First post - new to the group - Dallas, TX - I have several tanks, but the one I have a question about is a 125 with a Fluval FX6, pretty heavily planted. Stocked currently are a juvenile long-nose gar, about 6", Black Ghost knifefish, about 7", 2 Senegal Bichirs, both around 6'"-7", 1 Raphael Striped Cat, a Common Pleco, about 12" to 13", and a Channel Cat that's about 13". Pretty much everyone has been living together for about a year, except for the new addition of the Gar. The Channel Cat is getting pretty big, and it seems like everyday I'm having to replant something due to it being uprooted at night. The Gar is still too small to take in a small goldfish, so I've been adding Rosey Minnows. The problem is, I believe the Channel Cat is eating most of the minnows (I put in 30 last night and this morning there was only 1 left). I am considering exchanging the Channel Cat for a small Pictus, which would hopefully reduce the amount of plants being dug up, reduce the Bioload on the tank, and eliminate having to buy Minnows every other day. I'm looking for suggestions as to a couple possible tankmates that would be large enough to survive the Gar, but not as voracious as the Channel Cat, and not as hard on the plants/bioload. I wouldn't mind getting rid of the Pleco or exchanging it for a smaller one either. I was thinking about maybe a decent size Jack Dempsey, but I've never kept or have any experience with Cichlids. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Tankmate Suggestions
- Thread starter Jason Street
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- channel cat long nose gar
Let me start by saying what up and welcome, and also now I'm going to be "that guy" about your tank stock. If that's a true longnose gar you'll be moving him on in less than a year, they get massive, as well as the common pleco too.
The channel cat is just a bad idea in anything less than a 300, I have one in my 310 gallon and he's already at 2 feet long and growing every day, you have less than 6 more months with that in your tank.
Honestly I'd get more polys like senegals or delhezis and get rid of the gar and channel cat.
P.S. my channel cat can eat an entire tilapia fillet, uncut, by himself so you'll end up losing your tank inhabitants to him sooner than later.
Awesome - thanks for the advice - the Channel Cat will definitely be going then - I just got it on a whim - it's probably 3X - 4X it's size in only 10 months... I don't want to part with the Gar just yet - he's really chill and just stays at the top, hardly ever goes past 5" deep, and my 4 yr. old and I like watching him eat.
ya good call on the channel lol, mine started at 4 inches 1.5 years ago....he's massive now and has room to gain another 12 inches easily.
you can hang onto the gar for a while in a 125, but again if that's a true long nose then they can hit 30 inches easily. Get some pics up of your tank. You could do a pretty sweet poly/ghost knife tank for sure in a 125.
I'd like to see the gar in a pic, you may have a common florida gar in which case you'll have a bit extra time in your 125 in my opinion. Not that they are easily discernible at such a small size either way lol
A few pics - the 125 has about 50% more plants now than in this pic, and unfortunately no good pics of the Gar yet - hard to get a good shot since he's always at the top.
that's a bangin' tank, good scape. Did you buy the gar at a pet store or catch him local? His coloration looks a bit different than most of the floridas I've seen but I'm far from an expert on gars.
that's a good looking fish regardless of which species he actually is haha. Makes me want gars again..
Thanks - bought him for a LFS - they hade them labeled as long-nose. I didn't realize there was a difference between long-nose and needlenose.
needlenose gars aren't even technically gars haha, just look similar so people and lfs refer to them as such.
true longnose gar get BIG. LFS often mislabel common florida gars (99.9% of what you'll see at most fish shops) as long nose gars and other ridiculousness lol. All depends what the Asian farms tell them they are on the stock list.