Question on temp
- Thread starter troutking
- Start date
troutking;4736239; said:So ino gars are native to n america.....so they're coldwater right? But i see every1 on mfk and lfs's keep them in warmer temps....so is it okay to keep them in colder temperate temps?
this is somewhat a relative question and also includes a misnomer in terms of fishes and temperature. gars are not "coldwater" fishes, they are "temperate" fishes. coldwater, coolwater, and warmwater are classifications generally used for temperate water fishes. the group in contrast to temperate water fishes is tropical fishes.
gars can do well in tropical conditions, but their status within the temperate fishes group is "warmwater" (bowfin, bullhead catfishes, most sunfishes also belong to this group). an example of true coldwater fishes would be trout/salmon.
so depending on what you consider "coldwater" temps, gars can get by. indoors in captivity, i wouldn't recommend keeping them below 60F, as their growth and tissue regeneration tend to cease around this point. if they are in a large outdoor pond (that doesn't freeze all the way through) they can get by if they are large enough in size...i would not risk this with most captive-raised gars, especially within their 1st, 2nd, and potentially 3rd years.
obviously tropical/Cuban gars should not be kept in colder, temperate conditions, Florida gars don't always do so hot either.--
--solomon
On this same topic: Which species within the family Lepisosteidae could do well in an outside pond in S. California? This hypothetical pond never freezes.
Would the spotted gar thrive in an environment like this?
How about the Florida gar--too cold in California?
I am just curious; I have no intention of keeping any illegal fish within the state of California.
Would the spotted gar thrive in an environment like this?
How about the Florida gar--too cold in California?
I am just curious; I have no intention of keeping any illegal fish within the state of California.
Madding;4738809; said:
It gets down close to, but just above freezing. However, this is for only the coldest nights of the year.
