My Gar loves his hiding places, he nestles in where the bunch of fake plants are, even with the lights out in a dark room. Also, try feeding him with the long plastic tongs. I put a small piece of shrimp or scallop on the end just so it hangs off the prongs, so the gar doesnt bite the tongs. Move it around near the back of his jaw and try to feed him like that. This is what IO have to do on a daily basis. It is like caring for an invalid but I have to do it for him.