Seeking advice (long read sorry)

[Leon the Professional]

I'm a general contractor (haven't had a tank in 15 years which were African cichlids) and recently took a full remodel job from a real-estate company on a house. The previous tenants were evicted back in December and they left a 150 gallon tank (48x24x30). I assumed all the fish would be dead after finding out when the house was last occupied.

However there is def a skinny live gar. I’m totally shocked he was alive as he hadn’t eaten in 3 months.

I’ve been an avid fisherman since youth and it is not a native long or short nose. My first day there I left immediately to get some feeder fish and this guy promptly ate 3 of them.

I'm sorry if that wasn't the right thing to do I just felt so bad for him. The tank had like 30% of the water it should have, full of rubbish & it wasn't filtering but it had a bubbler and heater going.

I spoke to someone at a state fishery/ game and parks. Sent them email video and expert confirmed not native species otherwise they would have taken for their educational aquarium. They said Florida or spotted? (Racists, just kidding)

I have to get him out of the house this weekend as the painting contractors begin spraying the entire interior on Monday. And I want to bring the entire set up to my house.

Today I purchased 3 45 gallon rubbermaids, scrubbed with very hot water, filled, treated with prime and threw an air stone in all 3. I also purchased test kits.

my ultimate goal for him is a private pond but in the meantime I gotta get him out of there. The filter is a sunsun HW 304B. I understand I can’t just fire it back up due to toxicity. Can I clean the rings and bioballs then just buy new filters? Should I buy all new stuff to go in it? Should I just buy a whole new filter?
realistically how much do I need to drain to transport this tank. I also want to completely remove all the stuff the old owners put in the tank and give my guy all new that allows him more room.

I’ve been reading so much on this site about Florida gar and just trying to learn as much as possible. I haven’t seen anything about ‘emergency moving of large tank’

Can someone just explain to how they would approach the situation moving him with the least amount of stress to this poor neglected fish? He’s been through so much and I just want to give him a good life. Money is not an issue for me (not trying to sound like a d-bag just communicating I’ll do what I have to in order to save him.)

thank you for any input, if i already did something wrong I’m sorry. I just really want to help this little dude. Sorry for the novel.

View attachment IMG_2219.jpeg

 

[Trouser Cough]

A few questions and a couple of comments...

- There's only one Gar in that tank? If so, why the three trashcans?

- How big is that Gar? Looks like maybe a ten incher?

- The filter s/b still good.

- The bacteria you need is everywhere. In the sand, on the ornaments, etc.

- I would drain some of the water from the tank into the trash can and dump the gar in the trash can along w/ a generous bit of substrate and all of the ornaments.

- Drain the aquarium completely prior to moving it. Take everything out of it as well. They should be moved empty.

- I would clean the filter completely and let the bacteria on the ornaments and substrate you saved seed the filter.

- Once you get it filled up I'd feed that Gar very little for the first week or so and I'd monitor ammonia, nitrite, nitrate every day until it stabilized

- If you live a long way from that house I might check pH of the Gar's tank and the water at your house but it kind of doesn't matter as it's moving regardless.

- When you have the tank set up at your place wait a day or two and see if the Gar will take pellets. If so, you'll eliminate the live food parasite vector.

That's a lucky Gar.

 

[tlindsey]

However there is def a skinny live gar. I’m totally shocked he was alive as he hadn’t eaten in 3 months.

Wow it probably was very healthy or would have died. Gar's are pretty tough.
You probably could ask 2-3 friends to help you with moving the aquarium. Yes clean the old bio rings and bio balls with part bleach and water in a bucket or replace with new biomedia. You will have to start a new cycle. I suggest cycle the aquarium without the gar in it because of what it's been thru. I suggest using the fish less method to cycle the aquarium.

 

[duanes]

Wow it probably was very healthy or would have died. Gar's are pretty tough.
You probably could ask 2-3 friends to help you with moving the aquarium. Yes clean the old bio rings and bio balls with part bleach and water in a bucket or replace with new biomedia. You will have to start a new cycle. I suggest cycle the aquarium without the gar in it because of what it's been thru. I suggest using the fish less method to cycle the aquarium.

Agree with the above.
And Gars can easily go 3 months without eating.
Some of the northern type might go an entire winter with barely a snack.
I 'd use a large cooler to transport it.

 

[Trouser Cough]

I suggest cycle the aquarium without the gar in it because of what it's been thru.

I hadn't considered that. It's an outstanding idea.