Shortnose gar growth progression pics.

[Conner]

Nice thread Conner. Glad the shortnose I got found it's way back to you. Hope it's doing well.

Thanks! Yeah, he's doing well. Took him a while to adjust to the other fish in there, and I still don't see him eat very often (he just doesn't eat when I'm watching. he waits till I turn my back).

I can't wait till I can set up my 220g for them so they're a little less cramped. I'm very interested to bring the shorties in from outside once it warms up or I have space so I can see what the difference is between shorties left to winter outside, and shorties kept inside at warm temps all winter.

 

[E_americanus]

great job with the documentation conner! glad to see the fishes are doing well - are there plans to put them back out in the pond this year as well? the group is about 2-3 years old now?--
--solomon

 

[Conner]

great job with the documentation conner! glad to see the fishes are doing well - are there plans to put them back out in the pond this year as well? the group is about 2-3 years old now?--
--solomon

Well, 3 of the shortnose and the spotted gar I got from you have all been out in the pond since September. I left them out there to overwinter, and they seem to be doing fine. VERY low activity level once the temps dropped below about 50F. I haven't witnessed a single breaching for air since November. I've also had to spend way too many cold mornings breaking ice on the surface so they'd have somewhere to breath from .

I have 1 shortnose gar (from jworth, which I had initially sold to him last summer) and 3 Florida gars in my 125g indoors, which is kept at a fairly constant 75F in winter. The large Florida gar is probably 3 years old now, and the other 2 are probably 1 year old (YOY from this past spring, I believe).

These shortnose gars are now just under 2 years old, I'd guess. I got them as YOY at the beginning of July 2009. They are all now in the 20-22" range, although I'll need to get them out of the pond to measure accurately.

If I end up staying in this house another year, I will put all the gars (all 8 of them) out in the pond for the summer. However, we are trying very hard to sell the house and move to a larger place with more room. If that happens, they will either all go into a temporary pond in the garage/basement of the new house, or into the 220g if I can get it set up.

If we move, I will most likely look at adding an outdoor pond if the yard is large enough. If I do, the gar will probably spend most summers in the pond, and winters in the 220g (or possibly larger).

If I can't add a pond at the potential new house, I will build a large pond/tank inside (probably in a garage). I have an idea for a pond which has glass for the top 18-24", but the bottom 18-24" is solid. That will cut down on the glass cost and provide some side viewing of fish as well. This would be their permanent home in both summer and winter.