tank - a high nitrate level is known to stunt growth - but growth is slowed, not stopped altogether.
However, if fed too much, or if kept in a tank that is not sufficiently filtered or maintained, a goldfish will simply grow to the point where its tank will not support its wastes and will succumb either to poisoning as a result of waste build-up or to disease caused by poor water quality.
The main factors which control the growth rate of goldfish are feeding and temperature.
Goldfish will grow faster if they are fed a higher protein food, or are fed more often, and, given an adequate food supply, they will grow faster the warmer the water temperature. In ponds, goldfish usually grow quite slowly, as their growth rate is minimal over winter.
They may grow to around 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 cm) but possibly more. If kept indoors in large, or heated, aquaria they will reach this size sooner and potentially grow even larger. Straight-tailed varieties will attain a greater length than twin-tailed types, but since twin-tails are fatter, their actual mass may be even more.
Like the maximum size, the lifespan of goldfish is also variable. The record is 43 years, but it is uncommon for goldfish to live this long. Goldfish usually live quite long when kept in large aquaria or outdoor ponds, up to 15 to 20 years is not unheard of. In smaller or heated aquaria, a lifespan of five to ten years is quite achievable. As mentioned, the most important factors when keeping goldfish in small aquaria are careful feeding and adequate filtration and/or maintenance.

Goldfish Care:

Never give your goldfish more food than they can eat in a few minutes. Leftover food decomposes and pollutes the tank. If food remains uneaten, remove it.
A 30 gallon aquarium with gravel and few river rocks is recommended. You should never keep your goldfish in a bowl or other small container.
Gold fish are omnivorous and do not require special diet as tropical fish, however you should buy food made specifically for goldfish, because their nutritional needs are not the same as those of other fishes.

 

[Waterbug]

By amount of food fed I meant like 6-8 times a day. Which leads to the water condition. Low O2, high ammonia and nitrates all reduce their ability to turn food into growth.