General noob questions

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ferco

ferco

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Apr 11, 2006
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Hi there; wasn't sure where to post this, then thought as I'm asking about Gar sizes etc. here was a good place:nilly:

these gars are just so awesome but I was wondering what is the smallest type of gar you can get- I can't keep monster fish right now but am always day dreaming about when I can and what I'll have lol

Basically originally I wanted to have a massive tank; couple hundred gallons and have maybe 3 archers; probs ones that won't grow too big still just to allow for extra room- then trying to think what else- decided on fresh as opposed to Brackish so can have the fresh water archers (forget their name just now) and a pleco or two to help clean up (its gets messy when feeding crickets etc. lol)

Anyway I was wondering if there is a gar that would live happily with some archers; maybe even two... so a gar that grew to maybe 8inches or there abouts...

So 3 archers (freshies are smaller usually)
2 plecos (not sure what kind)
and maybe 2 Gars... I love the gator Gars but think they would be too big; they seem to grow quite large... ?

Can't think of anything else immediately but that might do it... am trying to limit the stock and size of stock:
1- for the fishes' health
and
2- so I can lower the water level in the tank for the Archers to shoot down crickets etc. lol

As I said this is still just day dreaming- I may do this one day but not in the near future so have a long time to think about it and work out what I want to do etc. unfortunately :cry: lol

Thanks for any help and please give any other suggestions of points of why such and such might not work etc.
 
gator gar get up to 2' in the first year, and 5' eventually. they are also mental and aggressive. and will kill yr archers.

the smallest gars are spotted/florida gar. get up to 15" in their first yr and max out at about 20", but have been known to be bigger.

all in all a bad mix. gars will kill yr archerfish and plecos tend to suck off the slime of bichirs and gars, killing them
 
xander13;1551983; said:
but acording to richard, they're crazy, and not for beginners.
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Flordia / Spotted or Tropicals are much better fish to work with to gain some experience. Shortnosed are one of the more challenging species to work with and not generally a recommended species. Their issues are far to numerous.
 
my shotnose was never too bad, never seemed as skittish as everyone says, nowhere near as skittish as the GATF in the growout tank or the ID catfish
 
DanProwse;1553083; said:
my shotnose was never too bad, never seemed as skittish as everyone says, nowhere near as skittish as the GATF in the growout tank or the ID catfish
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Congratulations on that fish.....

the 35 to 40 I have raised and kept tell me otherwise though... Statistically you will always have maybe a few fish work out very well (If your lucky) and not be an issue, But then statistically lets also look at how many have Shortnosed gars that have been alive for more than a year or so after obtaining it.

The number is pathetically low for the number of fish available.

One would think that if this fish was so easy to keep, and does remain small, it would be far more numerous and make up a greater percentage of the fish in captivity. It is not...In fact they are rather rare in fish collections.

Be glad you do have one that has yet not decided to go nuts and kill it's self... It is however the exception and not the rule. Single cases are not representative of the species as a whole. Full Knowledge comes from repeatability with multiple fish.
 
ferco;1551998; said:
so my dreams of having gars and archers together is not possible- dam lol
oh well will just have to have 2 tanks! :D
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unless you are trying to feed the gar...nope...it's not a good idea.
 
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