Florida tankmates?

[fishfreak2009]

Would 2 large adult angelfish and a motoro stingray (about 6 inches across the disk), make good tankmates for a 5-6 inch florida gar? I was just wondering because I saw some very nice 5-6 inch florida gars at my LFS the other day and I would like to add some fish to my 180 growout. I have read through the stickies and everything, and it seems florida gars are some of the least aggressive. I would also be handfeeding the gar and the ray, in order to make sure they got all the food they needed and to help avoid competition between the two. As the fish grow, I could remove the angelfish as well, but for now at least they seem to be ideal tankmates.

Also, might eventually add a clown knifefish and a bichir or two, and would upgrade to a pond when the fish started getting crowded. I have to build a few ponds anyways for the ray (and hopefully a female for him as well once I get a job) and a school of bala sharks and tinfoil barbs I have growing out in another tank.

So does this sound good?

 

[JML1997]

I wouldn't risk it, Angelfish are very peaceful compared to the florida gar. Even though the Florida Gar might be the least aggressive species of gar, it's still a gar.

 

[Wiggles92]

Would 2 large adult angelfish and a motoro stingray (about 6 inches across the disk), make good tankmates for a 5-6 inch florida gar? I was just wondering because I saw some very nice 5-6 inch florida gars at my LFS the other day and I would like to add some fish to my 180 growout. I have read through the stickies and everything, and it seems florida gars are some of the least aggressive. I would also be handfeeding the gar and the ray, in order to make sure they got all the food they needed and to help avoid competition between the two. As the fish grow, I could remove the angelfish as well, but for now at least they seem to be ideal tankmates.

Also, might eventually add a clown knifefish and a bichir or two, and would upgrade to a pond when the fish started getting crowded. I have to build a few ponds anyways for the ray (and hopefully a female for him as well once I get a job) and a school of bala sharks and tinfoil barbs I have growing out in another tank.

So does this sound good?

Okay, here's a list of tankmates from the fishes that you named that will work, may work, and definitely will not work with a Florida gar:

Will work:

• Bichirs (tend to keep to the bottom plus are very armored)
• Stingrays (tend to keep to the bottom)

May work:

• Clown knifefish (may get injured during feeding time)

Will not work:

• Angelfish (will become food)
• Bala sharks (silver fish and gars don't mix well)
• Tinfoil barbs (silver fish and gars don't mix well)

 

[fishfreak2009]

Alright so I could move the angels into my 90 gallon community tank.

The bala sharks and tinfoil barbs are already in a separate tank and were never going to be combined with the gar to begin with. I actually had to take the bala sharks out the 180 gallon because they were less than 2 inches long and 2 of the 5 balas decided to ride the filter overflow...

That would leave:
1 Florida Gar
1 Clown Knifefish
1 Bichir
1-2 Motoro Stingray

And I want to remind everyone that I will upgrade when the time comes.

 

[Wiggles92]

Alright so I could move the angels into my 90 gallon community tank.

The bala sharks and tinfoil barbs are already in a separate tank and were never going to be combined with the gar to begin with. I actually had to take the bala sharks out the 180 gallon because they were less than 2 inches long and 2 of the 5 balas decided to ride the filter overflow...

That would leave:
1 Florida Gar
1 Clown Knifefish
1 Bichir
1-2 Motoro Stingray

And I want to remind everyone that I will upgrade when the time comes.

Sounds good to me.

The main thing will be to make sure that the gar doesn't accidentally bite the clown knife during feeding. You'll also need to make sure that any feeders that are fed to the gar are very well quarantined since the clown knife is much more sensitive to infections than the gar; this problem can be avoided by getting the gar to take pellets and other foods such as fish fillets and shrimp.

 

[fishfreak2009]

I would not use feeder fish. The gars at the store I go to all feed on night crawlers chopped up, shrimp, and apparently some, but not all of them really enjoy massivore.

If they did not eat for whatever reason I always have a boatload of convict fry I could use as feeders (I have three breeding convict pairs in my 125 gallon).

 

[Wiggles92]

I would not use feeder fish. The gars at the store I go to all feed on night crawlers chopped up, shrimp, and apparently some, but not all of them really enjoy massivore.

If they did not eat for whatever reason I always have a boatload of convict fry I could use as feeders (I have three breeding convict pairs in my 125 gallon).

Wow, you got lucky to find gars that are already off of feeders and feed on other foods instead!