Longnose gar and smallmouth bass same tank?

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
J

jonghi

Feeder Fish
Jul 31, 2009
4
0
0
West Coast PA
I've recently obtained a baby gar (looks like longnose gar from pictures on web and this forum) and have had it in a tank for 3 or 4 days. The gar has been eating small guppies and minnows (2 in 4 days-so every other day). NOTE: I have not seen the LN gar eat but minnows are missing and gar observed with "bump" in stomach area.The gar seems to be doing fine. LN gar is about 3.5-4 inches.

In another tank I have a baby smallmouth bass, which is about 2.75-3 inches. This SM bass will eat as many fish as I will place in tank.

I was wondering if I can introduce these two fish into same tank?

Being a newbie and definitely no expert on these two species I am unsure how they will behave. I don't think either will be a physical threat to the other, but I am more concerned on there current feeding habits.
  • As mentioned above, the LN gar eats slowly and (currently) every other day and the SM bass is a pig.
  • I worried that the SM bass will eat every fish and leave nothing for the LN gar, or will the LN gar take care of itself?
Should I put together or should I wait or avoid putting them together?

Thanks in advance. Jonghi
 
If you combine them, the gar will eventually get hungry and figure out that he better get up and go if he wants any food. However, I'd be concerned in the future once that bass gets bigger that he could harm/eat the gar - especially if he's a bigger eater it's likely he'll grow faster.
 
Gator --- how much should 3.5 in gar eat. minnows are 1.5 in and up. ate 2 in less than 4 days (closer to 3.5 now). should LN gar be eating as much as SM bass?
 
Wow! thats like 12 per day for a baby LN gar fish...where would he put them?

LN is starting to eat more. overnight 2 more minnows have been eaten. so thats around 5 since tuesday evening (today is sat morning).

I'll keep an eye on LN gar and keep feeding all it can eat. May put SM bass on diet.

My long term plan is to release both fish in fall (or if necessary next spring), so hope they don't outgrow existing setups.

What is "safe" size to release either fish as to increase survival chances from being food for others?
 
I WON'T TRUST THE GAR HE WILL EAT THE SMALLMOUTH BASS I HAVE ONE AND IT ATE MY PICKEREL AND TRY TO EAT MY AFRICAN TIGER FISH HAD THEM TO THE 125
 
jonghi;3328202; said:
Wow! thats like 12 per day for a baby LN gar fish...where would he put them?

LN is starting to eat more. overnight 2 more minnows have been eaten. so thats around 5 since tuesday evening (today is sat morning).

I'll keep an eye on LN gar and keep feeding all it can eat. May put SM bass on diet.

My long term plan is to release both fish in fall (or if necessary next spring), so hope they don't outgrow existing setups.

What is "safe" size to release either fish as to increase survival chances from being food for others?
Click to expand...

You put them in the tank with the LN... But the bigger problem is that you want to release the fish back into the wild which is a BIG no no thats how you release exotic diseases into the wild which our native fish have no defenses against.
 
jonghi;3328202; said:
My long term plan is to release both fish in fall (or if necessary next spring), so hope they don't outgrow existing setups.

What is "safe" size to release either fish as to increase survival chances from being food for others?
Click to expand...

Yah, no releasing back into the wild. If you can't care for them long term, then I'd go ahead and start looking for someone to take them.
 
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