How long does it take for a GSP to grow to max size?

[Arny]

Hey Guys

If you put a GSP in a 55g with good filteration and fed it well, how long would it take for a GSP to grow to max size/6 inches?

Thanks

[My HD PVR]

I am no expert, but from reading up, I think I may have the answer
GSPs do not grow very fast. You can feed it all you want, but it will not grow as fast as you want it to, but no matter what it just depends on the puffer... If you really want it to be big, buy it big... If not its all about patience... Ill say a few years (dont know exactly) if i am completely wrong, no offensive will be taken

[purplecandle]

Depends on what genetic variation you have. The "average" time is two years. However some grow super slow, not at all, moderately, and some grow super fast.

Sometimes you can tell by their spots. Irregular spot or saba looking gsps tend to grow fast. Super tiny round spots everywhere can mean a slow grower.....this is just opinion and not a fact.

[El Scorpio]

From what I can tell from the GSP I had, more salt + more room = faster growth.

[goby1kenobi]

Ours has been ~5" for a year or more, and we've had him for probably 4 years. We're not sure if he's done growing yet, or if he's just growing very slowly now.

[RTR]

Puffers are never "done" growing - just like other fish. Post-puberty they just grow much more slowly. If you keep a puffer 15 years, it will be slightly bigger at 15 than it was at 10, and significantly bigger than it was at 3. But if tank size, feeding, and water conditions are not limiting factors, the majority of its growth will be within 2-3 years.

I have not kept enough GSPs under identical conditions to have tight scale of morph differences in growth rates, but it would not shock me if there are morph differences in growth rates. GSPs have a huge range and lots of variants.

[sevenyearnight]

I have the sweet, smiling, adorable variant.

[Corvus]

Sometimes sizes of 5-6" are reached within 3 years, sometimes they reach barely 2" after 6 or 7 years under the same care/space/nutrition and considering "fresh" imports that have not been in tanks for long. I strongly doubt that all "GSPs" that stay small are stunted.

However, since it is unknown as of now how to tell apart the possible regional variants, possibly/probably even subspecies or real species now all called T. nigroviridis, you need to plan for the largest ones to avoid stunting.

[RTR]

Thank you Corvus!