My gar is very aggressive when eating?

[JAF]

My' Gar is abnormally aggressive when feeding, he steals food and injures my other fish in the process. He usually eats way too much, but still acts hungry. I feed him tilpia, kryll, plankton and blood worms.

I thought Gars were normally the victims of food stealing and that is why it wasn't a good thing to keep them with large Cichlids. I currently have him with two TFB's, one Mystus Cat and a Pike. My Pike will take my Gars food and my Gar chases him down and steals it right back.

Is this normal Gar behavoir? Does he have an eating disorder so bad that it's made him abnormally aggressive?

 

[zspidel]

im not 100% sure, as im new to this also, but maybe your tank is too small. i have my 6" gator gar and 2 baby oscars in a 120 and they seem to get along fine. in fact, ill catch all 4 of them swimming at the top together. what kind of gar is it btw

 

[JAF]

im not 100% sure, as im new to this also, but maybe your tank is too small. i have my 6" gator gar and 2 baby oscars in a 120 and they seem to get along fine. in fact, ill catch all 4 of them swimming at the top together. what kind of gar is it btw

He is a Florida Gar; currently 10inches and in a 55gallon aquarium... Upgrading to a bigger tank in a few months.

 

[zspidel]

He is a Florida Gar; currently 10inches and in a 55gallon aquarium... Upgrading to a bigger tank in a few months.

i got ya. i love floridas. beautiful markings. i did the same thing w my gator. my friend had a florida in a 55, but sadly never updated.....

 

[E_americanus]

gars are generally aggressive feeders, and then relatively non-aggressive otherwise. keep in mind this is all relative, many types of cichlids are more aggressive feeders than gars (doesn't make gars non-aggressive feeders, just makes them less so in comparison). gar is acting normally, some are more aggressive than others--
--solomon

 

[JAF]

gars are generally aggressive feeders, and then relatively non-aggressive otherwise. keep in mind this is all relative, many types of cichlids are more aggressive feeders than gars (doesn't make gars non-aggressive feeders, just makes them less so in comparison). gar is acting normally, some are more aggressive than others--
--solomon

Is it normal for a Gar his size to be hungry all the time? I feed him three times a week and it never seems to be enough.

Most of the other Gars I've had in the past knew when to stop eating, but he will eat until he can't shove anymore down... even then he still tries. I feed him two pieces of tilpia at a time, but I also feed my barbs and pike tilpia as well and they don't get much.. I mean to only feed him a little, but I think I'm unintentionally feeding him too much by feeding my other fish.

 

[Bennlfer]

I feed my two florida gars almost every night and they pack A LOT down and still seem hungry. I have gotten scared before because their stomachs were huge. But sure enough the next day they ate the same amount again!

I would say he is normal. My Florida gars are pigs and i think others here too will tell you the same.