Beginner Gar keeper, Information appreciated

Frank Castle

Potamotrygon
MFK Member
Jan 10, 2016
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I just bought a Gar for $12....
Yup, no joke - he's about 6" or so, came to $13.77 after tax - did I get a good deal? He is too small for me to tell what species it is, but i'm leaning toward either Spotter or Florida.

Anyone know how to tell them apart as juveniles? What foods will they favor besides live feederfish and am I going to have a PITA trying to get him to take frozen/thawed? Does anyone ever get these guys to eat pellets or flakes or anything along those lines?

How about suitable tankmates, obviously nothing that can fit in his mouth I guess?

Any more information anyone can tell me?
 

isde02

Arapaima
MFK Member
Jan 4, 2011
6,050
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Ohio
I just bought a Gar for $12....
Yup, no joke - he's about 6" or so, came to $13.77 after tax - did I get a good deal? He is too small for me to tell what species it is, but i'm leaning toward either Spotter or Florida.

Anyone know how to tell them apart as juveniles? What foods will they favor besides live feederfish and am I going to have a PITA trying to get him to take frozen/thawed? Does anyone ever get these guys to eat pellets or flakes or anything along those lines?

How about suitable tankmates, obviously nothing that can fit in his mouth I guess?

Any more information anyone can tell me?
Try silversides and or smelt...My Florida gar used to eat hikari foodsticks. I've had the most success pellet training fish using the teacher method than any other method. Put a few silver dollars or something similar in with him that will readily accept whatever food you're trying to feed. No slender torpedo shaped tankmates, and no hyper aggressive boisterous tankmates.
 

Frank Castle

Potamotrygon
MFK Member
Jan 10, 2016
6,154
3,011
173
43
Pennsylvannia
Try silversides and or smelt...My Florida gar used to eat hikari foodsticks. I've had the most success pellet training fish using the teacher method than any other method. Put a few silver dollars or something similar in with him that will readily accept whatever food you're trying to feed. No slender torpedo shaped tankmates, and no hyper aggressive boisterous tankmates.
Not a huge fan of SDs, do you have any other good tankmate recommendations? Your SDs ate silversides?
 

isde02

Arapaima
MFK Member
Jan 4, 2011
6,050
1,319
203
Ohio
Not a huge fan of SDs, do you have any other good tankmate recommendations? Your SDs ate silversides?
They all eat pellets but the wide bars ate whatever.....they have teeth like pirhana. You can use other fish besides sds.... I just wouldn't use anything torpedo shaped. Put your severum or something else docile with him
 
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flukekiller

Piranha
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Aug 2, 2014
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Never tried to get my garden onto pellets when I had him but he took frozen foods. Mainly shrimp and spearing
 
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flukekiller

Piranha
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Aug 2, 2014
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lol stupid auto-correct... put garden in stead of just gar
 

Deadliestviper7

The Necromancer
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Go get a cheap $dollar bag of shrimp from a dollar store that sells frozen food,they r a good diet to transition gars to other foods,make sure he sees u put in the food so he'll accept things u throw in.
 
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