Fish Shape Change

[Peter Breed]

Having watched my fish for the last sixth months I think the fish I
bought with longer fancier tails seem be changing shape, their tails
appear shrinking to match their shorter tailed pond mates. They all
appear healthy and the shorter tail appears to be making them faster and
more maneuverable.
I was just wondering if anybody else had observed anything similar?
Peter

[Reel McKoi]

"Peter Breed" > wrote in message
...
> Having watched my fish for the last sixth months I think the fish I
> bought with longer fancier tails seem be changing shape, their tails
> appear shrinking to match their shorter tailed pond mates. They all
> appear healthy and the shorter tail appears to be making them faster and
> more maneuverable.
> I was just wondering if anybody else had observed anything similar?
> Peter
===================
My long finned koi's fins get longer as they get older. The same thing
happens to the goldfish. I have never seen fins get shorter over time
unless the ends were diseased in some way.
--
McKoi.... the frugal ponder...
EVERYONE: "Please check people's headers for forgeries
before flushing." :-)
~~~ }<((((o> ~~~ }<{{{{o> ~~~ }<(((((o>

[Peter Breed]

Reel McKoi wrote:
> "Peter Breed" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>>Having watched my fish for the last sixth months I think the fish I
>>bought with longer fancier tails seem be changing shape, their tails
>>appear shrinking to match their shorter tailed pond mates. They all
>>appear healthy and the shorter tail appears to be making them faster and
>>more maneuverable.
>>I was just wondering if anybody else had observed anything similar?
>>Peter
>
> ===================
> My long finned koi's fins get longer as they get older. The same thing
> happens to the goldfish. I have never seen fins get shorter over time
> unless the ends were diseased in some way.

I wondered if they were adapting to pond shape, I can envisage a long
being an advantage in still waters over a long distance, and short tail
being advantage in fast flowing waters. My pond is quite small at about
about 6ft x 3ft (excluding the planting shelves) but 3.5ft deep in the
main area.

As I said the fish appear healthy, and my pond is not heavily stocked (4
Comets and 3 Shubumkins only two are larger than 3-4inches) - I wasn't
particularly worried, just curious. I wondered I was observing a common
phenomenon.

[Reel McKoi]

"Peter Breed" > wrote in message
...
> Reel McKoi wrote:
> > My long finned koi's fins get longer as they get older. The same thing
> > happens to the goldfish. I have never seen fins get shorter over time
> > unless the ends were diseased in some way.
===============================
> I wondered if they were adapting to pond shape, I can envisage a long
> being an advantage in still waters over a long distance, and short tail
> being advantage in fast flowing waters. My pond is quite small at about
> about 6ft x 3ft (excluding the planting shelves) but 3.5ft deep in the
> main area.

$ I don't think that makes a difference. Tail length would be a genetic
trait an not influenced by the size of the pond or how much water
flow/current there is.

> As I said the fish appear healthy, and my pond is not heavily stocked (4
> Comets and 3 Shubumkins only two are larger than 3-4inches) - I wasn't
> particularly worried, just curious. I wondered I was observing a common
> phenomenon.
--
McKoi.... the frugal ponder...
EVERYONE: "Please check people's headers for forgeries
before flushing." :-)
~~~ }<((((o> ~~~ }<{{{{o> ~~~ }<(((((o>

[Gale Pearce]

> Having watched my fish for the last sixth months I think the fish I
> bought with longer fancier tails seem be changing shape, their tails
> appear shrinking to match their shorter tailed pond mates. They all
> appear healthy and the shorter tail appears to be making them faster and
> more maneuverable.
> I was just wondering if anybody else had observed anything similar?
> Peter
Hi Peter
I would check them closely for fin rot - do any of their other fins appear
to be getting shorter or stubbier?
Gale :~)

[Cichlidiot]

Gale Pearce > wrote:
> I would check them closely for fin rot - do any of their other fins appear
> to be getting shorter or stubbier?

In addition to fin rot, the tails might also be getting nipped. There's
also the possibility that this is just a perception issue. Never discount
the ability of the mind to distort perceptions to fit preconceived
notions. It's the reason several optical illusions work. Without absolute
measurement numbers, there's no real way to tell for sure.