New spotted!

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Aquaguy

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Oct 7, 2008
150
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0
my house
Hey all,
I just picked up a juvenile Gar about five days ago. He's just north of 4''. The LFS who sold him to me called it a spotted gar and I have found nothing to make me believe he isn't. I paid 21.99$ for the little guy. Id post pics but my pc hasn't been cooperating. For the next few months hes going to remain in his 50 gal until i move to a larger tank.
A couple ???...
I fed him pellets,dehidrated shrimp,as well as dried bloodworms ,but he doesnt seem interested in the bloodworms whatsoever and cant seem to manage to swallow the pellets or shrimp no matter how small the pieces.Any advise?
Also i know it's hard to say without pics, but judging from the price I paid and trusting my limited(at best)knowledge of gar species variation what would you all likely think it to be???
One last Q? how old are gars of his size typically?
 
More than likely a Florida gar. Spotted are extremely rare in the hobby especially when bought at a LFS. The 50 Gal might be a little to big for him atm, try getting smaller pellets and cut the shrimp up smaller so he can eat. If he still cant eat either of the two then load the tank up with guppies and keep them coming then move on to fathead minnows (rosey reds) as he gets bigger but continue to try the pellets and shrimp, keep feeding him as much as he will eat and make sure you follow a good water change routine. Pics will help in the ID by one of the more trained expert eyes on if it really is a spotted or the usual Florida called a spotted gar because it has spots. Gars at that size are a few months old unless they have been underfed. You can also keep the water temp between 75*-80* and you should see some great growth with him. Good luck!
 
If your getting a Juvenile gar right now it is an asian Gator or one of those Funky asian things that are a question on just what they are. They hold pretty true to Platyrhincus but this is questionable as little exists on them.They may be hybrids. It is just not known what they are.

I no longer discuss feeding.. Enough is on here already and no use being redundant.

A fish that size would be about 2 months old roughly.
 
First off thanks to both of you. My water is at about 77 and he's doing well and eating. Assuming he is an asian farmed florida is this any type of disadvantage?
 
Aquaguy;2819567; said:
First off thanks to both of you. My water is at about 77 and he's doing well and eating. Assuming he is an asian farmed florida is this any type of disadvantage?
Click to expand...

i dont see why it would be a "disadvantage".
the only problem i see is that they tend to looks somewhat different from the wild ones.i think.......
plus like many other farmed fishes,some tend to grow slower than average and some faster.
 
Update: WOW. this guy is 8'' long now and is more aggressive than any florida ive ever seen. He bullies my 7'' florida and my Clown knife constantly. Ill see how they all do in the 150 soon.
 
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