Electric Blue Acara Growth Rate

[ccurtis]

Hello Everyone, 

A couple months ago I purchased two electric blue acaras. I ran them through a quarantine session and then added them to my main display tank with a bunch of community fish. One of them seems be very outgoing, growing pretty rapidly and thriving. The other one is not growing very fast all, and seems to be a bit more shy. When I got them they were both the same size and now the one that is growing is double the size of the other. The smaller one does seem to eat, but also seems to be a bit more picky with the food. 

I have moved the smaller one into a smaller tank by itself to try to target feed it and put some growth on it. Any suggestions on why this one is growing so much slower than the other and how to speed up the growth on it? 

 

[H.K.Luterman]

I think what you're doing, separating it and giving it a chance to catch up, is the best way to get it growing; the other one very well may have been getting most of the food. Feed good food and keep the water clean. You can also try soaking its food in Vita Chem. But the little one might always stay small regardless of what you do. 

[HH Morant]

While you have him isolated you might want to treat for internal parasites. Parasites can cause slower growth and they are sometimes not easy to diagnose/detect. Paracleanse  (contains metronidazole and praziquantel) or maybe Expel P (contains levamisole).

[ccurtis]

I'll put some in, that's a good point. I have some paraclense on hand.