Polypterus_36's Cuban gar thread

[Polypterus_36]

Just made this thread to document and share their growth ?


I have a group of 8
I have future plans of breeding them and using them as fish ambassadors for their wild population.

 

[suckerfish]

Awesome!!

 

[Polypterus_36]

2 have broken their backs sadly, but they are still healthy and eating.
The other 6 are also doing very well.

 

[The Masked Shadow]

How much were they?

 

[Polypterus_36]

Bad bad news...
I've had some awful luck with my group of 6 Cuban gar from Chicago Stingrays. Literally every single one, except for one, "broke" their back just recently from who knows what. Many Cuban gar experts/owners (ex: Hao Peng) have told me that they are not "breaking their backs", but their backs are bending from something in my area's water that I cannot control... All of them are growing in a 4x2 tank with a filtration of an aquaclear 110 hob, fluval fx6, and some pothos. I also do weekly 50-90 percent water changes. All of the cubans are still eating though which is a good sign. I also keep a 11 inch tropical gar in the same tank and he is having no issues.
Some pics of the situation:

All of them are still eating, but I want to find the cure to this. Thanks.
B biggerthebetter (here you go ?)

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

Thank you so much for this. Have you asked Brad if he saw this or if he knows what this is and why?

This is way bizarre. I really hope this is not genetic. Is freeze dried krill all you feed yours? It may be too high in thiaminase, causing a shortage of vitamin B1. To test this hypothesis, I'd urgently presoak their feed in VitaChem or in a solution of vitamin B1!

Also, it doesn't look like there is much waves and shaking and tossing at the surface, which is good. I'd make sure the surface is not too agitated and the fish are not tossed by waves 24/7 and there are calm, sluggish current areas. 4x2 tank with two filters may be creating too much current, but from your video it doesn't look that way.

It'd be nice if you reported what exactly those "many" cuban gar experts like Hao said. By link or copy and paste here.

I find it hard to buy the water hypothesis but at the face value anything seems possible.

Sorry about this, really am. I just got 7 of these. Let's try to save yours and observe mine and learn together.

Cowturtle how is your cuban??

koltsixx how are yours, Josh?

Ours: https://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/...-florida-gar-12-15.679353/page-4#post-8374649

 

[Polypterus_36]

Thank you so much for this. Have you asked Brad if he saw this or if he knows what this is and why?

This is way bizarre. I really hope this is not genetic. Is freeze dried krill all you feed yours? It may be too high in thiaminase, causing a shortage of vitamin B1. To test this hypothesis, I'd urgently presoak their feed in VitaChem or in a solution of vitamin B1!

Also, it doesn't look like there is much waves and shaking and tossing at the surface, which is good. I'd make sure the surface is not too agitated and the fish are not tossed by waves 24/7 and there are calm, sluggish current areas. 4x2 tank with two filters may be creating too much current, but from your video it doesn't look that way.

It'd be nice if you reported what exactly those "many" cuban gar experts like Hao said. By link or copy and paste here.

I find it hard to buy the water hypothesis but at the face value anything seems possible.

Sorry about this, really am. I just got 7 of these. Let's try to save yours and observe mine and learn together.

Cowturtle how is your cuban??

koltsixx how are yours, Josh?

Ours: https://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/...-florida-gar-12-15.679353/page-4#post-8374649

I do feed krill mainly, but I also feed carnivore pellets, and silversides.
One person I talked to was Jush .He has 3 Cuban gar that are all doing well. We talked over a voice chat, but he was basically saying that it could be very possible that it has to do with my water. Maybe he can chime in and describe it more detail of what exactly he said. We talked out ph and kh factors mainly.
Hao sent me this photo from Facebook:

The reply was from a well-respected gar keeper.
You can see the back curve is the same as the cuban in the first pic. It's the same angle and spot.
My water parameters need to be checked (I do not have a tester on me at the moment), but I do a weekly water change of 50-90 percent on the tank every week. The tank has good filtration(aquaclear 110 hob with pothos and a Fluval fx6). There is most definitely no extremely high flow from the outputs. This is the first issue I've had with gar so far. The ones I've kept and raised before never had these sort of issues.
This is just so bizarre since all of them broke their backs within a month. All were healthy and fine before.
I've also forgot to mention that I lost 2 already. Both had very similar symptoms where they lost complete control of their body. I tried to save them in a shallow bucket of water with salt treatments, but it sadly did not work and both of the gar passed yesterday.
Thanks for the support guys.

 

[tlindsey]

I do feed krill mainly, but I also feed carnivore pellets, and silversides.
One person I talked to was Jush .He has 3 Cuban gar that are all doing well. We talked over a voice chat, but he was basically saying that it could be very possible that it has to do with my water. Maybe he can chime in and describe it more detail of what exactly he said. We talked out ph and kh factors mainly.
Hao sent me this photo from Facebook:
View attachment 1473308
The reply was from a well-respected gar keeper.
You can see the back curve is the same as the cuban in the first pic. It's the same angle and spot.
My water parameters need to be checked (I do not have a tester on me at the moment), but I do a weekly water change of 50-90 percent on the tank every week. The tank has good filtration(aquaclear 110 hob with pothos and a Fluval fx6). There is most definitely no extremely high flow from the outputs. This is the first issue I've had with gar so far. The ones I've kept and raised before never had these sort of issues.
This is just so bizarre since all of them broke their backs within a month. All were healthy and fine before.
I've also forgot to mention that I lost 2 already. Both had very similar symptoms where they lost complete control of their body. I tried to save them in a shallow bucket of water with salt treatments, but it sadly did not work and both of the gar passed yesterday.
Thanks for the support guys.

Sorry for the loss.

 

[Caveden]

Sorry for your loss. Hao if it is really due to the water, is there a way to be treated?

 

[Hao]

Sorry for your loss. Hao if it is really due to the water, is there a way to be treated?

There is always a small chance of the back recovering over time. But there are no guarantees. The message I shared with Polypterus_36 bout water parameter was from an experienced gar keeper who owned cubans and other difference species. I've personally never experienced that. Just found it kind of odd to have multiple cubans all break their back. So no idea what the actual truth is.