spotted gar OR flordia gar???

[nguyenz]

Hello all. Do you know if this is a spotted gar or a flordia gar. It doesnt matter what i have, i just want to learn more about them. It is hard to id flordia and spotted since they are so similar.

 

[packer43064]

IDK what it is, by my Florida looks nothing like that at all.

 

[Hao]

spotted

 

[Lepisosteus platyrhincus]

florida
were did u get it?

 

[packer43064]

If it's a Florida, how come my looks totally different from that.

 

[Lepisosteus platyrhincus]

patterns rarely help with iding a gar of this species. they vary so greatly and r so closly alike. unless urs is wil caught and u can provide were i can almost guarentee that it is a florida. urs and this one. lus this does not look like a spotted. 99% sure its not

 

[Hao]

patterns rarely help with iding a gar of this species. they vary so greatly and r so closly alike. unless urs is wil caught and u can provide were i can almost guarentee that it is a florida. urs and this one. lus this does not look like a spotted. 99% sure its not

i agree my florida looks nothing like it but they might be from different regions right? thats why the patterns are totally diff

 

[xander]

patterns are highly variable and do not help much in telling between these 2 species? if you do not already know what you have(by means of knowing the fish's locality), then you most likely have a florida

 

[nguyenz]

Do they change patterns once they get bigger than that size?

 

[Lepisosteus platyrhincus]

patterns can change. usually do. your substrate is black. floridas tend to change with substrate color. mine are lighter. if i change it they will darken.