The right gar for me & where can I get him?

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J

JAF

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jun 27, 2009
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West Virginia
So I'm thinking about getting a gar... But I'm unsure what species for me would be best since I won't be able to get a large tank until next year. I can buy a 75 gallon bow front at my local pet store & sadly it's the largest tank they offer.

I know no matter what gar I get I will probably need a bigger tank once he gets older.. I was thinking a florida or spotted would be the smartest choices for now.

Though I'm still unsure... And also I'm unsure as to where I can purchase one since my local pet stores never have carried gars as a pet fish.. Is there any online places to buy gars?. And if so are they reliable?

Srry for so many questions... But it's been about 10yrs since I left this hobby & now I'm getting back into it.

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I've kept gars before but I can't really recall what types they were... I think they were florida or spotted.. I remember one was a long nose.

Back then I only had 55 gallon tanks & they seemed to do fine... But since I've been reading posts on this forum I'm realizing it probably wasn't a good idea to keep them in there for a long period of time.

Also is there anything I can feed my gar besides live fish?... I saw a youtube video of a guy feeding his gar hikari chiclid pellets.
 
with a 75gal, yr only option is a spotted/florida gar. you could get away with shortnoses but they just aren't first gar material. get a florida, upgrade in a years time, test the gar waters and then venture out to more species:)
 
xander;3280022; said:
with a 75gal, yr only option is a spotted/florida gar. you could get away with shortnoses but they just aren't first gar material. get a florida, upgrade in a years time, test the gar waters and then venture out to more species:)
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So my best bet is a florida gar... Will he be safe with two 5 1/2 inch oscars in a 49 gallon for a few months until I get my college money?

I remember keeping my gars with oscars.. But I introduced them to the tank at the same time... These oscars have been alone in the tank for about a month and I'm not sure how they will handle a new tank mate.
 
I think Xander's advice is good, but it will not work with 2 Oscars. Even if it is just a year, that will be too much bioload for a 75.
 
Angler;3280085; said:
I think Xander's advice is good, but it will not work with 2 Oscars. Even if it is just a year, that will be too much bioload for a 75.
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Was not going to put the Oscars in with him... I just need to know if he can live with them for a few months in a 49 until I get my student grant to buy the 75.

He wouldn't be a huge gar... I'm looking for something around 6 - 8inches.. Though my pet stores keep saying they can get me one but they never deliver.

I have fairly good filtration on my 49.. And I do my weekly water changes.. If I must get better filtration I will.
 
no oscars with gar. period. now when u have then tank, try snookn21 in here. he carrys some awesome floridas. GL
 
Well I've hit a roadblock... The only gars my pet stores can get in are long nose gars. And I'm not really wanting a long nose... They said to give them a call next week and they might be able to get some florida or gator gars.

Though a gator gar is a little much for me at the moment... Though I will be moving next year to a place where I can have a 50 thousand gallon pound dug for me.

But it will take a few years for me to gather the money... How fast do gator gars grow exactly?
 
an inch a month on a slow month:P

around 17-20inches by the first growing season
 
PM SNOOKN21!!! he has nice floridas, for a good price, with some of the cheapest and best shipping for gar!!! gl, and dont trust ur LFS. if you want them contact him. if u had experience i would say contact journey for shortys, but u dont. so go with a florida, dont put him with oscars!! GL!
 
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