Alright, it's been a week for my gar...

[Steveo McNello]

I bought my Florida/Shortnose gar [mixed opinions on it] a week ago. Bought him from the LFS where he was eating feeder guppies. He's maybe 5-6 inches. I've tried bloodworms, krill, shrimp, freeze dried shrimp, and hikari cichlid gold. He hasn't taken anything. My overall goal is to get him on pellets.

I have heard to try frozen crickets. I will try that tomorrow.

Anybody have any ideas?

 

[JML1997]

Earthworms..

 

[Steveo McNello]

Earthworms..

I've heard mixed reviews. I'd have to get small ones of course, but those are an option? They're not loaded with parasites?

 

[JML1997]

Nah, just go digging, and no matter what size, you can always cut them up..

 

[Steveo McNello]

Nah, just go digging, and no matter what size, you can always cut them up..

Hmmm... never thought of that actually. I didn't want to do that for the same reasons as feeders. Or what about mealworms? Or any other frozen suggestions?

My gar did try one hikari cichlid gold but it was almost too big for him. He ended up dropping it and hasnt touched them since.

 

[E_americanus]

at that size you are still best off just going with feeders...rosies are preferable to goldfish. you can gut load the feeders with NLS pellets or the like shortly before feeding them and that way they are healthier for the gar. get the gar to ~8" on feeders and then they tend to be a bit more open to non-live training.
earthworms are ok, but cutting them up will obviously kill them faster, and you are releasing a lot of bacteria and waste into the water that way (as the worm dies and because of the dirt in their gut). i would go with feeders for now. do you have a recent pic of your fish? it should be pretty clear pretty soon if it's a FLG or SNG. good luck--
--solomon

 

[Steveo McNello]

at that size you are still best off just going with feeders...rosies are preferable to goldfish. you can gut load the feeders with NLS pellets or the like shortly before feeding them and that way they are healthier for the gar. get the gar to ~8" on feeders and then they tend to be a bit more open to non-live training.
earthworms are ok, but cutting them up will obviously kill them faster, and you are releasing a lot of bacteria and waste into the water that way (as the worm dies and because of the dirt in their gut). i would go with feeders for now. do you have a recent pic of your fish? it should be pretty clear pretty soon if it's a FLG or SNG. good luck--
--solomon

Yeah that's what I figured with the worms. And the gar are in a separate tank for now so even if the feeders do bring something in it won't affect my pbass. My gar looks exactly like this picture. Not mine, but I found it while searching for pics.

 

[E_americanus]

ok that fish is a FLG, definitely not a shortnose gar--
--solomon

 

[Ancient_Fish_Master]

if he likes to eat feeders you can try giving him silversides or tilapia filet. but if not, like solomon said, gut loaded rosy reds should be fine

 

[Lepisosteus platyrhincus]

Lissten to solomon(e amer). Feed feeders untill larger.

Ps I secomd sol, clearly flg

Pps keep the gar seperate from the pbass. They dont go together. feeders should be qt but u already prolonged ur yoy gar too long. Gar are pretty hardy as far as diseases go so if ur getting from a good source thier is little worry.