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

[E_americanus]

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

i'm sure you would do fine...with all the info that is available now, there is a much better chance of survival than when we were figuring out a lot of that stuff for the "first" time (in quotes because i am sure someone figured it out earlier, there just wasn't the interwebs to share the info ).

other than keeping more Cuban gars than most (in the US), i've also managed to kill more than most since 2004 - for better or worse...at least we have the info and what works and what doesn't!--
--solomon

 

[japaneseboi]

so many cubans

 

[Madding]

far less than that IMO; i think a conservative estimate is ~60 at best. there were only 6 brought in back in 2004, of which only 2 are still alive (maybe 3, but one is in CA and we never hear anything about it). the 2007 batch suffered a good amount of mortality since people got them very small and killed them off. i would guess at best there are maybe 10-15 fish still alive from that order.
--solomon

Is mine one of those original six, do you think? It's around 26-28" by now.

 

[E_americanus]

Is mine one of those original six, do you think? It's around 26-28" by now.

no, the last of the original 6 (technically 7, my first was sent individually) that hasn't come through my possession or lost during shipment (one was being shipped to me and the shipment was actually stolen at the source shipping center) is in California and currently up for sale for $1500. the remaining fish from that order (5) are with me (2 alive, 3 preserved).

the one you have is part of the 2007 order...under the right conditions they can get to that size, just like the TPGs...and since they have a larger max size they can reach it faster. also depends on what time of year they are shipped, as the farm has some pretty crazy methods of stasis for these gars--
--solomon

 

[Madding]

no, the last of the original 6 (technically 7, my first was sent individually) that hasn't come through my possession or lost during shipment (one was being shipped to me and the shipment was actually stolen at the source shipping center) is in California and currently up for sale for $1500. the remaining fish from that order (5) are with me (2 alive, 3 preserved).

the one you have is part of the 2007 order...under the right conditions they can get to that size, just like the TPGs...and since they have a larger max size they can reach it faster. also depends on what time of year they are shipped, as the farm has some pretty crazy methods of stasis for these gars--
--solomon

Mike @ h20 was keeping it in a 4000 gallon tank, so perhaps that had something to do with its impressive size. I didn't ask many questions because I'd just driven three hours.

 

[E_americanus]

Mike @ h20 was keeping it in a 4000 gallon tank, so perhaps that had something to do with its impressive size. I didn't ask many questions because I'd just driven three hours.

yeah, i'm envious that you got to see his setups! we arranged the 2007 orders (TPG and CBG) together, but i have only seen his setups in photos. would like to make it out to the shop at some point! he's in NJ right? now that i think about it i will be out there next weekend --
--solomon