Gator Gar tankmates?

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M

MERMAID

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Nov 30, 2004
21
0
0
in an aquarium
Hi,

I recently rescued two 22" alligator gars in a 375g: 5ft long x 30" wide x 48" tall. They get along great with each other, although, I recently tried to welcome an addition to their tank: an 18" TSN. The TSN had to quickly be removed, as within 10 minutes, he had a bite on him.

I temporarily have him housed seperately, but have been advised that if I add a few more large fish with them, that he wont be singled out?

The potential tankmates would then be:

A 24" RTC
A 24" Clown Knife
A 20" Tilapia
along with reintroducing the original 19" TSN.


My question is: Am I dreaming?

Will this end in bloodshed?

Or was it just a bad idea to put one fish at a time...(i.e. lamb to the lions)

Does anyone have experience with Gator Gars getting along with anyone!

Because there was a previous owner, I have know idea how he trained these gators..other than he had a morbid sense of humor, dropping in live mice to the tank...thus creating killers of pretty large animals?

I look forward to hearing your thoughts & experiences...


-Mermaid


:popcorn::popcorn::popcorn::popcorn::popcorn::popcorn:
 
I agree, only the redtail would work with possiably the knifefish. I see huge Gars here in the philippines all the time at the petmall in manila. Always paired with a rtc. I have an alligator gar around 15 inches and he wont get along with anyone but the redtail. I have a Tiger shovelnose catfish that is around the same size as the gar and it tries to eat it all the time. I have now bought 2 more tanks which will be delivered sunday, I hope that is quick enough. Gars just eat to be mean lol
 
I've seen multiple instances where Gator Gars have been kept with just about any fish that can't fit their mouths. This in mind, I can safely say that the RTC and TSN would work, but the Tilapia will become food, and the CK may or may not eventually add itself to the buffet table.

Just check the growth rates on all of them. It should work itself from there I guess.
 
Yes the tanks size is likely a issue... as well as the gar being the first fish in it. adding the gators to an established tank is one thing.. adding other fish to an established gar tank another thing. IMO a larger tank is needed before adding other tankmates.. and introduce their tankmates a week or 2 before the gar. will increase your survival rate of the other fish.. but guarantee nothing... Gator gar are unpredictable.
 
AU_Arowana-RG;4599720; said:
I've seen multiple instances where Gator Gars have been kept with just about any fish that can't fit their mouths. This in mind, I can safely say that the RTC and TSN would work, but the Tilapia will become food, and the CK may or may not eventually add itself to the buffet table.

Just check the growth rates on all of them. It should work itself from there I guess.
Click to expand...

I highly disagree from personal experience and the experience of others. Size, and the "big fish eat little fish" rule is generally safer with the Lepisosteus species, but not as much so with Atractosteus specimens. Incidents may happen, and you may find yourself randomly upset and surprised. Atractosteus species (such as Alligator Gar) tend to get increasingly more aggressive and less predictable as they grow older, particularly if they have the space to display that aggression. Plus with wider, larger mouths... common sense speaks for its self.

Don't believe me, check out what happened to Madding's Tropical Gar's tank mates once they were given a larger tank!
 
I believe the gars thazt are layed back are quite possiably the smaller specie being passed off as a gator gar
 
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