Grow out tank questions

[Hobbiest]

Sorry to be asking what may be a dumb question but I need some feedback on something. I am
Wondering about grow out tanks and the number of fish per tank. I have a 45 gallon with over 50 Mbuna in it. They are 1"+. For now they look fine. They get their water changes in time. I guess I want to know if they will benefit or grow faster if divided now into two different tanks.

[Regalblue]

Not ever any dumb questions.  We all learn in this hobby every day,  we just aren't all on the same page. 
 
There's really too many variables to answer your question.  If you want them to grow quickly,  then step up water changes & give them more food.

[cranialdisturbance]

A 45 gallon tank with 50 one inch Mbuna sounds like ample space for a little while as long as the water changes are kept up.  In time the fish will probably begin voting each other off the island, and at that point you will probably want to increase the available space. 

[Steve]

While we're on the subject of grow out tanks, what about temps? I've always heard that a bit higher temp (82-83f) helps growth rate in grow out tanks. Any truth to that?

[cranialdisturbance]

While we're on the subject of grow out tanks, what about temps? I've always heard that a bit higher temp (82-83f) helps growth rate in grow out tanks. Any truth to that?

Higher temps will increase metabolism but also usually increase aggression and reduce the amount of oxygen dissolved in the water available to the fish.  So the overall carrying capacity of the tank will probably be less than at a little lower temp. Also to grow them faster you would have to up the amount of food igoing nto the tank and as a result do larger  and/or more frequent water changes to compensate for that.  I usually keep my grow out tanks at 80.