Unknown gar

[SinisterKisses]

I was in my LFS the other day, and they had two small baby gars (about 3" each), and I can't for the life of me remember what they were called. I'm pretty sure it started with an 'R'...does anyone have any ideas? It might not have been their proper name, who knows with LFS, but I'm hoping someone might know. Thanks.

[guppy]

There are only 7 species of true gars, none of them have scientific names or even common names (unless you speak Finnish) that start with R.

[SinisterKisses]

Yeah, I figured it would be a case of 'LFS creativity'. I'll have to go back and see what they're calling them I guess, then figure out what they really are.

[guppy]

LOL

[SinisterKisses]

K, went back to the store again...they only have one left now. But they're calling it a Razor gar...what the hell is that?

[beblondie]

Heres the true gars scientific names
Gars
Atractosteus spatula- alligator gar 6-10 '
Atractosteus tropicus- tropical gar 4'
Atractosteus tristoechus- cuban gar 6'
Lepisosteus osseus- longnose gar 6'
Lepisosteus platostomus- shortnose gar 2 1/2'-
Lepisosteus oculatus- spotted gar 4'
Lepisosteus platyrhincus- florida gar 4'
hybrid gars
Lepisosteus platostomus x Atractosteus spatula- Crocodile gar type I
Lepisosteus platyrhincus or oculatus x Atractosteus spatula-Crocidile gar type 2

Guppy''There are only 7 species of true gars, none of them have scientific names or even common names (unless you speak Finnish) that start with R.''
Its latin actually

Whats a razor gar? who the hell knows but I bet its not a true gar-Anne

[SinisterKisses]

It looked pretty gar-ish to me...what's a 'false' gar?

[Pangong_ilong]

Any pix?

[cuban jey]

is this it, pike characin

[Pangong_ilong]

Probably. it's an alligator gar, that's why they called it razor gar. Or i could be wrong.

[SinisterKisses]

Kinda looked like that, I guess...I didn't take a really good look at it. It was about 3" long, so very tiny still, but it looked solid grey, I don't think it had spots.

[FlammingWoodChuck]

Are there any gars with the common name "marble gar" or "silver GAr" the marble gar was black and white and the silver gar was silver with a yellow tail. both around 3inch. I was tempted to buy but wana make sure that they are true gars

[SinisterKisses]

Hello, hijacker, get your own thread :P

[beblondie]

marbled gar-(Boulengerella maculata) this is the closest looking to a true gar
silver gar -Xenentodon cancila
needle nose gar-Xenocara dolichopterus

Above are commonly refferd to as gars but are not true gars it seems any long nose skinny fish that remotely resembles a true gars body shape can and will be reffered to as a ''gar''-Anne

Below are listed the ONLY true gar species
Gars
Atractosteus spatula- alligator gar 6-10 '
Atractosteus tropicus- tropical gar 4'
Atractosteus tristoechus- cuban gar 6'
Lepisosteus osseus- longnose gar 6'
Lepisosteus platostomus- shortnose gar 2 1/2'-
Lepisosteus oculatus- spotted gar 4'
Lepisosteus platyrhincus- florida gar 4'
hybrid gars
Lepisosteus platostomus x Atractosteus spatula- Crocodile gar type I
Lepisosteus platyrhincus or oculatus x Atractosteus spatula-Crocidile gar type 2

Also note there are no true gar species native to Asia or South America.True gars
distributation is limited to North America,Central America and yes Cuba.Alos note there are none under 24'' adult and the smallest adult species needs a tank at least 30-36 inches wide,Due to their scalation(gars do not bend very well)-Anne

[rumblesushi]

if it was silvery/grey I bet it's a hujeta, they always call these "rocket gars".

[beblondie]

rocket gar-Ctenolucius'' hujeta Gar'' characin (Ctenolucius hujeta)

[SinisterKisses]

That looks like it...so I could keep one of those without having to get a huge aquarium like I'd have to for a true gar? Anyone know anything about behavior, feeding, tankmates, etc?

[clare]

Hujeta gars will only grow to about 10" in the aquarium,regardless of anything you may read.They do best in small groups,3 would be minimum,they arent particularly aggresive only feeding on things like whitebait when fully grown.Try this link for more info and pics http://fish.mongabay.com/ctenoluciidae.htm

[stotty]

I have mentioned this before on other threads but some of the names these fish shops come up with are amassing the amount of stupid names for snakeheads is truly mind-bending my mate owns a fish shop and the amount of times we have ordered snakeheads in because it has a new name when it comes in it nothing interesting at all the wholesalers are just as bad

[stotty]

I have a hujeta in my tank will try and get a photo had it for ages smallest thing in the tank don't know how it hasn't been eaten nice fish

[stotty]

there you go took the photos with my phone so not GR8 but gives you an idea

[rumblesushi]

:D

[SinisterKisses]

Hmm...that's awesome. Maybe I'll have to pick up that last one...I'd love to have a gar, but I'm not ever planning on having a proper sized tank for a true gar. But these guys look kinda like gars, and stay small. Perfect. Thanks all :)