Should I get a Gar?

[SaltyCrak]

I just got back from the LFS and they have a baby spotted gar (garpike?) for sale. It is such a beautiful fish and I'm really keen to go guy him. BUT, it's rather expensive and I don't know if it will play nice with my other fish in the tank I would be slapping him into...
The gar is about 2"/3" now and my tank consists of a 10" fire eel, a 5" tyretrack, a 10" ropefish and a 3" oscar.
It's a 250l planted tank with sand substrate and the temp is around 28C.

What you you guys think?

P.S. I've got a 650l tank that currently houses my 8yr old Emperor Snakehead. So by the time the gar is big enough to warrant a larger tank, the Snakehead will have capsized or I'll have built a bigger tank for him.

 

[vaine111]

Good luck with the new gar.

 

[SaltyCrak]

Good luck with the new gar.

ha ha ha, i haven't bought it yet. i was just wanting some advise as to whether or not i should go for it.

 

[vaine111]

That was my way of saying go get it.

 

[SaltyCrak]

That was my way of saying go get it.

for sure! that's what I was thinking...

if the store it still open, i'm gonna get it now!

 

[vaine111]

Hurry I'm going there right now to get it also...

I'll race ya.

 

[xander]

I just got back from the LFS and they have a baby spotted gar (garpike?) for sale. It is such a beautiful fish and I'm really keen to go guy him. BUT, it's rather expensive and I don't know if it will play nice with my other fish in the tank I would be slapping him into...
The gar is about 2"/3" now and my tank consists of a 10" fire eel, a 5" tyretrack, a 10" ropefish and a 3" oscar.
It's a 250l planted tank with sand substrate and the temp is around 28C.

What you you guys think?

P.S. I've got a 650l tank that currently houses my 8yr old Emperor Snakehead. So by the time the gar is big enough to warrant a larger tank, the Snakehead will have capsized or I'll have built a bigger tank for him.

no it will be eaten for sure, the size difference is too great. even if it survives the tankmates, from personal experience it will be constantly bullied by the oscar.

 

[vaine111]

All oscars don't just constantly bully everything.

 

[xander]

All oscars don't just constantly bully everything.

true, but unfortunately, it seems to be mostly the case. there'll always be exceptions, but we generally go by the rule rather than the exceptions. the size difference also spells bad news for the gar. to the OP, what is the size of your grow out tank?

 

[T@nkbuster]

Have to agree with xander, if any of those could pose a threat, my money would be on the oscar. I'm not saying it won't work, they might all get along and you'll live happily ever after. Good luck.