I have a 140gal. tank with a foot print of 48" long by 28" wide. I have a foot long fire eel, 7 to 8 inch Black Ghost Knife, and 4 clown loaches about 4 inches. Can I put a Spotted gar in it with no threat to my other inhabitants?
Spotted Gar
- Thread starter Brian G
- Start date
the eel and knife might be at risk depending on the size of the gar...same for the loaches, but if the other fish are to small for the gar to eat then it could work...just be ready for any problems so you can seperate them and hopefully not lose any fish...will need a longer tank in the longrun for the gar and wider for the eel as they get quite large...even though it is flexible it is better for the fish to have more room...and all those fish would do better in a bigger tank in the long run...imo
a single FL gar (which is what you'd be getting if you purchase the typical "gar with spots" from an LFS...spotted gars are generally not available in the hobby) will not require a longer tank than 4'...it's not going to grow to that length in captivity (or really otherwise). the loaches would be the main fish at risk...they grow more slowly than the gar, so it may quickly surpass the loaches...although they MIGHT be too big to swallow, either one or both fish may die if the gar tries to do so.--
--solomon
--solomon
Does a gars growth rate slow down at about 8 inches if so do you think an 8 inch gar will try to eat a 4 inch clown loach?
I find that the growth slows at about twelve inches. At least, that's the way it seemed with mine. I worry for the loaches and the gars if the gars were to try eating a loach. Loaches have little barbs that could injure the gar if he were to try and eat the loach.
if the clown loach has much girth and is truly about 4 inches, the 8 inch gar probably won't try to eat it. gar have narrow mouths. it would take a larger gar to eat a fat, 4-inch loach.
12 in is about when they slow ive found as well. but my main florida didnt slow till over 16". hes 17" now!