Do I have slow growing juveniles or dwarf adults?

[fishmom]

I got 2 juveniles - maybe 1/2 an inch at the time, about a year ago.

Compared to some of the 'adults' I have seen in other tanks, the largest of my 2 is only half the size - maybe 1.5 inches. The smaller one is about 1/3 inch smaller than the larger one. The jaws are completely different, with one definitely rounder (larger one) and the other definitely straighter (smaller). From what I have read and heard, this should mean I have a male and a female.

They lived the first several months in a 29g peaceful tank. They are now in a 110, with their prior tankmates.

They have been fed twice a day, with alternating variety (brine, mysis, bloodworms, and a whole lot more), soaked in Zoecon. Both eat fine, actually pushing the clowns out of the way to get food, are pretty regular in their schedules of activity. Neither have shown aggression toward each other or any other tank mate.

Question 1: Shouldn't they have been full grown by now, ready to spawn? Or do they mature slower than other cardinals?

Question 2: If my cardinals are not growing properly, any advice on how to move them along?


And finally, at what point can I determine that I just happen to have 2 females, and the jaw difference is just a wives tale?

Thanks for any assistance!

[Kmiec123]

I have has some clowns that refused to grow. I gave them to a friend for her nanno...I'll have to check with her to see how they are doing...it's been over a year. I'll let you know.

[Luis A M]

Possibly both I have seen this in damsels.Good news is that they still can breed.
I´m sure it is caused by marginal larval nutrition.

[fishmom]

Possibly both I have seen this in damsels.Good news is that they still can breed.
I´m sure it is caused by marginal larval nutrition.

Been a while since I have been on so I missed this response:

Are you saying that possible poor nutrition of the PJ's when they were larvae could cause lack of growth almost 2 years later? (there was a Clownfish mention between my post in your response).

I have actually, since that January post, increased feeding to 3 times a day. All that did was make the water chemistry run amok. Any tricks you know that can help get these critters to grow, or will I always have dwarf PJ's? If so, have you heard of PJ's breeding small? (again, not sure if your response was to the clowns or my PJ's.)

thanks!