Gar compatability

[Loshmitchell101]

I went to my LFS and saw a 6 inch florida gar they were selling for 69.99 , I am currently have a 265 gallon tank shipped from oceanside, california. I have a silver aro, oscar, jaguar cichlids, red devils, dovii cichlids, JD's and pikes. I am wanting to buy this gar all my cichlids are between 5-8 inches do you think this would be possible. I would love to keep all of them for life. I will still be keeping my current 160 also thank you.

 

[vaipulu]

OK by red devil I'm hoping you have a Mayan Cichlid and not a True Festae. If you do have a festae they will not mix IME. I have made the mistake and won't do so again. My 3 gar are between 6-8 inches. My Red Festae is 7-8 relatively same length as gar. Hour after he was put in everything seemed well, World war 3 went down, and now I have a festae chilling in my bedroom. You can try it out, but be ready to move someone to another tank if you have one available.

 

[Madding]

Cichlids are kind of hit and miss... sometimes they will eat the eyes out of gars, sometimes ignore them, sometimes just occasionally chase, etc. I personally don't keep cichlids with gars except for a bottom-dwelling crenicichla

 

[phillydog1958]

It could go either way, but you stand a better chance of success if you place the gar in the tank for a few days and let him become established and gradually start introducing the cichlids, since cichlids are so territorial. If you place the cichlids in first, they will establish their territories and the gar will be at greater risk of attack.

 

[Sidrock]

I have recently bought a Jaguar Cichlid (4"-5") intended to be an addition to my tank of "mini-monsters" (1ft Silver Aro, two 5"-6" Florida Gars).

However, after reading up about the aggression of the Jag, I am having second thoughts about this.

I do know one person (headbanger_jib) who has a huge Jag with equally huge Gars (and a few Bichirs, if I remember correctly) living happily.

My Silver Aro is a gentle giant. Here's a pic of his current tank-mates:

Cheers,
Sid

 

[E_americanus]

I have recently bought a Jaguar Cichlid (4"-5") intended to be an addition to my tank of "mini-monsters" (1ft Silver Aro, two 5"-6" Florida Gars).

However, after reading up about the aggression of the Jag, I am having second thoughts about this.

I do know one person (headbanger_jib) who has a huge Jag with equally huge Gars (and a few Bichirs, if I remember correctly) living happily.

My Silver Aro is a gentle giant. Here's a pic of his current tank-mates:

Cheers,
Sid

that's definitely a great pic, but the set-up will not work long term...as the gar grows (and the silver) aggression will increase...gars can't ignore silvery fish, so the Bala's will likely be shredded, and the pearl gouramis won't grow nearly as fast or large as their tankmates. as long as you are ready to separate them as they grow you should be ok--
--solomon

 

[Lepisosteus platyrhincus]

no to the op and no to sid

 

[Sidrock]

that's definitely a great pic, but the set-up will not work long term...as the gar grows (and the silver) aggression will increase...gars can't ignore silvery fish, so the Bala's will likely be shredded, and the pearl gouramis won't grow nearly as fast or large as their tankmates. as long as you are ready to separate them as they grow you should be ok--
--solomon

The Gourami are in this tank only temporarily. I am hoping to use the Gourami and Bala Sharks as "dither fish" to get the Gar to eat pellets (or any prepared food). Regardless of whether it works or not, the Gourami will be shifted (or given away) in a few weeks (or maybe a month).

I just hope the Silver Aro and Gar combination works out. I think it will work given that the Silver Aro is too large for the Gars to intimidate (or attack) and the Aro is too docile (at least right now) and won't attack the Gars.

I will "test" putting the Jaguar in there after moving the Gourami. As someone mentioned on this thread, if the Gars are established and the Jag is the newcomer, the Jag should not be too aggressive towards the Gars.

Thank you for your input,
Sid

 

[Madding]

Gar and arowana compatibility hinges almost entirely on timing the growth rates of each fish. Silver arowana's can get pretty aggressive. It probably won't attack your gar outright, but during feeding it may strike at the snout trying to steal food and spook the gar into the glass wall, etc, or take a bite out of him while trying to grab food.

That said, your sizes seem okay for now. Usually when both are fish are still juvenile the problem is a too-small aro getting snapped at by the gar. I doubt that will happen with your bigger aro. Just make sure as the aro outgrows the gar you don't see too much aggression during feeding.

Hope that makes sense. I'm not gonna repeat what was said about the other tankmates as you already acknowledged what Sol and Lep have said.

Nice photo by the way.

 

[screaminleeman]

I just seperated my three florida gar from the tank with a larger Jaguar cichlid. The Jag was head honcho in the tank, but never gave the Gar, Endch. Bichir, Palmas Bichir any problems whatsoever.

The Jaguar would however fight the Butt. Tilapia, and the Butt. Tilapia were relentless harassing the gar during feeding time!

I lost the smallest florida gar second day in the heated pond that I built into my back porch via jumping through a 1" x 1" screen "cover" over the pond. For the life of me I don't know how it fit through!