Florida Gar

[Fate2006]

Hey all! I was wondering if anyone whos got experience with florida gars could give me a hand... My LFS (big als) had a florida gar for $30, it was about 6-7" I was wondering, just how big do they get? and is it normal for them to be sitting on the bottom of a tank? this gar just sat on the bottom of the tank and didn't move for a while, then he'd get up a bit swim like 3" and rest again... I found that strange and I told the people there I think your gars sick, and they told me it's in perfect health... Is this normal? Apparently it was a trade in they got a day prior to my visit so it may just be frightened of it's new habitat?

 

[andywg]

If it truly is the florida gar (Lepisosteus platyrhincus) then fishabse says a maximum of 132cm and around 9.5 kg.

However, I understand the young of these are often confused with the alligator gar (Atractosteus spatula) which grows to 305cm and 137 kg.

 

[Fate2006]

Nah I've seen true florida gars and that's what this was... But is it normal for them to hang out on the bottom of a new tank for a couple of days? They said it's been sitting on the bottom because it's a new enviorment and they told me it's in perfect health... I don't think that's right though, aren't florida gars usually top dwelers? or atleast mid level in the tank?

 

[nmonks]

If the thing is swimming about close to the bottom, that's probably okay. But if it's sitting on the bottom, then leave it alone. Yes, they normally swim at or near the surface, but if there isn't much cover and the fish is feeling exposed, then it may well swim at a lower level. While Florida gar can get quite big in the wild, in home aquaria they don't get much over 60 cm in length. A 200 gallon tank will make fine home for a couple (they seem to like company). They are lovely, peaceful fishes. Will eat anything, from cichlid pellets to strips of squid and fish. Don't need live foods.

Cheers, Neale

 

[Fate2006]

If the thing is swimming about close to the bottom, that's probably okay. But if it's sitting on the bottom, then leave it alone. Yes, they normally swim at or near the surface, but if there isn't much cover and the fish is feeling exposed, then it may well swim at a lower level. While Florida gar can get quite big in the wild, in home aquaria they don't get much over 60 cm in length. A 200 gallon tank will make fine home for a couple (they seem to like company). They are lovely, peaceful fishes. Will eat anything, from cichlid pellets to strips of squid and fish. Don't need live foods.

Cheers, Neale

Very good to know... ya the tank they had it in was basically bare except for 1 big fake plant attached to a rock in the middle... the gar was sitting on the bottom of the tank, but was swimming every once and a while... would a 110gallon tank be fine as a grow out tank for it for the time being? I hate to see such a beautiful fish suffer in a baren tank when I could bring it home for only $30...

 

[nmonks]

I'd say yes, 110 gallons would be fine as a temporary tank, but there are two cautions. One, while they aren't fast growing fish, they will grow faster than you'd like, and you should be prepared to either buy another tank or find a way to re-home him if needs be. Two, they aren't "bendy", and the width of the aquarium needs to be at least twice the length of the aquarium. It's difficult to describe how they move, but the thing I always think of is the way a Mack truck reverses around corners... slowly, and a bit at a time. Gar are like that. They only have two articulations, one at the head, and another partway down the body. So instead of bending like other fishes into curves, they sort of "hinge" at two points. Anyway, in a narrow aquarium they find it difficult to move about and get freaked.

I kept mine in a 200 gallon tank with various Central American cichlids and a channel catfish, and it was one of the loveliest tanks I've ever had. Gar are truly adorable fish, and well worth keeping. If you have trouble getting one to eat, I found oily fish (like mackerel and salmon) worked wonders... but you'll need to do a BIG water change afterwards!

Cheers, Neale

Very good to know... ya the tank they had it in was basically bare except for 1 big fake plant attached to a rock in the middle... the gar was sitting on the bottom of the tank, but was swimming every once and a while... would a 110gallon tank be fine as a grow out tank for it for the time being? I hate to see such a beautiful fish suffer in a baren tank when I could bring it home for only $30...

 

[Fate2006]

ahh I see... well then I don't think I'll purchase him seeing as my aquarium is only like 20" wide... I'd feel bad for him having to turn and no worries about the growth rate of him though I've got a silver arowana and he just won't stop growing I got him about a month ago around 4" and he's already about 6.5-7"

 

[cane76]

as neale said says its perfectly normal for gars to rest on the bottom of the tank mine does it all the time.
ive got my gar growing out in a 120usg,and since your gonna get a upgrade for the silver anyway id get the gar.
your silver will grow much faster than the gar,so i reckon your silver will need a upgrade before the gar outgrows the 110 anyway.
they are great fish

 

[Fate2006]

but will the gar be alright for like 2 more weeks while my 110 finishes the cycle??? if not and I wait it may be gone, or hell it may even be gone by now!

 

[F.O.H]

go on www.google.com/images and write in florida gar and look how big they get.

 

[Fate2006]

we went over that, they get big...

 

[nmonks]

But they don't get as big in aquaria as they do in the wild (and not all fish in the wild reach maximum size for the species, either). As far as I can confirm, the following species are viable in home aquaria:

• Lepisosteus oculatus, fresh and brackish water, maximum length ~100 cm (~60 cm in home aquaria)
• Lepisosteus platostomus, fresh and brackish water, maximum length ~90 cm (~60 cm in home aquaria)
• Lepisosteus platyrhincus, fresh water, maximum length ~130 cm (~60 cm in home aquaria)

The problem for the aquarist is that not all retailer use Latin names (or the right Latin name) and there are also hybrids that are difficult to recognise and unpredictable in terms of maximum size.

Cheers, Neale

we went over that, they get big...

 

[Fate2006]

thank you neale I decide I'm not going to buy it... (the LFS sold it already )