gar id

[zspidel]

do spotted gars generally have darker colors than floridas? or does that depend on substrate and environment?

 

[E_americanus]

do spotted gars generally have darker colors than floridas? or does that depend on substrate and environment?

see highlight. environment controls a lot of what may appear to be "species pattern variation" between these two. genetics too of course, but for the hobby purposes, it's primarily environment. certain morphology generally needs to be used along with locality data to ID spotted from FL in many cases. we can make confident guesses on LFS gars though--
--SRD

 

[gaz025]

I learn something new every time a question is asked and answered. Even old questions bring out new answers and new points of view. As long as this forum is not for gar expert discussion only, I can't believe every time a new gar keeper posts a simple gar question, the same guy will always be the first to turn out to criticize. I wonder whether he was treated this way when he was new to gar.

thanks guys very helpfull. good to know for sure what type it is for a start and as m245 said ive often learnt things i didnt know from people asking an old simple question and someone different answering than did the last time it was asked.

ive kept stingrays on and off for about 10 years and no matter how much reading and re-search i did for the first few years i still never learned so much as i did when i asked some very basic questions after being introduced to a fish forum for the first time.

the gar has been in the shop for several months in a small tank about 18" long. hes been eating dead guppies etc from other tanks but at least hes been eating and i saw him eat before i got him as he was sat on the bottom of the small tank looking a bit depressed. hopefully he will be happier in my tank and i will be able to get him to take a prawn or two in the next coulple of days. if not ill probably be back asking more daft questions

thanks again .