growth rate on gsps

[ironbone]

i havent read any material on how long it takes to get to full size.im sure there are variables on upkeep.if you follow guidelines when you start what should you expect?now for instance dont know how old puff was whaen got himor her grown about 1/12 in lenght girth is a little more ive had him/her call him as the wife says hes a male he has issues
4mon
i wish i could do picture thing.he seems happy healthy.i want my fish to live as log as my ingrate cats

[melbell86]

i was also wondering this myself. Mine is about an inch, and i have tried to research this but couldnt find how long it takes them to reach full grown (6 inches)

[Adria]

I don't know how long it takes for all gsp's...I have 3 & all look different (their spots aren't the same, at all). But the one we've had the longest, 6 months, (he/she has oddly shaped spots) has grown 1/2 an inch since we've had him/her.

[jus85411]

there have been many discussions on this and that different regional variances/hybrids/conditions that they come from have different growth rates. the same exact type from the same clutch(?) could still have different growth rates. could be entirely genetic. i have had a GSP for almost two years. got him at about 1 1/2 inches and hes about 5 now. he didnt really grow much for the first 3 months or so but then he hit a spurt in which he grew like 2 or 2 1/2 inches(up to 4 inches total length) within two or three months. and since that spurt he has grown slightly but nothing too noticeable if you see him everyday

[melbell86]

thanks guys! I just was wondering generally speaking how much they grow. It seems like 1/2 in 6 months is average. I am just so impatient i want mine to be big and fat already! But he is only 1 inch right now

[Dadof4]

The discussions we have had have been centered around regional variations in pattern and size. Some GSP's that people have kept in near ideal conditions have not grown past the three inch mark for as long as they've had them yet others have had a GSP that has reached 4-5 inches int he first year and then hit the 6 inch range over the next few years. Seeing that GSP's are found in so many areas it is plausible that there are GSP sub-species that have the same look as the "standard" GSP but have some different characteristics such as growth.