Gar Questions

Cyclop3000

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
May 22, 2005
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Quebec, Canada
Hey all. I know a little about some big fishes but not much about Gars, except that I wouls really like to add one to my tank. So here are a few questions for you pro's out there...

1) Can I host a Gar in a 6' tank ? It's not 30" wide, more like 20" wide. 130 gallons...

2) Tank now has south american water conditions, and hosts an adult Jack Dempsey (9"), two juvenile Oscars (5"), a large bichir (9"), and three other mid sized south american fishes (Geophagus, heckelli, etc...all approx 5" to 7"). Would a Gar be ok in there...or should I ask will my other fish be ok in there with a Gar?

3) What is the smallest Gar ?

4) What kind of availability is there for Gars? I live in Canada, can't order from the states won't make it through customs... Anybody know if they are available somewhere in Canada?

5) If the Gar is not a good choice, any other large fish to recommend for this tank? I was thinking also about a shovelnose catfish eventually. What I am looking for is an elongated fish to bring some diversity to the tank (thus the Gar)...

Thanks for your time!

Edited: Sorry add a 6" green terror to the list...and no agression whatsoever in the tank, everybody is mostly peaceful, and really well fed for that purpose...
 

beblondie

In Loving Memory
Mar 31, 2005
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1) Can I host a Gar in a 6' tank ? It's not 30" wide, more like 20" wide. 130 gallons... not a true gar for life

3) What is the smallest Gar ? shortnose gar and they get 24'' so you'd need a minimum of a 30-36'' wide tank.Due to their scalation gars have a large turning radius -Anne
 

sharp tooth

Candiru
MFK Member
Sep 17, 2005
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you need a bigger tank to keep one for life.
 

BGG

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Mar 30, 2005
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Yep, no true gars in that tank, and even if it was a bit larger you wouldn't want to keep them with aggressive cichlids as they are peaceful fish. Lepisosteus platostomus (the shortnose, it was already mentioned by Anne) is the smallest species, and in captivity they'll get to be around 24"... but in the wild they get closer to 36". For a tank of that size with those fish, you might want to try a species of Crenicichla (pike cichlid). I don't think that I'd try grass/redfin pickerel as they are fairly temperature-sensitive and need to be kept in cooler water (under 70 degrees Fahrenheit), and I don't think that they'd be able to stand up to cichlids. More bichirs would be a good choice too...
 

Cyclop3000

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
May 22, 2005
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Quebec, Canada
Ah thanks for the info. I guess i'll go with a type of pike in this case. I don't like my fish to be in a tank too small for them, it's not right. One thing tho, I thought that the pike were aggressive fish...my lfs keeps telling me that and I don't really know pikes. My fish may be cichlids, but they are very peaceful, as I said. No real aggressions.

One more questions, growth rate for a Gar...Approx. how long would it take for them to grow to their full size? I am planning a larger tank maybe next year, would this be too late for him? If it can help I feed them well, but I don't overdo the water changes...minimum changes since my tanks stay clean for a long time...

Oh an, nobody knows where to get those Gars in Canada? I'd be curious to see them in a tank, instead of just in picture...

Thanks again!
 

BGG

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Mar 30, 2005
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piranha45 said:
redfin pickerel range down to florida, fishbase says they take temps to 79F, i'd try it
Maybe so, but they are VERY temperature sensitive, take my word for it. Thus the problems shipping them in late spring, summer, and early fall. ;) I have a 5" specimen in an unheated 20 gallon, and if the temperature goes above 72*F he becomes very lethargic. Either way, it's unhealthy for the fish and I wouldn't try it.
If the gar's taken care of well it will likely outgrow your tank in a year, depeding on what size you get it at. Though your cichlids may seem peaceful now, and you may not have ever seen them behaving aggressively, any little thing can set them off, and gars take getting beaten up very poorly. Just do what's best for you and the fish, which is to not get a gar. They have native longnose gars in Canada, so depending on where you're at you can catch your own. Also, almost all lfs can order them if they're legal in your area...
 

aquaholic

Feeder Fish
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Aug 14, 2005
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brick, nj 08724
yea, i have 4 gars growing rather quickly but i have already set plans of going huge if you choose to get them u should too
 

guppy

Small Squiggly Thing
Apr 15, 2005
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confused, lost, and lonely
You could try a gar look alike like the south american Spotted pike characin (Boullengerella maculata), fair are fairly easy to find and get 13-16" long, they like high 78-86 degree F. temps. 6-7 ph, and are tolerant of a wide range of hardness, they like being in groups and are not agressive with fish to big to eat. And they look cool. You could also try cachorros.
The pic is of the Boullengerellas

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