what's in the box...with a quick [video] answer...

[E_americanus]

Wow, I thought that there would be more out there; I didn't realize that the first two importations didn't do very well to quite that extent.

I'm pretty sure that the CA one is for sale now. I saw it posted on that other fish forum for $1550; it's supposed to be 20" or larger. I would doubt that anyone else has been able to bring in Cuban gars of that size recently, and, from what I can tell from what you have said about these gars, it seems that they grow pretty slow which would imply that the one for sale is an older gar.

interesting, i will have to check that other site just out of curiosity. obviously that price is ridiculous for the fish, but i guess if someone will pay it then that's what it's worth. of course the price is probably further hiked since it's in an illegal state (which doesn't seemed to be policed as well over there).

that being said, in terms of the historical imports of that species, the first one wasn't really an issue that they didn't do so well, it was more that the numbers were extremely small. there were actually 7 fish, mine was the first and brought in individually. Shark Aquarium was integral with that, and i was extremely excited - the pics on the old primitivefishes.com site are mainly of that first specimen (i will dig them up and post eventually, and add to the new site).

once that was successfully pulled off, we imported 6 more of the same size from the same source. over time they were lost for various reasons...i actually had a lot come through my way, but managed to kill them off because we didn't yet know all the pH/sensitivity issues. i actually have 5 of those individuals...2 alive, 3 preserved (2 of those are sitting on the windowsill of the basement, 3rd is in formalin).

it's the second major importation where they didn't do so well...they were small, and although we tried to inform people of their sensitivity, i don't think a lot of the info caught on. a lot of the Cubans floating around now (nearly all of them) are from that order - except the YOYs from this 3rd major importation.

now we know a lot more about them (heck it's 7 years later) and they tend to have better survival (there are still some issues, but you'll have that with any fish).

hope that helps - kind of a capsule review of CBG recent history in the US hobby --
--solomon

 

[channarox]

Your setups for the recent batches seem very bare.

Are they really that sensitive?

 

[E_americanus]

Your setups for the recent batches seem very bare.

Are they really that sensitive?

there has actually been some variability with the "pre-study" setups, and the latest is pretty elaborate, relatively speaking.

the first study was several sponge filters and that was it (in the prep-tank 50g breeder).

second study was a medium sized powerfilter and a few plants - power filter proved to be a bit on the strong side (was good for water quality, but bad in terms of energy expenditures for the gars). also had a little bit of aragonite sand substrate (from the big lungfish tank).

the third study prep-tank is still a 50g breeder but i have a ton of plants in there and two large sponge filters. hoping this cover helps the little gars feed better (at this size they are really shy and primarily feed at night, even if surrounded by food).

the actual study tanks are meant to be pretty bare and simple so as to keep the variables under control. just a power filter, a heater, and a few plants for a little cover/nutrient consumption. primary issue there is that all the replicates are the same.

the current holding tank for the big study 1 fish (all around 9.5-11" now) is a 75g with two larger power filters and several pounds of aragonite sand. feeding is a bit more moderate (although it's krill and pellets, so nutritional value tends to be a bit higher per gram), and water changes are 2-3x a week. kept things simple in that tank as i don't want the gars bumping in to too much. it looks really cool in mid-afternoon when there is natural sunlight coming in on the gars and they tend to "sun" themselves.

will get some updated video soon!--
--solomon

 

[channarox]

there has actually been some variability with the "pre-study" setups, and the latest is pretty elaborate, relatively speaking.

the first study was several sponge filters and that was it (in the prep-tank 50g breeder).

second study was a medium sized powerfilter and a few plants - power filter proved to be a bit on the strong side (was good for water quality, but bad in terms of energy expenditures for the gars). also had a little bit of aragonite sand substrate (from the big lungfish tank).

the third study prep-tank is still a 50g breeder but i have a ton of plants in there and two large sponge filters. hoping this cover helps the little gars feed better (at this size they are really shy and primarily feed at night, even if surrounded by food).

the actual study tanks are meant to be pretty bare and simple so as to keep the variables under control. just a power filter, a heater, and a few plants for a little cover/nutrient consumption. primary issue there is that all the replicates are the same.

the current holding tank for the big study 1 fish (all around 9.5-11" now) is a 75g with two larger power filters and several pounds of aragonite sand. feeding is a bit more moderate (although it's krill and pellets, so nutritional value tends to be a bit higher per gram), and water changes are 2-3x a week. kept things simple in that tank as i don't want the gars bumping in to too much. it looks really cool in mid-afternoon when there is natural sunlight coming in on the gars and they tend to "sun" themselves.

will get some updated video soon!--
--solomon

So if one were to keep a Cuban in the same setup they would any other Tropical fish, say a TPG, what problems would one encounter?

I think I remember hearing that Cubans need higher pH than neutral.

 

[Polypterus]

So if one were to keep a Cuban in the same setup they would any other Tropical fish, say a TPG, what problems would one encounter?

I think I remember hearing that Cubans need higher pH than neutral.

It is not really that they need a Higher pH but rather a stable pH. Same for most other parameters as well, seek stablity. Fluctuations are not taken kindly by this species.

They do just fine with other species of gars just keep the above in mind. Myself I tend to keep them only with other Atractosteus (particularly TPG), due to the husbandry methods I use for the more temperate Lepisosteus purposely allowing for fluctuations. Keep water parameters stable though even these work ok with CBG.

 

[pharmaecopia]

it's the second major importation where they didn't do so well...they were small, and although we tried to inform people of their sensitivity, i don't think a lot of the info caught on. a lot of the Cubans floating around now (nearly all of them) are from that order - except the YOYs from this 3rd major importation.

I found this somewhat interesting as everything I have read says that these gars are more tolerant of fluctuations when small. Seems surprising then that this importation didn't go so well.

 

[E_americanus]

I found this somewhat interesting as everything I have read says that these gars are more tolerant of fluctuations when small. Seems surprising then that this importation didn't go so well.

they are more tolerant than the adults when small, or at least that is what we have found thus far...but people from the second importation were still treating them like regular gars and (likely) keeping them in sub-optimal conditions...still going to kill off the fish. also, if they were fasting them, they seem to be much more prone to developmental issues related to malnutrition (especially with the recent info we are getting on age and how the farm operates).--
--solomon

 

[channarox]

It is not really that they need a Higher pH but rather a stable pH. Same for most other parameters as well, seek stablity. Fluctuations are not taken kindly by this species.

They do just fine with other species of gars just keep the above in mind. Myself I tend to keep them only with other Atractosteus (particularly TPG), due to the husbandry methods I use for the more temperate Lepisosteus purposely allowing for fluctuations. Keep water parameters stable though even these work ok with CBG.

I would think that fluctuations would be bad anyways, no matter the fish.

Thanks for the info!

 

[E_americanus]

I would think that fluctuations would be bad anyways, no matter the fish.

Thanks for the info!

they are bad for just about any fish species, but to varying degrees of damage as different species have different levels of tolerance for this. gators/spotteds/FLG seem very tolerant of pH swings, LNG/SNG/TPG a bit less so, and CBG definitely the least.--
--solomon

 

[channarox]

they are bad for just about any fish species, but to varying degrees of damage as different species have different levels of tolerance for this. gators/spotteds/FLG seem very tolerant of pH swings, LNG/SNG/TPG a bit less so, and CBG definitely the least.--
--solomon

Understood. Just hoping that if I ever get the chance to keep one, I won't kill the Cuban.