[Blue Fish]

I have a somewhat odd question...I recently moved my older betta into a 10 gallon tank from a 1.5 gallon bowl. And he seems to be growing. He's quite large now, easily about 2.5 to 3 inches from tip of nose to tip of tail, and he's just, well, "solid" looking. He's not fat, he swims around, seems very happy, argues with the filter occasionally (it's black and he can apparently see his reflection in it), hides in his spots and his "log" and just generally seems very active and happy...so I don't believe he's sick.
I knew that goldfish would grow to the "size of their container" and could get quite massive, but I thought that bettas reached a certain size and stopped, is this not the case?

I only just realized how *big* he is when I brought my new fish home, who is still young and small, but Blue Fish seems particularly huge. He also eats...a lot. I've read that he should only be eating 3-4 pellets twice a day with some blood worms thrown in every now and again for variety (he absolutely refuses to eat the flakes, any of the flakes), but he's easily eating 6 or 7 twice a day. I wasn't concerned as he was not bloated and isn't fat, just really large in length/fins/and general bearing.

Do I need to feed him less despite his lack of bloating? He is streamlined and doesn't appear to be "fat" in any way. He's also almost aggressive about the food, and will jump over floating plants in order to reach any pellets that he's missed on the first try. He'll now take bloodworms from my hands, and is quite brave, so maybe he's not so much aggressive as brave?

Any thoughts are appreciated!

 

[deso]

Well, I do know that the growth of young bettas is stunted by a certain hormone if they're kept in excessively small containers, but I'm not sure about an adult betta growing to match the size of his tank. I'm curious too!

 

[Aus]

...maybe he was a slightly stunted half giant or something?

My big plakat male eats 4 pellets twice a day and I am worried we may be underfeeding him.. he's more than 2 inches and fully adult. Your fish sounds.. really big. :shock:

 

[Whittni]

I think I have a baby betta, he's lucky if he's an inch long.

 

[Blue Fish]

Whittni, yes, my other boy is about the same size, maybe an inch and a half. He's little, but they usually grow pretty quickly once you get them into a "real" tank with proper food and space and filtration/water changes.
It's just Blue Fish who's apparently a giant...

 

[Hallyx]

BlueFish looks to be a Veiltail. 2.5 to 3.0 inches to the end of his tail is not large. The IBC and most keepers, who have no investment in size, measure from the nose to the caudal peduncle (where the tail begins), in other words "body only" or BO.

My large VT is 4 inches to the end of his tail but his body is 2 inches, a fair sized fish.

They grow to the extent their genetics and hormones dictate, regardless of the size of the tank.

 

[lelei]

I am totally convinced that yes, the more room a fishy has to swim, and the better they are fed, the more they grow, or Outgrow their present home, and are ready for more room, to spread out their amazing fin and body growth..
Our sammy just recently outgrew his 3 gallon tank, and is now in a 5 gallon, and he is adapting so well, and now looks like he fits it!!
Case and point, I recently took in a VT with clamped fins and no growth, very small, and fins like shriveled up, now within 3 days, with Aq salt treatment and more swim room, his fins are opening, and flowing and he is growing and looking like a real healthy fish..ready for more swim room, going into the 3 gal soon!!!

 

[lelei]

Also to add, if you are feeding Micro pellets 3 pellets, 3x day..that is pretty much the same feeding for our Sammy that has helped him grow and flourish, as well..he eats 3 in the am, and 3 at night, and 2 as a snack..before bed..

 

[lelei]

My new Avi, is Sammy in his 5 gal, Loving it..and I will show a pic of when I first got him, you can see amazing difference, in 2mos time