Indeterminate growth is a phenomenon that refers to the function wherein an animal or creature continues to grow throughout its lifetime. While trees are the most obvious example of indeterminate growers, there exist a number of animals that never stop growing.
Generally, reptiles, fish, and amphibians most frequently rank among the list of indeterminate growers, but several mammals also make the cut.
You are reading: Top 10 Animals That Never Stop Growing
In this article, we will explore 10 animals that never stop growing, including lobsters, goldfish, green anacondas, kangaroos, king crabs, crocodiles, pythons, elephants, rougheye rockfish, and great white sharks.
Top 10 Animals That Never Stop Growing
Lobster
Lobsters are fascinating creatures that have captured the imagination of many people. One of the most interesting things about lobsters is their ability to continue growing throughout their lives, a phenomenon known as indeterminate growth.
Unlike humans, who stop growing when they reach adulthood, lobsters keep growing until they die. While lobsters are not immortal, as some people believe, they can live for a very long time and grow to impressive sizes.
Goldfish
Goldfish are one of the most popular aquarium fish in the world, and they are also known for their ability to keep growing throughout their lives.
Goldfish growth rates depend on several factors, including food, space, and environment. Goldfish growth rates can be massive for their first few weeks after hatching in a perfect growing environment, as much as a 50% or more increase in body length in a week.
However, what actually happens is the build-up of growth inhibiting hormones stop the fish, and any other goldfish in the same container, from growing any bigger.
Goldfish need 24 square inches of surface area per inch of fish, or a filtration/aeration system. They also need high oxygen levels to enable them to process the large amounts of food needed to grow quickly.
Water temperatures have a huge impact on goldfish growth rates. An experiment done over 30 days showed goldfish kept at 79oF (26oC) weighed twice as much as goldfish kept at 70oF (21oC) at the end of the 30 days.
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Most of the juvenile’s growth will be in the first 6 months unless they are going to be kept indoors and in a heated aquarium or at least at room temperature over the winter months.
Goldfish fry become juveniles after they begin to grow scales and have fully developed fins. If you want to raise goldfish fry, it’s important to provide them with the right environment and food. The ultimate guide to raising goldfish fry includes five stages, from hatching to coloring up, which can take several months.
Green Anaconda
Green anacondas are fascinating creatures that are known for their impressive size and ability to keep growing throughout their lives.
Here are some key points about the growth of green anacondas:
– Green anacondas are the largest snake in the world by weight, with females being significantly larger than males.
– Green anacondas can grow to more than 29 feet in length, weigh more than 550 pounds, and measure more than 12 inches in diameter.
– Anacondas and other large reptiles tend to live many years and grow slowly later in life.
– The growth rate of anacondas in the wild is not well documented, but recapture data suggests that anacondas in the wild may take more than a decade to reach 320 cm SVL.
– Green anacondas can grow more than 14 feet.
Overall, green anacondas are impressive creatures that can grow to be very large and live for many years. While their growth rate is not well documented, it is clear that they can continue to grow throughout their lives, albeit at a slower rate later in life.
Kangaroo
Kangaroos are fascinating creatures that are native to Australia. They are marsupials, which means that they carry their young in a pouch. One of the most interesting things about kangaroos is their ability to keep growing throughout their lives.
Here are some key points about the growth of kangaroos:
– Kangaroos grow slowly and can take many years to reach their full size.
– The growth rate of kangaroo populations in the wild is not well documented, but estimates suggest that it is around 9-11% per year under standard conditions.
– Kangaroos have low reproductive rates and high juvenile mortality rates, which means that their populations can only grow gradually.
– The maximum population growth rate for red kangaroos has been estimated to be around 13.5% per year, while the growth rate for eastern grey kangaroos has been estimated to be around 10% per year.
– Kangaroo populations cannot rapidly increase or “explode” as is sometimes reported, and it is biologically impossible for them to do so.
– Kangaroos can grow to be very large, with red kangaroos weighing up to 200 pounds and standing six feet tall.
– Kangaroo joeys are born very small and develop in their mother’s pouch for several months before emerging to graze on grass.
Overall, kangaroos are fascinating creatures that can continue to grow throughout their lives, albeit at a slow rate. Their growth rate is affected by several factors, including reproductive rates, juvenile mortality rates, and environmental conditions.
King Crab
King crabs are a type of crab that are known for their large size and delicious meat. Here are some key points about the growth of king crabs:
– King crabs can grow to be very large, with males reaching up to 24 pounds and having a leg span of up to five feet.
– King crabs can live up to 20-30 years.
– Juvenile king crabs molt many times in their first few years, then less frequently until they reach sexual maturity in four or five years.
– Adult females must molt in order to mate, but males do not. Adult males often skip a molt and keep the same shell for one or two years.
– King crabs can only grow by molting, shedding their old shell and growing a new one. After molting, they are soft and vulnerable to predators until their new shell hardens.
– Molted male king crabs rapidly increase weight after molting, with their growth rate averaging 412.3 g/kg.
– The growth rate of king crabs in the wild is not well documented, but populations of king crab in the Barents Sea have risen ten times in the past ten years and are now estimated at 20 million crabs.
Overall, king crabs are fascinating creatures that can grow to be very large and live for many years. Their growth rate is affected by several factors, including molting, sexual maturity, and environmental conditions.
Crocodile
Crocodiles are fascinating creatures that are known for their large size and predatory behavior. Here are some key points about the growth of crocodiles:
– Crocodile growth rates vary depending on the species and environmental conditions.
– Young crocodiles increase in length by about 30 cm (one foot) per year for the first three to four years of their lives.
– The growth rate of juvenile American alligators in heated enclosures has been documented to be around 4-4.5 cm per month during the first two years.
– Crocodiles can continue to grow throughout their lives, although the growth rate gradually decreases as they age.
– The largest species of crocodile is the saltwater crocodile, which can grow up to 6 meters (20 feet) in length and weigh up to 1,500 kg (3,300 lb).
– Crocodiles start their lives at around 20 cm (7.9 in) long and can live up to 20-30 years.
– Crocodiles show pronounced sexual dimorphism, with males growing much larger and more rapidly than females.
– Measuring crocodile age is unreliable, although several techniques are used to derive a reasonable guess.
– Cassius, a captive crocodile, is the record holder for the largest crocodile in captivity, measuring over 5.48 meters (18 feet) in length.
Overall, crocodiles are impressive creatures that can grow to be very large and live for many years. Their growth rate is affected by several factors, including species, environmental conditions, and sexual dimorphism.
Python
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Ball pythons are a popular pet snake species that are known for their docile nature and manageable size. However, like many other reptiles, ball pythons never stop growing throughout their lives. Here are some key points about the growth of ball pythons:
– Ball pythons grow at different rates depending on their gender, age, and diet.
– Female ball pythons grow faster than males, with a growth rate of nearly one foot per year for the first four years of life.
– Male ball pythons grow at a rate of eight inches per year until they reach sexual maturity at three years of age.
– Ball pythons can grow up to four to six feet in length for females and three to 3.5 feet for males.
– Ball python growth rate monitoring is important to ensure that they are maintaining a healthy size and weight.
– Ball pythons can grow up to 2-3 inches per month until they reach their full size.
– The growth rate of ball pythons is affected by the type and amount of food they consume.
Overall, ball pythons are a popular pet snake species that can continue to grow throughout their lives. Their growth rate is affected by several factors, including gender, age, diet, and environmental conditions.
Elephant
Elephants are fascinating creatures that are known for their large size and long lifespans. One of the most interesting things about elephants is their ability to keep growing throughout their lives. Here are some key points about the growth of elephants:
– Elephants are slow-growing, long-lived mammals, surviving up to 70 years in the wild.
– Elephant calves grow quickly, gaining 2 to 3 pounds every day in their first year of life.
– Female elephants grow in height and weight well into adult life, growing quickly during the first ten years of life and then slowing to between one and two centimeters in height per year.
– Male elephants will leave their herd between 8 and 13 years of age, as long as they’re able to find their own food and protect themselves.
– Elephants can continue to grow throughout their lives, although the growth rate gradually decreases as they age.
– The growth rate of elephant populations in the wild is not well documented, but estimates suggest that it is around 7.1% per year under standard conditions.
– Elephant populations have been shrinking over time, with African elephant populations having shrunk by 98% since 1500.
Overall, elephants are impressive creatures that can grow to be very large and live for many years. Their growth rate is affected by several factors, including gender, age, diet, and environmental conditions.
Rougheye Rockfish
Rougheye rockfish are a type of fish that are known for their impressive lifespan and slow growth rate. Here are some key points about the growth of rougheye rockfish:
– Rougheye rockfish can grow up to 97 cm (38 in) in length and are one of the longest-lived fishes in the world, with a maximum age of at least 205 years old.
– Rougheye rockfish are slow-growing and slow to mature, with a generation time of 18.3 years.
– The resilience of rougheye rockfish is very low, with a minimum population doubling time of over 14 years.
– Rougheye rockfish populations have been declining in recent years, with a 12% decline from the maximum allowable biological catch in 2022.
– Developing ageing criteria for rougheye rockfish is an important area of research, with the age at 50% sexual maturity of female shortraker rockfish estimated to be between 21.4 and 23.2 years.
Overall, rougheye rockfish are fascinating creatures that can continue to grow throughout their lives, albeit at a slow rate. Their growth rate is affected by several factors, including lifespan, generation time, and environmental conditions.
Great White Shark
Great white sharks are fascinating creatures that are known for their large size and predatory behavior. Here are some key points about the growth of great white sharks:
– Great white sharks can grow up to 20 feet (6.1 m) in length and weigh over 4,000 pounds (1,814 kg) fully grown.
– Great white sharks grow slowly, with males reaching sexual maturity at approximately 26 years old and females at approximately 33 years old.
– The lifespan of great white sharks is estimated to be as long as 70 years or more, making it one of the longest-lived cartilaginous fishes currently known.
– Great white sharks grow about 25 cm (9.8 in) every year, with females typically larger than males.
– Great white sharks need decades to reach adult size, and they continue to grow throughout their lifetimes, albeit at a slower rate.
– Great white sharks can swim at speeds of 25 km/h (16 mph) for short bursts and to depths of 1,200 m (3,900 ft).
– The growth rate of great white shark populations in the wild is not well documented, but catch trends over the past decade suggest the juvenile white shark population in California is increasing.
Overall, great white sharks are impressive creatures that can grow to be very large and live for many years. Their growth rate is affected by several factors, including gender, age, diet, and environmental conditions.
FAQS
1. What animals never stop growing?
Reptiles, fish, and amphibians are the most common animals that never stop growing. However, there are also a few mammals that make the list, including elephants and kangaroos.
2. Why do some animals never stop growing?
Some animals have indeterminate growth, which means that they continue to grow throughout their lives. This is due to the presence of stem cells that can differentiate into new tissues and organs.
3. How does the growth rate vary among animals that never stop growing?
Growth rate varies among animals that never stop growing depending on factors such as species, gender, age, diet, and environmental conditions. For example, female ball pythons grow faster than males, while male kangaroos grow more slowly than females.
4. Can animals that never stop growing become too large?
Yes, animals that never stop growing can become too large if they are not kept in an appropriate environment. For example, goldfish need at least 24 square inches of surface area per inch of fish to grow properly.
5. What are some other examples of animals that never stop growing?
Other examples of animals that never stop growing include lobsters, green anacondas, king crabs, crocodiles, pythons, rougheye rockfish, and great white sharks.
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