Shortnose gar

[JohnFM]

I bought a Short-nose gar today (Lepisosteus platostomus). Hes in a 4 foot tank, with plenty of vegetation for cover. pH and everything else are fine. Temp is 24oC.
Since I put him in hes been sitting on the bottom of the tank. He doesn't move from one spot, just sits there. Only know he's alive because his gills are moving.

Any ideas whats wrong? Or will he just take a while to acclimatise?

 

[CFC]

How big is the fish at the moment? Gars require tanks much larger than 4 foot, that particular species will grow to a little over 2 feet long so will need a tank at least 6 foot long and 30" wide.
They are also a coldwater fish so 24 degrees is a far too warm for it, between 10 and 18 degrees is more suitable.

 

[JohnFM]

At the moment he is about 6", so the tank is great for him. I will eventually move him into a much larger tank. I got him from a tropical shop, where the water temp was about the same., but if anything mine is colder than theirs was.

 

[ste2k3]

I would drop the temp to about 20C and turn of the lights to de-stress him. could just be aclimatising.

 

[JohnFM]

Next day and he's still sitting on the bottom. Sometimes when I go to check on him hes in a different position, so hes obviously moving around sometimes. I've been wondering that he might be lonely since he's on his own now and was in a tank with other Gars in the shop.
I may buy another one if there's no improvement...

 

[JohnFM]

I walked in on him when he wasn't expecting it and he was swimming around. He kept swimming for a little while, then went back to the bottom. Is this the usual resting place for Gars? I've never seen them stationary before...

 

[CFC]

Is this the usual resting place for Gars? I've never seen them stationary before...

Not in my experience but then again ive never kept any of the true garfish before.
I would expect them to spend the majority of their time at the surface waiting for food.

 

[JohnFM]

Gar is now hanging about at the surface, hiding in the plants. I've tried to tempt him with food, but he just ignores it. I'm sure he'll eat when he gets hungry though...

 

[CFC]

From what i know from keeping needlefish which are similar to gars and from other peoples experiences with keeping true gars it is very difficult to ween them off live fish, since your fish may have not eaten for some weeeks already i would suggest feeding some live fish until it can get its strength back, its not nice but it may prevent your fish from starving to death.

 

[JohnFM]

Hes apparently never eaten live fish in his life. Should be used to the frozen fish, since thats what the shop fed him, but perhaps I'll have to experiment with presentation.

 

[CFC]

Hes apparently never eaten live fish in his life. Should be used to the frozen fish, since thats what the shop fed him

Yes ive heard that one before and i have a frogmouth catfish and have had needle fish; leaf fish and FW baracuda that prove it untrue. In all 4 cases the store employee has said "its been eating bloodworms and frozen fish so you wont have feeding problems" only to have the fish flattly refuse to touch anything i offer them except for live fish (i keep a lot of predatory fish and most do eat frozen and pellet foods). These days i dont buy a fish until ive seen it eat.

Unless you have personally seen the fish eat frozen food then never believe what they tell you, most people wont buy a fish that demands living flesh so they have to say it to sell it. If this fish has never eaten live fish in its life then where did it come from? I doubt it was tank bred and if it came from the wild it would have been taking small live fish from the day its egg sack ran out. Give it a week of trying dead foods but if it hasnt eaten by then then give it something live, predatory fish can go a long time without eating but if they go too long often they become unable to eat and starve to death.

 

[JohnFM]

Gar is nocturnal. Much more active at night and has a very cool, stealthy swimming style. Got him to take a bit of dead fish this morning.

 

[CFC]

Sounds good, prehaps the tank lighting is too bright for him/her, nocturnal behaviour isnt the norm with ambush predators like gars so prehaps a softer light will help, makes growing plants a pain but the fish will be a lot happier.

 

[JohnFM]

Seems to have settled in a bit more now...doesnt always take fish from me when I offer it, but will usually eat it if it is left on the bottom. He usually sits in the plants and hardly moves, although when he does he paddles with his pectoral fins rather than use his tail, and just kind of creeps about. I think if I put a live fish in he would hunt it, but since hes on dead fish he is in scavenge mode.