Do Needle Nose Gars Need A Planted Aquarium?

[NormaJean]

I plan to purchase a needle nose gar (freshwater garfish, Xenentodon cancila (not a true gar)) for my 130 gallon tank. I read that these fish should have a planted aquarium, but I have a destructive oscar so he doesn't really allow me to have live plants. I do plan to get a few large floating plants, but other then that I can't have anything else. So my question is to needle nose gars absolutely need a planted aquarium or would they be fine without them?

 

[Shovelman]

I plan to purchase a needle nose gar (freshwater garfish, Xenentodon cancila (not a true gar)) for my 130 gallon tank. I read that these fish should have a planted aquarium, but I have a destructive oscar so he doesn't really allow me to have live plants. I do plan to get a few large floating plants, but other then that I can't have anything else. So my question is to needle nose gars absolutely need a planted aquarium or would they be fine without them?

i have no idea about the gars....i just noticed your name and couldn't help but see if you are in fact referencing the band or just picked the name at random...love that band...haha if not sorry, it was coincidental...

 

[NormaJean]

I plan to purchase a needle nose gar (freshwater garfish, Xenentodon cancila (not a true gar)) for my 130 gallon tank. I read that these fish should have a planted aquarium, but I have a destructive oscar so he doesn't really allow me to have live plants. I do plan to get a few large floating plants, but other then that I can't have anything else. So my question is to needle nose gars absolutely need a planted aquarium or would they be fine without them?

i have no idea about the gars....i just noticed your name and couldn't help but see if you are in fact referencing the band or just picked the name at random...love that band...haha if not sorry, it was coincidental...

Yes, I am referring to the band. I love them.

 

[Shovelman]

I plan to purchase a needle nose gar (freshwater garfish, Xenentodon cancila (not a true gar)) for my 130 gallon tank. I read that these fish should have a planted aquarium, but I have a destructive oscar so he doesn't really allow me to have live plants. I do plan to get a few large floating plants, but other then that I can't have anything else. So my question is to needle nose gars absolutely need a planted aquarium or would they be fine without them?

i have no idea about the gars....i just noticed your name and couldn't help but see if you are in fact referencing the band or just picked the name at random...love that band...haha if not sorry, it was coincidental...

Yes, I am referring to the band. I love them.

Love them as well, just amazing.

 

[alex1319]

They dont need a planted aquarium but they would prefer a little bit of plants just incase they get freaked out. When mine gets freaked out it goes behind my filter tube. But gars do prefer some-what of an open area to swim and look around to find any fish to prey on!

 

[thereverendturtle]

Working at a fish I saw more than one Oscar try to eat needle nose gars. It never ended well for the gars. So keep an eye on them.

 

[prankster705]

Yes, they need plants. No, they will not work with an oscar in the tank.