Multiple Predator Fishes In A Tank

[jangjang]

Hi everyone.. 
 
I am new with fishes and starting to get serious in this predator fish thing..
 
I bought some Predator fishes yesterday, planning to combine it with my Bigger Alligator Gar..
 
I Bought: (They are all around the same size, except the Albino Bichir)
- 1 Spatula Gar
- 2 Alligator Gar
- 2 Armored Bichir
- 1 Iridescent shark
- 1 Albino Iridescent shark
- 2 Albino Bichir (around half of the Spatula's size and Spatula was chasing it, trying to eat em, I think)
 
I tried putting one Iridescent shark yesterday (Not a shark, more like a catfish.. Just the name), in the morning I found it already injured (fins, etc gone. still alive and swimming well though) now I moved it to the pond with my turtle and other feeder fishes.. Seems that the Big Gar is trying to eat it..
 
Today I mixed the The Big Alligator Gar with the Smaller Alligator Gar.. The big one was chasing the small one around, idk if its trying to eat it or just a friendly gesture (like dogs sniffing one another).. After a while I think the big one "Attacked" the small one, maybe.. Not injury at all I think but I did saw some aggressive movements there..
 
The fish seller told me that mixing the same species is fine, especially with the Alligator Gar since it isn't as aggressive as the other Gar..
 
Rough Size Comparison of the Gars in the attached pic.. 
 
Please help me.. Thanks ><
 
 
Note: I dont know some of the fishes name until I searched the net today, so I am not a pro with this stuff at all..

 

[Chad]

The alligator gar is not a fish to be kept in a home aquarium.
 
The biggest alligator gar on record was 9' 6" long and weighted 365 pounds. They grow quickly.

 
Other fish are food for them.
 
So the only suggestion I can give is to return the fish to where you got it. Of course do not release it into the wild unless that's where it came from.

 

[Ch4rlie]

All these fish you have listed all grow pretty big and require a large tank.
 
You do not really mention what size of tank you have. 

 
tcamos has made an excellent posts about Alligator Gars for the unwary, not for the faint hearted and most home aquariums (if any!) are far from suitable for these.
http/www.seriouslyfish.com/species/atractosteus-spatula/
 
Iridescent Shark - http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/136530-iridescent-shark/
 
Armoured Bichir - http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/34710-armoured-bichir/
 
Senegal Bichir (sometimes called Cuvier) - http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/34889-senegal-bichir/
 
All the above links should help you with research for these species of fish. Hope that helps you a bit for more information.

 

[jangjang]

Thanks for all the replies.. 
 
The Big Gar that I have, I have had it for a few years now.. If it gets any bigger, I can move it to the pond but for now the aquarium seems ok..
 
I bought them from a local fish seller (incld. the smaller ones).. I am from Indonesia and pretty sure they wont take it back..
The fish seller in Indonesia, mostly are those shop stalls on the side of a street, not a proper shops (the shops are overpriced, so people only go there for bigger pets)..
 
So with the picture I attached above,
1. Is it impossible to add the smaller Gar together with the Big one (Even though they are exactly the same type of Gar)? Will it get eaten?
2. The Spatula Gar, it seems to prey on my Albino Bichirs when I mix them together.. but the other predators (even the Alligator Gar) leaves them alone. So is Spatula more aggressive than the Alligator Gar?
3. If I release it in the wild, what might happen? Worst case maybe it will grow big and will be in the news one day.. maybe..
 
Thanks..
 
Note: I cant return the fish to the habitat.. When it gets too big, probably I can donate it to Sea World =P
 
Edit: My new fishes are still pretty small.. I will post pic tomorrow when its bright, so it shouldn't be a problem for a long while..

 

[CSnyder00]

DON'T RELEASE ANYTHING INTO THE WILD! This is how invasive species causing major issues to ecosystems. Contact the place you bought them and ask if they will take them back for store credit. You are going to have to rethink your stocking seriously.

 

[jangjang]

Don't worry, I am not thinking/planning to do that.. Just wondering what will happen if someone do so..

 

[Chad]

Just wondering what will happen if someone do so..

It can (and has when done) destroy entire ecosystems upsetting the balance that had once existed in them in favor of the newly introduced animal which has far reaching effects on multiple species within that system. So...bad stuff. Several places around the world are battling against fish, snails, rodents, snakes, crayfish and other animals introduced into foreign ecosystems. It's a real issue that we in the hobby teach others to avoid so that the hobby doesn't get a bad name.

 

[CSnyder00]

Yes. Silver Carp, Northern Pike, Oscars, Snakeheads, Goldfish, and a long list of others all have caused problems from aquarists or "biologists" dumping fish unlawfully into random bodies of water.

 

[jangjang]

Ic.. I wont do that.. 
 
Back to my prev question:
1. Is it impossible to add the smaller Gar together with the Big one (Even though they are exactly the same type of Gar)? Will it get eaten?
2. The Spatula Gar, it seems to prey on my Albino Bichirs when I mix them together.. but the other predators (even the Alligator Gar) leaves them alone. So is Spatula more aggressive than the Alligator Gar?
 
I have put them in 3 separate aquariums btw.. The 2 Albino in a small one, the Big Gar in one Aquarium and the other new small predators in the other Aquarium..

 

[jangjang]

Yes. Silver Carp, Northern Pike, Oscars, Snakeheads, Goldfish, and a long list of others all have caused problems from aquarists or "biologists" dumping fish unlawfully into random bodies of water.

 
Goldfish too? How come? 

 

[Chad]

I thought the spatula and the alligator were the same species... Atractosterus spatula... (http/www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/wild/species/alg/)

 

[Doomchibi]

What size tank are you trying to add the fish to? It could be that your current fish is getting territorial due to lack of space.. I can't really tell from the picture how many gallons it is. 

 

[CSnyder00]

Goldfish are carp that breed like crazy. They will overtake a pond/lake given the chance very quickly. They are like bluegill only non-native.

 

[jangjang]

Hi, I am back..
 
I dont know the size of the aquarium, I cant find any info around the tank.. but I have the picture of the tank and some stuff around it. You can roughly guess the size from the pic..
 
As mentioned before, I have 3 tanks:
1. The Aquarium where all the small predators dwell (You can see the Spatula Gar around Top Left of the tank): http/imgur.com/54lXrNk,7V2o7n8#0
 
2. The other Big Gar is in the other tank, around the same size of that tank.. Only That Gar, One random fish (big enough to not be Gar's enemy), a little transparent prawn and many small feeder fishes.
 
3. And another small tank (Two very small Albino Bichir, One injured Iridescent shark (safest in this tank, so I put it there) and many small feeder fishes)
 
 
I also want to make sure, the thing in the red net isnt the K1 stuff right? http/imgur.com/54lXrNk,7V2o7n8#1
After I took the 1st picture above, I tried making this Aquarium Skimmer thing (http/www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlM3Dbgf10I)..
It worked but will probably change it back next time.. It was only an experiment..
 
And should I fill the water from that 1st aquarium to the top.. If you check pic, you can see that the water isn't maxed to the top..
 
Sorry for having so many questions.. I recently became quite obsessed with fishes.. lol.. and Thanks =)

 

[jangjang]

Anyone?