CRAIGSLIST GAR -- florida or alligator?
- Thread starter new2natives
- Start date
I agree. The picture I posted is an Alligator Gar.. The one on Craigs list does appear to be a Florida Gar. Not an Alligator Gar.Polypterus;2582897; said:
We have both here in Florida. I'm staying quiet, but we got 10 responses in 2 minutes. Could not even edit my response. Sorry I confused everyone
Yellowlab;2582924; said:I agree. The picture I posted is an Alligator Gar.. The one on Craigs list does appear to be a Florida Gar. Not an Alligator Gar.
We have both here in Florida. I'm staying quiet, but we got 10 responses in 2 minutes. Could not even edit my response. Sorry I confused everyone
Actually it looks like a Shortnosed.
Is not at all a Gator but there is a chance for Florida. I'd like to see further pics before making that determination (The pics kind of suck). The really big None marked Pectoral and pelvic fins are pretty diagnostic of Shorts However..
ok then, time for a stupid question ...
what are the differences between florida/spotted and a shortnosed?
what are the differences between florida/spotted and a shortnosed?
new2natives;2583035; said:
Several difference... Both morphologic and behavioral.
Really do not want to write a key here.. A couple distinctive differences are in the Skull and jaw structure and as mentioned above the fins and body shape proportions are different. Behaviorally they are very different as they are from totally different habitat types. Florida and spotted are Clear weedy backwater fish. Shortnosed are open river / open water fish not often associated with vegetation and often found in very turbid conditions. Shorts are very strong fish with a tall and flat caudal punducle. Their body shape is generally slightly different from the Oculatus / Platyrhincus complex in being more streamlined and less stocky. Oculatus and Platyrhincus tend to have smaller paired fins and a more narrow and not so broad Caudal region. They are also generally much more "chunky". Shorts rarely have any Pectoral fin or Pelvic fin spotting if it is present is is very vague un-uniform and faint.
Honestly it is hard to explain all these things on an internet forum. After you have seen a hundred or so of each you just start seeing it and instinctually get how to recongnize it..
Trying here but it is not easy without getting very technical...
i'm going to put my money on Florida gar with relative certainty. although richard and i know you can't go by pattern alone, all other things considered the pattern looks more similar to a Florida than a shortnose (at least to me) and the rest of the morphology also matches up...that's what i thought at first glance, and after reading through the posts/discussion so far i still stand by that.
yellow lab, this particular florida is not going to get a lot bigger than that...in captivity Floridas usually top out around 18"-20" for older individuals on average, and many stay much smaller. i realize there are some big FL's down there (i've seen plenty in person), but these captive fish are not getting that big.
definitely a good deal, and i'm sure whoever picks it up will be able to get it off feeders--
--solomon
yellow lab, this particular florida is not going to get a lot bigger than that...in captivity Floridas usually top out around 18"-20" for older individuals on average, and many stay much smaller. i realize there are some big FL's down there (i've seen plenty in person), but these captive fish are not getting that big.
definitely a good deal, and i'm sure whoever picks it up will be able to get it off feeders--
--solomon
Better pics would help... As it stands on can be certain of one thing.
It is a Gar in the Genus Lepisosteus
.. Florida is very likely...
Fish stores crack me up. Around here they sell Florida/Spotted Gars as "Alligator Gars" and they sell Alligator Gars as "True Alligator Gar". This is in the same store in joining tanks. What a bunch of knuckle-heads! 
it turned out to be a florida ... he told me the store he got it at had it labeled as alligator. and sure enough i stopped by that store after i left his house, and there was another florida mislabeled. i asked the girl if it was really a florida, and she told me it was a alligator. so i didnt argue
none the less, i got a 15" florida for $10, and to top it off, i saved it from life in a 55!
i am always glad to see when people actually know that their tank is too small, and sell large fish!
i will get some better picks up later
none the less, i got a 15" florida for $10, and to top it off, i saved it from life in a 55!
i am always glad to see when people actually know that their tank is too small, and sell large fish!
i will get some better picks up later
