Baby Alligator Snapper

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
Yea, I got went shopping at petco and petsmart and Got him more of a Hiding enviranment, He seems to be getting combfy Hes exploring it still. I out his water at 78f
He seems to like the Filter pumping ut the water Ill give him a few hours then feed him
 
Alligator snappers are stealth hunters for a few years. They "lure" with open mouths, waiting for fish (guppies, then rosey reds, then full sized minnows) to come by and try to eat the wormlike part of their tongues, then, BAM! the bear trap slams shut on the hapless prey. My understanding is that they will then take inert prey, like chicken parts (especially necks) or worms, only after they are a few years old. My 3 1/2 year old still won't take anything except fish that swim by, but he's started to forage for dead stuff, worms,chicken when he has no live prey. The taking of food other than fish on the fly, is a recent development. With the lights out, they start to go for nonmoving foods at about 3-4 years old. Before that, if it doesn't come to them while "angling", it doesn't get eaten.
 
You can also get them onto prepared food while still young by getting some tongs and wiggling the food in front of their mouths. After feeding them likes for a few weeks I'm sure they'll take food dropped in front of them after that.
 
yeah he needs a heater in the tank. water temp has to be at least 80 degrees. cool water will make him less active. remember they r cold blooded. you can lose the log. ally snappers like to stay at the bottom of the tanks or rivers. try putting some rosy red minnows or some feeder guppies in there to stir him up. ally snappers like to fish. they will leave their mouths open waiting for a fish to swim by and then its history. also put some rocks and some floating drift wood in the tank. the drift wood will give the water a lil tint to help them blend in better for them to hunt. plus they are mainly active at night. be prepared they take forever to grow. they are not like the common snapper that grows quickly. i have one for about 4 years already and he is about 4 in.
 
clifton;2257774; said:
Alligator snappers are stealth hunters for a few years. They "lure" with open mouths, waiting for fish (guppies, then rosey reds, then full sized minnows) to come by and try to eat the wormlike part of their tongues, then, BAM! the bear trap slams shut on the hapless prey. My understanding is that they will then take inert prey, like chicken parts (especially necks) or worms, only after they are a few years old. My 3 1/2 year old still won't take anything except fish that swim by, but he's started to forage for dead stuff, worms,chicken when he has no live prey. The taking of food other than fish on the fly, is a recent development. With the lights out, they start to go for nonmoving foods at about 3-4 years old. Before that, if it doesn't come to them while "angling", it doesn't get eaten.
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i dont think thats accurate. mine was on reptomin, mealworms, waxies, crickets, baby crayfish, worms, and fish at the size of a 50 cent piece. at one yr old and at 4 inches he was eating that stuff and i added thawed out mice and trout chow to his food. it didnt take yrs to get him off fish. he was eating that stuff from day one. and yes, they will sit there and lure prey in but they arent lazy. mine will actually move slowly with his mouth open to corner prey to the point that when they try to move they have to go past his mouth.
 
danny2875;2258752; said:
yeah he needs a heater in the tank. water temp has to be at least 80 degrees. cool water will make him less active. remember they r cold blooded. you can lose the log. ally snappers like to stay at the bottom of the tanks or rivers. try putting some rosy red minnows or some feeder guppies in there to stir him up. ally snappers like to fish. they will leave their mouths open waiting for a fish to swim by and then its history. also put some rocks and some floating drift wood in the tank. the drift wood will give the water a lil tint to help them blend in better for them to hunt. plus they are mainly active at night. be prepared they take forever to grow. they are not like the common snapper that grows quickly. i have one for about 4 years already and he is about 4 in.
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i think growth depends on ater temp, tank size and food. mine was 4 inches at one yr of age. 8 inches at 2 yrs of age. 12 inches at three yrs of age and after that slowed down. really started to add on girth and width after that. at 8.5 yrs old now he is about 17 inches in shell length and 30 pounds.

an ast from that same bath though is only 12 inches and the same age...............so draw your own conclusions. yours is 4 yrs old and and only 4 inches?!?!?!?? doesnt sound right to me. whats your water temp? wha are you feeding it? what size tank? how oftendo you feed?

and before anyone says i was power feeding my guy let me tell you that as he got about 8 inches i was only feeding him 2-3 times a week and after he hti 12 pkyus ive only been feeding 1-2 times a week.
 
Cant power feed a snapper, As babys I think he should be allowed to eat anytime he wants now. I spoil him with variety, I do force Vegis in his meal tank and he munches a lil bit.
 
Update,
He loves Carrots, I only feed him it just to keep him healthy. I dont feed him a lot.
Hes doing well now! Eating Fish pellets.
Hes gotten comfy with me.
 
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