View Full Version : how do i get my gar off of feeders only diet?
haywood
10-13-2005, 10:04 PM
hey guys, i currently have an 8" florida gar in a 55 gallon, along w/a 6-7" peacock bass. i know the tank is too small for them, they will be getting a bigger one. currently i have no water problems, ph 7.4, ammonia 0, nitrites 0. the tank has a gravel bottom, a few rocks and a few live plants, maybe ill try and get some pics up. but anyway to the question, how in the world do u get a gar to eat pellets? i cant even get the peacock bass to eat them, he still is kinda shy and ive had him for over a month. any suggestions? thanks in advance, love this site
Vitaliy
10-13-2005, 10:13 PM
As far as I know, starvation is the only way. Just feed them pellets, if they refuse to eat them.. take them out. Do not give feeders, both fish should go a week without food no problem so do not worry about them starving to death. Eventually they will have to give in and eat whatever is there.
Vitaliy
10-13-2005, 10:14 PM
Also note this..
http://my.core.com/~garman/pix/florida%20spotted%20gar%20sm.jpg
redtailfool
10-13-2005, 10:51 PM
what do you feed your gar? try marinading the pellets with juice of whatever it is
youre feeding it right now. see if that works. if not, dont feed for 2 days or longer and try again. It will break down eventually. Patience is required. :)
shovelnose
10-14-2005, 1:04 AM
I got my florida gar to eat hikari food sticks pretty easily but that's the only pellet it'll eat i started w/ feeders then moved to frozen crickets and then to the pellets in a few weeks feeding once a day.
wism_chan
10-14-2005, 1:16 AM
You may need to starve the fish for few days.....
then try to feed.....
it's pretty difficult to change the gar diet to pellet....
A trick I have used with hujetas is to let them get hungry and then feed a few crickets and a few floating pellets, repeat until they get used to eating pellets.
cuban jey
10-14-2005, 3:24 AM
try krill it works wonders
Usually starving the fish would work.
peanut
10-14-2005, 3:42 AM
the only way is to stop feeding it for a while dont worry they can go a few weeks without food if there really hungery they will eat dry food hope this helps
boredcpl
10-14-2005, 3:47 AM
mine eats pellets. just starve him. they will eat anything before they lay down and die..
wism_chan
10-14-2005, 12:01 PM
Everyone is absolutely right. Every single Florida gar that I've pulled out of the water eventually ate prepared foods, or frozen. The one I caught for Katfishguy (the thing's a monster now) I think wouldn't eat for a month, and now you need to watch your fingers!
Must be scary.....
a hungry gar....preying for your finger...... :D
Meniscus
10-14-2005, 12:08 PM
Starvation will always work. If there is some type of food in the water the fish will eat rather than just up and die. It's all about willpower. Man vs. fish.
I had a spotted gar once. Tried to feed it small slices of market prawn but it refused to take it. Eventually it jumped out and died 3 weeks after i got it.
:( Sometimes the fish wins.
boredcpl
10-14-2005, 6:27 PM
I had a spotted gar once. Tried to feed it small slices of market prawn but it refused to take it. Eventually it jumped out and died 3 weeks after i got it.
:( Sometimes the fish wins.
my gar has jumped out 3 times so i covered the holes in the top.. havent had a problem since.. at night i can hear fish in the tank thrashing around and hear water hit the stand and floor but they cant get out of the 1 inch openings.
IoStrisciare
10-14-2005, 9:43 PM
to help along withe the conversion, u may like to try a trace element from DENNERLE called S7... very good for stimulating appetites in fish.
YOU MAY FELL BAD BUT YOU MUST STARVE THEM!(not to long though..) they may except arrowanna sticks?, flotting pellets?,flake foods . gars are top water fish so really any thing that flotes or catches its attention quick enough. if you want to still feed live cuz its amuses you to see the food chain at work go to your local walmart or bait shop and ask for NITECRAWLERS EARTHWORMS MINNOWS .. even better if you can aford the mean raise your own feeder's 20gal long will work nicely the real moeny is spent on the filtration system!.. but anyway have pations it will be slow but still possible to break it of the gold fish...
THE MOST COMMON WAY IS TO UNFORTUNETLY STARVE THE FISH !. AT THIS POIT THE FISH WILL BECOME RAVINOUS SNAPING AT ANY THING IN SITE ! . WITH A LITTLE LUCK HE WILL EXCEPT THE OFFERING . IT WILL'NT HAPPEN OVER NITE THOUGH SO BE PATIONT . IF YOU ARE INTERESTED GO TO YOUR LOCAL BAIT SHOP OR WALMART AND PURCHASE SOME EARTHWORM'S OR NITECRAWLER'S (worms can be gut loaded with corn meal!!) thing what corn does for cow's now thing fish !!!!!.. also try arrowana sticks / floating pellets even! don't beafraid to experiment
:thumbsup: RAISE YOUR BLOODY OWN FEEDERZ MATE!!!!! LOL ITS A THOUGHT TO ALL SERIOUS FISH KEEPERS!!
Float
10-15-2005, 11:39 PM
Starvation is the only way to do it.
aquaholic
10-16-2005, 2:14 PM
just as cuban jey said krill works wonders i recomend freeze dried
peanut
10-18-2005, 11:46 AM
i would stave them for a couple of weeks they should then feed if hungery enough
IoStrisciare
10-18-2005, 11:49 AM
i managed to get my cuban to associate anything tt drops in the water beside his mouth as food :ROFL: