View Full Version : Finally....a pair of Spotted Gar
zaric
03-09-2007, 10:09 PM
Hi guys, I finally got myself a pair of spotted gars. They are 16" & 18"...
carolinafishkeeper
03-09-2007, 10:14 PM
:popcorn:
Sarcosuchus
03-10-2007, 3:12 AM
How do you know that's a pair of Spotted Gars but not Florida Gars? Beautiful indeed.
Steve_89
03-10-2007, 3:32 AM
Beautiful.
I am also on the lookout for these guys.
How do you know that's a pair of Spotted Gars but not Florida Gars? Beautiful indeed.
Haha..... to be frank, I don't even know how to differentiate between the two:D thought they're beautiful and the size is good for my comm too...
Thanks for the commend:)
Beautiful.
I am also on the lookout for these guys.
Thanks:)
You will definitely find a couple of beauties in no time;)
Miguel
03-10-2007, 4:23 AM
beautifull! I envy you!
Sarcosuchus
03-10-2007, 9:13 AM
Haha..... to be frank, I don't even know how to differentiate between the two:D thought they're beautiful and the size is good for my comm too...
Thanks for the commend:)
Lol no problem. I would say these are Florida Gars and they sure are beautiful, you can take more pictures though. I have a Florida Gar, will make an update soon!
Have fun!:headbang2 And don't they have awesome teeth?! I don't think Spotted Gars have teeth like the Floridas, I could be wrong..from the pictures I browsed, Florida Gars have so many needle like teeth that will grow in size as they age.
AVALover5498
03-10-2007, 11:11 AM
Very nice! FTS?
-Chris-
ethnics
03-10-2007, 11:38 AM
look like spotted gars to me, floridas have different patterns n color. i have a pair of spotted's n they look 100% identical to yours. awesome pick up dude! they look great
nice pick up. have always wanted a gar.
Thanks all for the interest :)
I though all gars have needle like teeth:confused: Pardon me if I'm wrong...
whether florida or spotted... I just love them:D
Hopefully some bro here could post some pic to show the difference
demjor19
03-10-2007, 7:21 PM
There are very few physical differences between the two. Florida's are more common in the pet trade though.
There are very few physical differences between the two. Florida's are more common in the pet trade though.
Agreed.... if mine confirm to be florida, then I would say the florida gar which you post in the other thread is the best so far:thumbsup:
1ra8der
03-10-2007, 9:28 PM
:headbang2 :naughty: SWEET GAR'S I REALLY LIKE THEM....:naughty: :headbang2
:drool:
Awesome! Nice pick up.
Sarcosuchus
03-10-2007, 10:32 PM
Thanks all for the interest :)
I though all gars have needle like teeth:confused: Pardon me if I'm wrong...
whether florida or spotted... I just love them:D
Hopefully some bro here could post some pic to show the difference
They all have needle like teeth of course. I just felt from the pictures I browsed, Florida Gars seem to have so much and are visible even with their jaws closed especially at adult stage...and like I said I could be wrong.
I see Polypterus here, he can help you. But I really feel yours are Florida Gars. For an easy check, look at the skin between the lower jaw of your Gars, if the skin is scaled..then it's a definite Spotted Gar, however if it's just plain skin, then it's a definite Florida Gar.
They all have needle like teeth of course. I just felt from the pictures I browsed, Florida Gars seem to have so much and are visible even with their jaws closed especially at adult stage...and like I said I could be wrong.
I see Polypterus here, he can help you. But I really feel yours are Florida Gars. For an easy check, look at the skin between the lower jaw of your Gars, if the skin is scaled..then it's a definite Spotted Gar, however if it's just plain skin, then it's a definite Florida Gar.
Thanks bro, I went to check on the fish again, i confirm those are Florida Gars base on your description:)
Glad to learn something new today:thumbsup:
I also have a pair of Florida's. They look just like yours. You have a great pair. Sounds like a real smooth line you use on women.
demjor19
03-11-2007, 9:25 AM
They all have needle like teeth of course. I just felt from the pictures I browsed, Florida Gars seem to have so much and are visible even with their jaws closed especially at adult stage...and like I said I could be wrong.
I see Polypterus here, he can help you. But I really feel yours are Florida Gars. For an easy check, look at the skin between the lower jaw of your Gars, if the skin is scaled..then it's a definite Spotted Gar, however if it's just plain skin, then it's a definite Florida Gar.
I've never heard that and as far as I know there are no physical differences. More than likely they are Floridas though.
Sarcosuchus
03-11-2007, 11:35 AM
I've never heard that and as far as I know there are no physical differences. More than likely they are Floridas though.
They are physical differences. And this one I read on several articles on Spotted Gars, to differentiate it from others, Spotted Gars have scaled throat. The articles on Gar fish can't be bull**** can they? Perhaps...but that's what I read on more than a single article, while Florida Gar's throat is plain skin, Spotted Gar's is still with scales. I am yet to see a Spotted Gar and to check it for myself though. Perhaps those who have it can clear this up.
Sarcosuchus
03-11-2007, 11:46 AM
Hmm, this picture is said to be a picture of the Spotted Gar. We don't see any ganoid scaled throat do we?:irked:
*Speaks in Darth Vader's voice*..Articles, you have failed me..*khhoo*
Polypterus
03-11-2007, 3:53 PM
Zarics fish are Florida given the body proportions..A spotted would be a bit different at the size listed. There are morphologic differences between Spotted and Florida gars that are clearly observable in different age and size classes of fish. Solomon (E_americanus) and I have personally went over at least 50 preserved and 25 live known specimens of both species and documented them down to the millimeter. No where though have I noticed any thing like you are suggesting Sarcho..Hell we could not even find the famed "bony plate on the isthmus" for that matter..If this plate is there it eluded us, so really it is pointless to use as a ID method for hobby use. What does work however is the body proportions of a given fish at a known length. Unfortunately this is not easy to teach someone and there is no easy trick to it.
Zarics fish are Florida given the body proportions..A spotted would be a bit different at the size listed. There are morphologic differences between Spotted and Florida gars that are clearly observable in different age and size classes of fish. Solomon (E_americanus) and I have personally went over at least 50 preserved and 25 live known specimens of both species and documented them down to the millimeter. No where though have I noticed any thing like you are suggesting Sarcho..Hell we could not even find the famed "bony plate on the isthmus" for that matter..If this plate is there it eluded us, so really it is pointless to use as a ID method for hobby use. What does work however is the body proportions of a given fish at a known length. Unfortunately this is not easy to teach someone and there is no easy trick to it.
Haha...... the topic here has become more and more interesting:D
Btw, thanks Polypterus:)
Sarcosuchus
03-12-2007, 3:13 AM
Thanks Polypterus. Sorry Zaric, it looks like those articles are wrong I see...Sometimes I see a Spotted Gar's spots are a typical roundish spots while a Florida's aren't so. The dorsal / top of Florida Gar's body seem to have triple rows of spots while a Spotted Gar's with a double, big typically roundish spots. But all these seem to be individual characteristic than a genuine characteristic of the species. They seem to vary..
Polypterus and E-Americanus or either one of them have said that a Florida GAr's snout appears to be longer than a Spotted Gar's at a younge age, however go the other way around as they mature. Still if I'm not mistaken, they themselves have said it not to be a precise difference...hmm. We need Spotted Gar owners posting pictures, maybe that can do something for us although we know Poly and E-Americanus have done their personal research. But I do feel your Gars are Floridas and they are beautiful.:)
Polypterus
03-12-2007, 3:48 AM
We need Spotted Gar owners posting pictures
Big problem is there seems to be no Spotteds in the hobby right now or they are just not noticed or have been hybridized beyond recognition. Really I have not seen a true spotted at an LFS or posted on a fish board in a few years now. There are one or two that sneak past but it is more often than not that even these fish suspected to be spotteds turn out to be Flordias as updates are available from the owners. As odd as it seems these very abundant fish are just not in circulation. There is no real aquaculture facility that deals with them. There are a few in asia but these fish do not reach our shores in North America with any frequency and those being aquacultured here are pretty much only Longnosed, shortnosed and flordias. Alligators are a very ocassional fish as well. Spotteds..... well they are just not even looked at..