Spotted Gar - Lepisosteus oculatus

[Madding]

This guy is about six inches long. I received him about a week ago from Solomon. I'm trying to fatten him up a bit, but otherwise he is doing great. Camera shy, though, so most of the pictures look very similiar. He wouldn't leave the back of the tank.

Bonus pictures - Florida Gar updates!

Enjoy!

- Michael

 

[King-eL]

That's the only gar that I probably won't be able to have. Getting my cubans and more trops anytime soon.

nice spotty!

 

[Madding]

That's the only gar that I probably won't be able to have. Getting my cubans and more trops anytime soon.

nice spotty!

THanks!

Do you have a source for trops and cubans that would ship to the US?

 

[xander]

nice! try getting a comparison shot between the florida & the spotted? also i really wouldn't have that silver in there

 

[Madding]

nice! try getting a comparison shot between the florida & the spotted? also i really wouldn't have that silver in there

I'll try, sure.

There is only a Black Aro in there. I bought him at the same time (same day, actually) as the Florida and so far my timing on growth rates has kept them from being a problem to each other. I have other large tanks that I can move the Aro or Spotted to if any problems arise. Blacks are a bit more laid back than Silvers though so I am hoping to get lucky.

 

[xander]

I'll try, sure.

There is only a Black Aro in there. I bought him at the same time (same day, actually) as the Florida and so far my timing on growth rates has kept them from being a problem to each other. I have other large tanks that I can move the Aro or Spotted to if any problems arise. Blacks are a bit more laid back than Silvers though so I am hoping to get lucky.

good luck with the combo, as with almost all aro/gar combos, it's pretty hit & miss. though you probably already know that. you might want to also ensure the gar doesn't get big enough to figure it could eat the aro's tail (gars have a tendency of overestimating their gape limitations). you could end up with half an aro when it seemed impossible for the gar to think it could eat the aro.

reGARdless, good luck

 

[King-eL]

THanks!

Do you have a source for trops and cubans that would ship to the US?

I'm actually trying to find a way to get some to the US as I know most buyers are there. But so far no good. It sucks! Not even many gar keepers here in BC.

 

[Hao]

nice gar!

 

[E_americanus]

looks great michael! he has already colored up a ton compared to the experimental tanks they were in (where they are all pretty much flushed all the time and look like shortnoses). you can really see the more elongate snout of the spotted (this is a Michigan specimen) and some other subtleties too.

i'm sure he will continue to color up for you and should start to take frozen silversides with no problem (i would use a feeding stick to get him started).

i've had similar experience with a black arowana and gars...they all seemed to get along ok, but this was just one case (but did work just fine). had similar success with a silver but for a much shorter period of time (sold off the silver).

looking forward to further updates!--
--solomon

 

[jsodwi]

Nice gar. I have two aros in my tank with 4 large gars. Every once in a while I get a torn fin or two from the gar aggression durning feeding but otherwise they get along great. Good luck