Spotted gar is eating

**goleafs** · 05-29-2008, 04:52 PM

A few days ago my gar started eating anything that drops by his mouth... Including fingers. I was feeding him cichlid pellets until I got out to my LFS and I got some Hikari food sticks (It says good for carnivorous fish and had a pic of an arowana on it) and he loves those. It's great not worrying of him dying of starvation anymore =)(he hadn't eaten for about 2-3 months). I'm going to move him into a 120/150 gallon within a year.

**Demjor19** · 05-29-2008, 05:31 PM

Originally Posted by goleafs

A few days ago my gar started eating anything that drops by his mouth... Including fingers. I was feeding him cichlid pellets until I got out to my LFS and I got some Hikari food sticks (It says good for carnivorous fish and had a pic of an arowana on it) and he loves those. It's great not worrying of him dying of starvation anymore =)(he hadn't eaten for about 2-3 months). I'm going to move him into a 120/150 gallon within a year.

that's great hear! my first Florida/Spotted gar took about 2 months to start eating prepared foods and right now i am dealing with a Shortnose and another Florida/Spotted gar that are going through a similar case of refusing prepared foods. normally i can get a gar eating shrimp and pellets within the first few days, but these two are stubborn as can be!

a far as the new tank goes i would recommend a 180 gallon (6 x 2 x 2). if you are already planning on a larger tank, you might as well get one that will more than likely last them for life. otherwise i guaruntee you will be buying another larger tank within 1-2 years. just some advice comming from someone who has kept over a dozen gar and 5 out of the 7 different species!

**goleafs** · 05-29-2008, 05:58 PM

Originally Posted by Demjor19

that's great hear! my first Florida/Spotted gar took about 2 months to start eating prepared foods and right now i am dealing with a Shortnose and another Florida/Spotted gar that are going through a similar case of refusing prepared foods. normally i can get a gar eating shrimp and pellets within the first few days, but these two are stubborn as can be!

a far as the new tank goes i would recommend a 180 gallon (6 x 2 x 2). if you are already planning on a larger tank, you might as well get one that will more than likely last them for life. otherwise i guaruntee you will be buying another larger tank within 1-2 years. just some advice comming from someone who has kept over a dozen gar and 5 out of the 7 different species!

Unfortunately I cant fit anything longer than 5 feet and I can't find a tank with a 5'x2' footprint anywhere so i figure 4'x2' is better than 5'x1.5'.

**Demjor19** · 05-29-2008, 06:46 PM

Originally Posted by goleafs

Unfortunately I cant fit anything longer than 5 feet and I can't find a tank with a 5'x2' footprint anywhere so i figure 4'x2' is better than 5'x1.5'.

then i would definitely go with the 150 gallon tall. I believe AGA makes it and it has a foot print of 4 x 2. it's not ideal, but it's your best choice for now. a minimum 2' wide tank will be required to house a florida/spotted gar for life.

Edit: http://www.glasscages.com/?sAction=ViewCat&lCatID=2

they have a 150 long that is (60 x 24 x 25) this would be very nice! i got my 180 from them and it's worked out great for me!

**goleafs** · 05-29-2008, 07:16 PM

I don't think I can get anything from glasscages in Canada.

**ProDeeJayYapWalaoweyh** · 05-30-2011, 07:47 AM

Well, speak about ger fish that i have, i don have trouble with it at all. All i have to do was give it different variety of food ( including red ants, mosquitoe larvae, fish, mealworms, and even lizards !!!!). But recently its eating frozen peas, to my suprise, maybe its because peas looks like the cichlid pellet i have. i remember the last time i feed the gar a small bird, and the gar got it by a flash ! Its so gruesome that even i cant bare to watch, cause the very next day it only left its HEAD !!!

**ProDeeJayYapWalaoweyh** · 05-30-2011, 08:01 AM

Hey, i am ProDeeJay, well, i am not as 'pro' as u think, i still have lot to learn.
By the way, i only start an aquarium last year, and so i m interested to do the impossible. Like for example, i mix a snakehead with the tetras and it look just fine and i train it to eat frozen bloodworms and microsorium, and it just so friendly to other fish. Hey, my snakehead is not a baby anymore, its already 8 cm !! Plus, it wont hurt a thing, not even a baby guppies i had just breed. But i also recall some rainny days. Like, i remember keeping a shovelnose catfish and even red piranha !!! They can really eat !!! So, i gave them away and exchange for spotted gar and snakehead instead, and they are such a great pet. Now i have two tank, but i cant tell u exactly how many galloons but the big tank i kept Oscar, Spotted gar, two angelfish, humburg catfish, saifin sucka, and a royal plec ( Well, dont ask me why i put royal plec with a bunch of carnivourous fish ), i m happy with my tank, and i do hope i will get another bigger tank XD ( which i gonna get soon :p). See ya

**ProDeeJayYapWalaoweyh** · 05-30-2011, 08:07 AM

Originally Posted by Demjor19

that's great hear! my first Florida/Spotted gar took about 2 months to start eating prepared foods and right now i am dealing with a Shortnose and another Florida/Spotted gar that are going through a similar case of refusing prepared foods. normally i can get a gar eating shrimp and pellets within the first few days, but these two are stubborn as can be!

a far as the new tank goes i would recommend a 180 gallon (6 x 2 x 2). if you are already planning on a larger tank, you might as well get one that will more than likely last them for life. otherwise i guaruntee you will be buying another larger tank within 1-2 years. just some advice comming from someone who has kept over a dozen gar and 5 out of the 7 different species!

well, i been trought similiar case too, now its eating the food from my HAND !!! well, at least it doesnt bite my hand as it was very careful where my fingers is :p