New gar breathing heavy and swimming strangely

[tlindsey]

Ok will do. Appreciate the advice.

Don't suppose you know what type of gar I have? I was told he is a spotted gar, but a friend of mine supposedly has a 'spotted gar' and the 2 look completely different. Like mine has more of a splatted pattern look with a long line streak from his gill plates and brown in colour. My friends gar has a really defined spots, no lines or splatted pattern and more silver in colour. Both were bought from the same LFS.

Your gar is probably younger so juvenile color and pattern. Reminds of a Florida Gar though.

 

[SaltyPlum]

Your gar is probably younger so juvenile color and pattern. Reminds of a Florida Gar though.

So i just shut down the power to do a water change and I've never seen the gar so active. He is swimming up and down the glass cruising around up around the surface, like acting normal i feel. Do you think maybe the waterflow from the return was to strong?

 

[kno4te]

So i just shut down the power to do a water change and I've never seen the gar so active. He is swimming up and down the glass cruising around up around the surface, like acting normal i feel. Do you think maybe the waterflow from the return was to strong?

Could be. Keep the flow down for a bit and see what happens.

 

[SaltyPlum]

Could be. Keep the flow down for a bit and see what happens.

Yeah well the tank he was housed in before was just a basic 55g with an internal sponge filter as the filtration. No flow at all and he seemed really active and happy. Seeing how acting he is now with the return pump off makes me think it might be the flow

 

[SaltyPlum]

Hey lads, it will be 7 days tomorrow since I added the gar to my tank and it still hasn't eaten and acting skittish. How long can these guys last without food?

 

[boomerk9]

Try switching off the lights to keep the room dark. Also try dropping a bite sized piece of shelled shrimp near to it, sometimes they are a bit too stressed to chase live food.

 

[SaltyPlum]

Try switching off the lights to keep the room dark. Also try dropping a bite sized piece of shelled shrimp near to it, sometimes they are a bit too stressed to chase live food.

It's meant to be pellet trained, and ive tried floating and sinking pellets and he doesn't budge. Ive even dropped some sinking pellets close to its face and he still wont show any signs like he is hungry.

I have noticed the past couple of nights when i turn the tank lights off he will come out from hiding and be more active.

 

[boomerk9]

Being pellet trained might be iffy, if they don't take shrimp meat then you know it's really stressed.

 

[Galantspeedz]

Is the tank cycled?

 

[SaltyPlum]

Is the tank cycled?

Yeah the tank is cycled, its been running around 4 months now. I have a pair of motoro rays, 5 silver dollars and a male JD. All fish are happy and healthy and get on great, no signs of aggression or any other fish stressing the gar out. All he does is mope around, either near the drift wood closest to the corner or up high out of sight. I catch him cruising around from time to time. But he doesn't show any signs that he is interesed in food. Food will hit him in the face and he doesn't do anything... such a downer to see it act like this!