Is truly true that fish grow to the size of the aquarium?

[Lynae]

This is isn't related to me and my fishkeeping, but I keep hearing that a fish will grow to the size of the aquarium. I want to know based on experience or fact from you intelligent folk, whether its true that a fish will grow larger, in a larger tank.
I know for sure it can't be vice versa, a fish will always outgrow a small tank.
thank you for taking time to answer!

 

[exodon king]

fish release a hormone (GH hormone) that will stunt their growth if large traces are left in the water. so this can be true. however even if in a small tank, constant WC will remove that hormone and cause the fish to continue to grow, this is a common practice for grow out tanks for fry.

whatever the case. stunting the growth of a fish (be it on purpose or not) is a cruel practice, and should be avoided at all cost.

 

[meegosh]

We had this question come up a while back. I typed up a response and there were a bunch of other good replies. Here's the link:

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f15/myth-fish-will-grow-only-to-the-tank-size-105832.html

 

[cabezon]

large fish will grow large because that is what large fish do. Pacu, Plecos, grow large.

but your guppy will not turn into a shark because it is in a big tank...

 

[fong47]

Yes that is right. If you have a fish that will grow and you put them in a small tank, it won't grow that much. The best way is to have a big tank if you know that it will grow much bigger.

 

[Squareheads]

Most of the time i tend to underestimate the lives of fish, cause the cliche of it is that they die pretty quickly and you flush em in the toilet(to be more specific, goldfishes )

But i do believe this in a certain extent, but if it's fact that the certain fish
you have will truly grow, then its fact. ><

 

[WhiteDevil]

Its fact that a fish that is a large species will grow large, genetics cant be altered that drastically in a single life cycle.