Needle Fish (gar) In South American Tank?

[vinny]

I may have messed up! For some unknown reason I bought a needel gar and put him in my South American tank. You could not have told me they where Asian and needed some salt in the water. Can these fish live without salt? The tank is 90 gallons and is home to a Sorubim Lima, Jack D., Fire M., Pictus, Pleco, Short bodyed cat, and a Banjo cat, Oh and a slightly battered Giant Danio (Shovel nose indused).

Thanks
vinny

 

[WILDER]

You might wan't to put this in the appropriate section of the forum, so you will get more help, I no nothing of these fish so can't help you, ask a mod to move it for you, there names are in blue at the bottom of the forum good luck.

 

[rdd1952]

I'm no expert on them either but I do know that gar are very common in the southeast USA. They live in all rivers so I don't know that salt would be a factor but as I said, I'm not sure about the type you have.

 

[WILDER]

http/www.fishdeals.com/characins/garpike/#links

 

[CFC]

Oh the confusion

Needle nose gar or Xenentodon cancila as they should be known are not true gars at all and are actually members of the Belonidae family known as needle fishes which is made up of cheifly marine species.
That they need salt in the water is a myth that has sprung from exporters adding salt to the water when transporting these fish to lessen stress and help prevent fungus which these fish are quite prone to. Once acclimatised to their new tank they should be kept in soft to moderately hard freshwater with a neutral pH.

That they dont come from South America shouldnt matter, neither do your firemouth, Jack Dempsy or giant danio and i dont know what a short bodied cat is but that may not be S.American either.

 

[vinny]

Thanks for all the info!


Vinny

 

[vinny]

I thought the Fire mouth came from South America. If it does'nt then there are a lot of incorrect literature out there. I guess I should have labled it as a Central and South American Tank.

Thanks
Vinny

 

[CFC]

Wild populations of Thorichthys meeki are found in slow moving rivers of Mexico, Guatemala and Yucatan which firmly makes them a Central American species.

 

[vinny]

Do you think a 90 gallon tank can support the fish I have listed plus another Shovel nose and one more needle fish? I have read that both these fish are best kept in pairs or in threes. The list is as follows: Pictus(3.5"), Pleco(4''), Giant Danio(2''), Jack D.(4''), Fire M.(2''), Banjo cat(3.5''), Short bodied cat(1.5'' looks like a cory but supposedly is not and will be removed), and of course a 7.5'' sorubim Lima and needle gar that is about 6''


Thanks
Vinny

 

[CFC]

I wouldnt recomend a pair of needle fish, like most schooling fish when kept in pair or smaller groups one fish tends to pick on the others and with just a pair this usually results in the weaker fish being killed, the minimum number would have to be 3 but since the upper layers of your tank are fairly empty then this or even 5 should be fine.
There also shouldnt be a problem adding a second Sorubim, they like the company of their own kind and are fairly non aggressive, i would however recomend removing the banjo cat which A) Will have trouble competing for food with the Cichlids and pictus and B) Will be in danger of being eaten by the shovel nose/s once they are bigger.

 

[nmonks]

Hi CFC,

Technically, it's the American gars that aren't gars! The Belonidae (of which, as you say, the needlefish is one) were and are called gars or garfish by Europeans.

'Gar' was originally an Anglo-Saxon/German word meaning a spear, hence 'garfish' was a spear-like fish. The name went across with the European settlers, and was then applied to the Lepisosteidae. I prefer to call the Lepisosteidae 'garpike' as opposed to the original 'gars', the Belonidae.

Unfortunately, as you say, other fish are called gars, including some of the larger marine halfbeaks as well as characins.

Cheers,

Neale

Needle nose gar or Xenentodon cancila as they should be known are not true gars at all and are actually members of the Belonidae family known as needle fishes which is made up of cheifly marine species.