Cuban/Tropical Gar care specifics.

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arowanaryan

Piranha
MFK Member
Aug 30, 2011
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North Attleboro
I am soon going to either buy a tropical gar from Rapps or a Cuban Gar from my LFS since they have a sweet hook-up on Cubans (6-7 inch for $300). I wanted to know from anyone who has kept one if there is anything I should specifically know before I buy one (as its not cheap). I have read the stickies thoroughly and know the tank size requirements and I have kept gars in the past, just wanted to know if there is anything anyone who has kept one can add in terms of what to expect. Thanks.-Ryan

PS- I will be selling off my dorado before I get the Gar, as I know this would certainly not work.
 
I no longer have the Nile perch... other then that, that is my stock. Tank is 72x30x24. I will also probably get rid of the knife at some point... I've been saving up for a Tropical or a Cuban Gar and I've saved enough for a PBB to go with them.
 
arowanaryan said:
I no longer have the Nile perch... other then that, that is my stock. Tank is 72x30x24. I will also probably get rid of the knife at some point... I've been saving up for a Tropical or a Cuban Gar and I've saved enough for a PBB to go with them.
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Ditch the peacock bass as well; it needs to go for sure. The knifefish could possibly work out although I wouldn't chance it with such an expensive gar.

I personally would get the Cuban gar because that's a pretty great price, especially considering that the LFS is willing to get it for you. However, regardless of what you get, I would grow it out a little bit more just to be safe.
 
Yeah thats the plan just because the Gars are so skinny when young. The LFS can get them at that price year round (he knows the guy who owns the farm)... I just happen to like the pattern on the Tropicals a little more when they get bigger. I'll see what I can get for the Peacock bass... I'll probably get more though... I love the peacock bass/Gar combo and its worked for me before w/ florida gars. As for the Knife.... I really just dont him too much... really agressive... too agressive to put up with when you have such an expensive gar. Which one in your experience is more touchy health-wise though? Tropical or Cuban Gar?
 
arowanaryan said:
Yeah thats the plan just because the Gars are so skinny when young. The LFS can get them at that price year round (he knows the guy who owns the farm)... I just happen to like the pattern on the Tropicals a little more when they get bigger. I'll see what I can get for the Peacock bass... I'll probably get more though... I love the peacock bass/Gar combo and its worked for me before w/ florida gars. As for the Knife.... I really just dont him too much... really agressive... too agressive to put up with when you have such an expensive gar. Which one in your experience is more touchy health-wise though? Tropical or Cuban Gar?
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To put it bluntly, it's pretty stupid to get more peacock bass in order to try that combination in hopes that it will work again considering that you've been saving up & waiting to get this gar. I know that I'd be pretty mad if I just got an awesome & expensive gar that then gets injured/killed by a dumb peacock bass. I'd say that the knifefish should go as well if aggression is an issue.

Of those two gars, I've only ever had a Cuban gar, and I never had any issues with it health-wise. If something was off, then its color would change; as soon as I fixed the issue, then it would change back to its normal coloration. If you can keep your water conditions stable & clean, then you shouldn't have any issues.

I never was able to obtain a tropical gar as all of the ones offered for sale then & now are pretty overpriced considering that I know how much the farm charges for them. Besides, the tropical gars don't have to pass through Canada first to get here; having to add extra steps to make them legal in the case of the Cuban gars is one reason why they're normally fairly expensive.
 
my cuban has been as sturdy as my floridas since day 1 so i cant add much, only that he lives with 2. floridas and large spiney eels. i would never chance keeping him with p bass. i did just intro a ck to the tank and so far the gar keeps him in check. make sure whatever you try co habibg has another tank if things get hairy, it can happen over night. almost lost one of my floridas early on because i thought ide try keeping him with a silver arrowana even though i was warned it would more then likely not work. 100% agree with ryan.
 
Yeah I'll never try the Gar/Aro combo again. my silver aro was fine with my gars then one days just started attacking them left and right so I got rid of him that day. I was thinking that I would try and put the gar with an azul or bahia that was a bit smaller once the gar gets some size on him. If it wasn't working the bass would surely go, how do you guys think it would go with something like a chinese or korean perch?

PS.- I also have to say I really appreciate the almost immediate response you get when posting in the gar section of the forum.
 
arowanaryan said:
Yeah I'll never try the Gar/Aro combo again. my silver aro was fine with my gars then one days just started attacking them left and right so I got rid of him that day. I was thinking that I would try and put the gar with an azul or bahia that was a bit smaller once the gar gets some size on him. If it wasn't working the bass would surely go, how do you guys think it would go with something like a chinese or korean perch?

PS.- I also have to say I really appreciate the almost immediate response you get when posting in the gar section of the forum.
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I'm not too sure on the perch; you would have to ask Xander on that one as he's the only one that I know of that has tried it. Furthermore, is your local LFS able to get those? If that's the case, then it sounds like you've got a pretty awesome local LFS considering that they have a Cuban gar hook-up among other things.
 
Its uncle neds fish factory in Millis MA... They dont get any perch species. I got my Nile perch from Scott Crowe of Ocean State Aquatics. Do you guys have any opinions on if datnoids would work? I didnt see anything when I searched through the gar tankmates sticky but I'll look again. But as for the LFS its pretty nice... they can get a lot in on special order. I'll be getting a tigrinus from him at some point as well to grow out. His price on the Polypterus Bichir Bichir is a little high.... but then again I dont really know what they usually go for at 14 inches because hes the only one I've seen to offer one for sale. He has it listed as 14 inches for $400. The Cuban gar hook-up is really the only one hes got as in a great price for high value, But I like Ned alot. He's one of the only LFS owners who refuses to sell RTC's and Silver Arowanas without proof of the required tank. He doesnt even keep them in stock at all. I would try it with a Nile perch but I know i'd have the get rid of the nile in the long run obviously but a big Nile could probably go for a very nice price since you dont see them available too often. Hopefully Xander will feel compelled to chime in on this thread when hes got a shot.
 
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