Hey everyone, I recently purchased a 120 gallon tank that I intend on making a community tank. So far I've got an irridescent shark, some hujeta gar, large cichlids, a plecco, and some silver dollars. I've had my eye on either an alligator gar or a florida spotted gar. I'm wondering if this would be a wise purchase as I'm not sure if they are a good fit for my other fish. Anybody with any gar experience or interesting info would be much appreciated.
Alligator gar
- Thread starter gabegarcia00
- Start date
Neither would be a good fit. An alligator gar would quickly outgrow the tank. It would also likely kill or eat all your other fish. A florida gar is also not a good idea because of your current fish. An irridescent shark, because of how active it is, could spook the gar and cause it to break it's back. False gars, such as hujetas, and true gars when commed together usually results in a dead false gar. Cichlids are not recommended gar tankmates becauuse gars ccan be easily bullied which can lead to a broken back or a dead gar. Plecos can suck on the slime coat of gars and the resulting infection can kill them. Silver fish, such as silver dollars tend to get attacked by gars.
DAMN!!!! I'm glad I didn't just get one when I was at my LFS. What type of fish are compatible with the florida spotted? I really want one so I may just have to get a new tank or get rid of some fish.
RTC, bichirs, just slow moving, preferably bottom dwelling fish
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RTC is definitely not something to be mixed with florida gars. Bichirs, south american and australian lungfish, african arowana and other gars are what are the usual recommended tankmates for gars. I mix larger growing doradid catfish with mine and haven't had any issues.
As far as what to avoid, algae eating/sucker mouthed species, silver fish, anything overly aggressive, very active fish as well.
ok, so basically stick to bottom dwellers that arent sucker fish. I may just have to stick with getting a few barracuda instead of the gar. Thanks for all the input. It will be put to good use
I had experience with gator gar. They are UNPREDICTABLE, my gator gar (6") doesnt even try to attack its tankmates (4" silver aro, 3" rtc, 2" bichir, 2" hujeta gar, 1" danio, 2" payara) but it keeps biting my 5" gatf, weird isnt it. But im pretty sure they get along well with hujeta gar, gars dont attack their kind and the hujeta look like them so its safe.
I know all fish are different, but I keep 2 florida gars with my rtc, 4 pacu, 2 plecos, 1 blackbelt, 1 oscar and 1 chinese algae eater. for the most part, they all live in peace, but there is occasionally some bullying - not much - from the pacu, oscar and blackbelt towards the gars, but the gars turn around and give it right back, then its back to peacefulness in the tank.
I've also never had an issue with the pelcos or the CAE latching onto the gars.
again, I know this is the exception and not the norm, but figured I'd throw my $0.02 in anyways.
I've also never had an issue with the pelcos or the CAE latching onto the gars.
again, I know this is the exception and not the norm, but figured I'd throw my $0.02 in anyways.