this is just a tribute
- Thread starter Lepisosteus
- Start date
Nice what size tank?
Any other tank mates with them?
I've got a 9 inch florida that was sold as a gator LOL
Kinda how I found this site I was trying to ID the thing.
I'm thinking about getting the gold clown knife that was in with him but kinda want a sterlet.
Any advice for keeping him happy?
I have a sand bottom planted on one side with floating plants on top on the same side.
48 inch light on the other side. So one side is dimmer then the other.
110 HOB filter and sponge filter.
Currently have 8 Aussie rainbows & 2 whiptail catfish that look like leaves.
in 55 grow out and he's going in a 150 then a 180 ( I have the 150 now putting a 180 on layaway next week)
Will the 150 be to much for a 9 inch? right now he has plenty of room to turn in the 55.
I'm sure I'll think of more to ask.
Thanks
Rich
Any other tank mates with them?
I've got a 9 inch florida that was sold as a gator LOL
Kinda how I found this site I was trying to ID the thing.
I'm thinking about getting the gold clown knife that was in with him but kinda want a sterlet.
Any advice for keeping him happy?
I have a sand bottom planted on one side with floating plants on top on the same side.
48 inch light on the other side. So one side is dimmer then the other.
110 HOB filter and sponge filter.
Currently have 8 Aussie rainbows & 2 whiptail catfish that look like leaves.
in 55 grow out and he's going in a 150 then a 180 ( I have the 150 now putting a 180 on layaway next week)
Will the 150 be to much for a 9 inch? right now he has plenty of room to turn in the 55.
I'm sure I'll think of more to ask.
Thanks
Rich
OK a lot of questions lol. First this tank was 202 gallons probably around 180 after driftwood and sand. It was 72" x24" x27" lxWxH. I only kept Florida gars in this tank as it seemed to have made them happier. I had a few pbass and an arowana at one time but the gars were skittish, since I removed those two tank mates hand feeding and moving things around in the tank became possible. On this tank I ran two 48 inch dual t8 fixtures that were set for 12 hours a day. The gars definitely enjoyed the tank when it was planted, their behavior changed and they became more active then when I had them in a bare tank.sand I'm a fan of, I never syphoned into the substrate as all debris stayed on top and the roots from plants took in the organic matter within the sand as nutrients. A 150 will last you a good amount of time but if your getting the 180 I would put it directly into it once the gar reaches 12" which may only take a couple of months.in terms of the tankmates you currently have I only know about the rainbows and they may eventually become a snack, at 9" I wouldn't move it into the 150 as I always waited to at least 12" or until they begin hand feeding. It just seemed to have relaxed the fish. Mine were all very skittish when small
Thanks
Ya you were right about the rainbows, like ya jinxed me. LOL Came home today and now there are 7 and when I fed them on the same side as the gar they waited till the food floated over to their location to eat.
We bought them to cycle tanks with, since they were a buck apiece. moved them from tank to tank. And cycled 4 other tanks with them.
So no loss if they are snacks.
The whip tail are interesting to look @ and that's it. they pretty much play dead.
I'm glad you mentioned going straight to the 180. The 150 isn't setup yet and I only have room for one or the other. ( only one 6 foot long space left)
We started remodeling last Nov. and now we are set, and have been setting tanks up since the end of May.
So I went from chiclids/oscars ( some we had 8 years) to now I'm going with ancient fish. I'd get a arowana if I had the room, but I don't.
I want this fish to have the best he can have in a home tank enviro. As All my fish before and the ones we have now.
So any insider tips or hints are very welcome.
Your pics are a great inspiration to how good these things can look in the right tank environment.
Everything in those photos just compliment each other and scream PRIDE...
SO now to the questions.
The gar seems to favor the side with more light. Think I should light the other side? your tank looks very bright.
Do these do well in pairs? or are three better. I'd buy more of these as tank mates instead of the gold clown or sterlet.
In other words do you think he would be more comfortable with more like him?
And yes he is a bit skitish right now. I just figured it was due to the new tank.
Would three be to much for a 180? I bought him local and the shop owner says he can get more. So it's not like I'm paying 40 bux shipping.
What were you hand feeding them? And how often?
All the info on the net is pretty generic and typical fish knowledge for caring for them.
So far the most I've learned about the gar has been right here on MFK.
From reading posts by people like you that have real world exp. in keeping them.
I am sure I will have other questions.
Thanks
Rich
Ya you were right about the rainbows, like ya jinxed me. LOL Came home today and now there are 7 and when I fed them on the same side as the gar they waited till the food floated over to their location to eat.
We bought them to cycle tanks with, since they were a buck apiece. moved them from tank to tank. And cycled 4 other tanks with them.
So no loss if they are snacks.
The whip tail are interesting to look @ and that's it. they pretty much play dead.
I'm glad you mentioned going straight to the 180. The 150 isn't setup yet and I only have room for one or the other. ( only one 6 foot long space left)
We started remodeling last Nov. and now we are set, and have been setting tanks up since the end of May.
So I went from chiclids/oscars ( some we had 8 years) to now I'm going with ancient fish. I'd get a arowana if I had the room, but I don't.
I want this fish to have the best he can have in a home tank enviro. As All my fish before and the ones we have now.
So any insider tips or hints are very welcome.
Your pics are a great inspiration to how good these things can look in the right tank environment.
Everything in those photos just compliment each other and scream PRIDE...
SO now to the questions.
The gar seems to favor the side with more light. Think I should light the other side? your tank looks very bright.
Do these do well in pairs? or are three better. I'd buy more of these as tank mates instead of the gold clown or sterlet.
In other words do you think he would be more comfortable with more like him?
And yes he is a bit skitish right now. I just figured it was due to the new tank.
Would three be to much for a 180? I bought him local and the shop owner says he can get more. So it's not like I'm paying 40 bux shipping.
What were you hand feeding them? And how often?
All the info on the net is pretty generic and typical fish knowledge for caring for them.
So far the most I've learned about the gar has been right here on MFK.
From reading posts by people like you that have real world exp. in keeping them.
I am sure I will have other questions.
Thanks
Rich
Thank you for the compliments. These were and will always be my favorite fish. I had 5 in a 200 gallon so in my opinion with the right filtration 3 in a 180 is fine. Honestly after reading a thread on here about a 16 year old florida gar living in a 125 for its entire life i have no problem with saying that 3 can be kept in a 180 for life. This is in my opinion and others will disagree, its all personal preference. They definitely prefer being with fish of their kind as you will see better behavior. My tank had even lighting on both sides but even then they preferred the one side of the tank. They still used the whole tank and were active for most of the day. The skittish behavior will pass with size, age, and comfort in the new environment. You can keep 2 together but if you can get more and money isn't a problem then I say go for it. I could hand feed my gars anything. I hand fed shrimp, tilapia, silversides, and since I live on the lake any lake fish I could catch I would fillet and feed them. That saved me a lot of money and gave a very diverse diet.
I would do a nice paragraph response instead of one big blob but I'm doing this by phone so it makes it more difficult. Anyways hope it doesn't irritate you too badly.
Not a problem, I'm looking for info, not sentence structure.
I'll see if he can order up more of the gars on his next fish order.
I'm liking him more then I thought I would.
Money isn't a huge issue. I'm by no means rich but we both have 40 hour jobs and different residual incomes also.
I'll be trying to get him on talipa fillets along with feeders and other dollar fish.
I read several sites that say goldfish are not the best for them nutritional wise. That was another reason for leaving the rainbows in there after the tank cycled for a few weeks. Wife doesn't like them anyways, they were really out eating her turtles when we had them in there to cycle that tank.
Now to make my mind up on what to do with the 150. set it up just to be tore down an a year or so or go ahead with the 180 and skip the 150.
I'm a big into fishing also, so that will help supplement his diet. Due to the work on the house and setting up tanks this was the 1st year the boat didn't get moored up at the state park.
I'll see if he can order up more of the gars on his next fish order.
I'm liking him more then I thought I would.
Money isn't a huge issue. I'm by no means rich but we both have 40 hour jobs and different residual incomes also.
I'll be trying to get him on talipa fillets along with feeders and other dollar fish.
I read several sites that say goldfish are not the best for them nutritional wise. That was another reason for leaving the rainbows in there after the tank cycled for a few weeks. Wife doesn't like them anyways, they were really out eating her turtles when we had them in there to cycle that tank.
Now to make my mind up on what to do with the 150. set it up just to be tore down an a year or so or go ahead with the 180 and skip the 150.
I'm a big into fishing also, so that will help supplement his diet. Due to the work on the house and setting up tanks this was the 1st year the boat didn't get moored up at the state park.
I'd skip the 150 only if you know for sure your getting the 180. If its not a for sure thing then I would still set up the 150 so even if the worst happens the gar will still be fine.I would also try to avoid feeders, there are more negatives to positives for them. I would never buy feeders at a pet shop, I would only catch minnows directly out of the lake. This is the first year for me as well not getting out on the water. I was forced to sell off the boats as well
What's wrong with the feeders?
Just wondering..
The place I buy them from ( off and on for 20 years) has never given me a problem.
Other then poor nutritional value.
I get them mainly in the winter months when I don't fish.
Only reason I have them now is no time to go get WC minnows.
I normally keep the feeders in a separate tank for a while.
Right now I have about 50 out in two different 10G tanks outside and 25/30 in with the Gar.
Speaking of feeders and feeding.
How often should I feed GARfield? Or just leave a pile of fish in there and let him eat what he wants?
Also at what point should I try hand feeding it?
Thanks
Rich
Just wondering..
The place I buy them from ( off and on for 20 years) has never given me a problem.
Other then poor nutritional value.
I get them mainly in the winter months when I don't fish.
Only reason I have them now is no time to go get WC minnows.
I normally keep the feeders in a separate tank for a while.
Right now I have about 50 out in two different 10G tanks outside and 25/30 in with the Gar.
Speaking of feeders and feeding.
How often should I feed GARfield? Or just leave a pile of fish in there and let him eat what he wants?
Also at what point should I try hand feeding it?
Thanks
Rich
