Temperatures and compatability

Slippery

Gambusia
MFK Member
Jan 16, 2009
206
0
16
England
Hello everyone
Right, first question on the forum.
I have just ordered a spotted gar at 6 inches and i am told it will go to about 12 inches in a 5ft (100 GB Gallon) tank.
At the moment I have 3 Soribum Lima’s at around 5 inches. An armoured cat at 6 inches (will get to about 9)
Will these sizes be OK?
Will their growth weight increase about the same?
But are they compatible?
One reason I ask is the temperature at which they flourish in. I have heard of nothing more than 72F for the gar but this will be too cold for the Lima?
The other point is that how low in temperature can the Gar go, reason being I have a unused tank in the garage that could grow them on but at its lowest it could be 40F in the Winter.
So many enquiries but I want to get it right here.
Many thanks
 

Mystus Redtail

Fire Eel
MFK Member
Jun 8, 2007
2,154
3
68
Fishing in Wisconsin
First of all, it will grow bigger than 12" if it is in fact a spotted gar and not a "false gar". 72 should be ok, but I keep my florida/spotteds up around 78 with no problem.
 

cambo01

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jan 21, 2008
569
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chesterfield uk
at the min all other tankmates will be fine with the gar but they get ALOT bigger than 12"
 

cambo01

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jan 21, 2008
569
1
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40
chesterfield uk
florida_gar_kaseyFL.jpg

lol the first pic on google images

will hit 24" (2 feet)

in captivity
 

xander

Manjuari
MFK Member
Sep 6, 2007
8,535
57
555
Singapore
Slippery;2652670; said:
Hello everyone
Right, first question on the forum.
I have just ordered a spotted gar at 6 inches and i am told it will go to about 12 inches in a 5ft (100 GB Gallon) tank.
can we get a pic of the fish? a max size 12" "gar" is more likely a pike characin...however, assuming it is a true gar..a typical captive spotted/florida gar gets up to 20+inches fully grown, and requires a tank width of imo minumum 2.5ft when fully grown. growth rates are somewhat like this, ime, you can expect a size of 14"-17" by the end of their first year, with a growth rate of about 1-2inches per month. i can only assume that they can get anywhere from 17"-20+" in the next few years.

At the moment I have 3 Soribum Lima’s at around 5 inches. An armoured cat at 6 inches (will get to about 9)
Will these sizes be OK?
Will their growth weight increase about the same?
But are they compatible?
i dont know much about catfishes, but i'm pretty sure the armored cats get much larger than 9". however, i do know that overall, catfishes are bad tankmates for gar, and if you are serious about keeping gar, then you'd start looking for a new home for the cats.


One reason I ask is the temperature at which they flourish in. I have heard of nothing more than 72F for the gar but this will be too cold for the Lima?
The other point is that how low in temperature can the Gar go, reason being I have a unused tank in the garage that could grow them on but at its lowest it could be 40F in the Winter.
So many enquiries but I want to get it right here.
i doubt they can go as low as that, but im not too sure. get a heater to ensure they survive the winter.
Many thanks
hey, my answers to your questions, are above in green. but first, a few points of my own. you should have actually did research before ordering the gar. but then again everyone(including myself) makes that mistake. so i guess you are somewhat better off by at least researching before it arrives.
 

cambo01

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jan 21, 2008
569
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Slippery;2652745; said:
Its a lepistosues ocuolatus (florida spotted) that i have ordered.
yeh i have one mate they are fantastic fish, mine is only 8 1/2" but have seen some 18-20" for sale near me they look so menesing as adults

where abouts in the uk you from?
 

xander

Manjuari
MFK Member
Sep 6, 2007
8,535
57
555
Singapore
Slippery;2652745; said:
Its a lepistosues ocuolatus (florida spotted) that i have ordered.
lepisosteus oculatus--spotted gar
lepisosteus plathyrinchus--florida gar
 
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