Im looking to aquiare one or two short nose gar, i amd having very little luck getting a hold of even one , and because its been so long i have had alot of time to reaserch. Doing so has only made me more eager. I hope that some one here can help me with this delima.
short nose gar search
Started by
Guest_PrimitiveJaws_*
, Sep 02 2013 11:57 PM
28 replies to this topic
#2
Guest_Irate Mormon_*
Guest_Irate Mormon_*
-
- Guests
Posted 04 September 2013 - 01:16 AM
Gar are VERY cool. You should move down south. I recall a magical moment in time when I took a friend from work collecting. We had just seined up a shortnose, and I was explaining the various features to him. I was in the middle of a pool (one of those honey holes along the stream) when I looked up and saw about a dozen torpedo shapes at the surface of the water, all pointed at me. Shortnose gar.
That was neither the beginning nor the end of my love affair with gar. I am about 4 feet away from one (spotted) as I type this.
That was neither the beginning nor the end of my love affair with gar. I am about 4 feet away from one (spotted) as I type this.
#3
Guest_PrimitiveJaws_*
Guest_PrimitiveJaws_*
-
- Guests
Posted 06 September 2013 - 01:15 AM
That sounds like an awesome experience ^_^ ! That is the only kind i presently have aswell (spotted ) but i would love to have a short nose. in you opinion should i keep searching for a seller or should i go and collect a young one myself?
#4
mattknepley
-
- NANFA Member
- Smack-dab between the Savannah and the Saluda.
Posted 06 September 2013 - 05:13 AM
Gar are fascinating creatures. I have only ever seen them in any big numbers in one place; the discharge of Orlando Wetlands Park in Christmas, Florida. OWP is, briefly, a large man-made wetlands used for continued processing of semi-treated waste water. There are quite a few trails, and surprisingly good nature viewing. (I spent many happy hours there as a 20-something back in the early '90s, I hope it is still now as neat a place as it was then.) The gar would stack up in the narrow, shallow outflow and pounce on the poor creatures, or parts thereof,that passed through the outflow. Fascinating and kinda ominous; but hey, gar gotta eat, too...
I know nothing about the practicalities of acquiring gar, so I thought I'd just fan the fire a little, you know, to keep ya interested in 'em...
I know nothing about the practicalities of acquiring gar, so I thought I'd just fan the fire a little, you know, to keep ya interested in 'em...
Matt Knepley
"No thanks, a third of a gopher would merely arouse my appetite..."
"No thanks, a third of a gopher would merely arouse my appetite..."
#5
Guest_Skipjack_*
Guest_Skipjack_*
-
- Guests
Posted 06 September 2013 - 01:08 PM
Vermilion river Illinois is probably your closest bet. I do not know of any online licensed vendors or breeders of shortnose gar.
If you were a NANFA member you would be able to view our trading dock. There, our members can swap fish with each other, as long as everything is legal. There is no selling or buying allowed, but you can reimburse them for shipping costs. Shortnose gar small enough to ship may be a tall order in general, but even more so this time of year, I imagine YOY shortnose are pushing 10 inches by now. I am also not sure of the legality of seining and keeping them, I would guess that they are classified as gamefish in most states, which would limit them to hook and line collection.
If you took the trip to the Vermilion, in certain areas you would have a hard time not catching them hook and line, but you would need adequate containers to transport fairly large fish.
If you were a NANFA member you would be able to view our trading dock. There, our members can swap fish with each other, as long as everything is legal. There is no selling or buying allowed, but you can reimburse them for shipping costs. Shortnose gar small enough to ship may be a tall order in general, but even more so this time of year, I imagine YOY shortnose are pushing 10 inches by now. I am also not sure of the legality of seining and keeping them, I would guess that they are classified as gamefish in most states, which would limit them to hook and line collection.
If you took the trip to the Vermilion, in certain areas you would have a hard time not catching them hook and line, but you would need adequate containers to transport fairly large fish.
#6
Guest_Yeahson421_*
Guest_Yeahson421_*
-
- Guests
Posted 07 September 2013 - 12:25 AM
If only I would've known a month ago, I caught a little one. And luckily they're considered trash fish up here, so no regulations! I can try my best next spring, but as Skipjack said, this time of year it's nearly impossible.
#12
Guest_HicksFish_*
Guest_HicksFish_*
-
- Guests
Posted 13 September 2013 - 08:51 AM
Funny timing, but I was looking at the list of NJ freshwater fish just yesterday. This is the link from the Fish and Wildlife website:another question i have is where in NJ or very close to NJ could i got collect a long nosed gar? and does anyone here have any expirence they could share with me in caring for them.
www.NJFishandWildlife.com/chkfish.htm
The only gar listed is the longnorse gar, and unfortunately, it's listed as extirpated.
I've occasionally seen different types of gar for sale in a couple of the NJ pet shops. You might try calling Shark Aquarium in Hillside or Petland Discount in Hackensack.
#13
Guest_PrimitiveJaws_*
Guest_PrimitiveJaws_*
-
- Guests
Posted 14 September 2013 - 07:28 AM
Petland discount in hackensack can order fish?? Cause the one near me in hazlet cant really do much but get whats on thier list and the only gar on thier list that ive seen is the florida spotted, but i will gibe them a try and i just emaioled shark aquarium last night actually ( that pretty funny ). so i'll give those a try thanks.
#14
Guest_Skipjack_*
Guest_Skipjack_*
-
- Guests
Posted 14 September 2013 - 08:28 AM
What's wrong with florida gar? They are gentle calm fish. Can be kept with anything that does not fit in their mouths. Also they slow, or almost stop growing at around 14 inches. At least that was my experience with them in a 240.
#15
Guest_HicksFish_*
Guest_HicksFish_*
-
- Guests
Posted 14 September 2013 - 08:35 AM
More funny timing - there was a 12 inch alligator gar in the auction at the Brooklyn Aquarium Society last night.
Also - MFK (with ECC) is having a convention in Parsippany NJ next weekend - Sept 20-22. One of the speakers is Solomon David doing two talks on "Primitive Fishes".
Here's the promo text about his talks:
Solomon spends most of his time fishing for Monster Fish while doing field research for the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago... But for the Konvention weekend he'll be telling us all about Primitive Fishes, especially Gars, Bowfin, Polypterus and Lungfishes!!! Solomon is a "hands-wet" ichthyologist who keeps, breeds, and observes the animals in aquaria and their natural habitat. Check out his website for a sneak preview: http://primitivefishes.com/
Here's a link to convention website http://eastcoastmonsterfish.com
Also - MFK (with ECC) is having a convention in Parsippany NJ next weekend - Sept 20-22. One of the speakers is Solomon David doing two talks on "Primitive Fishes".
Here's the promo text about his talks:
Solomon spends most of his time fishing for Monster Fish while doing field research for the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago... But for the Konvention weekend he'll be telling us all about Primitive Fishes, especially Gars, Bowfin, Polypterus and Lungfishes!!! Solomon is a "hands-wet" ichthyologist who keeps, breeds, and observes the animals in aquaria and their natural habitat. Check out his website for a sneak preview: http://primitivefishes.com/
Here's a link to convention website http://eastcoastmonsterfish.com
#19
Guest_Skipjack_*
Guest_Skipjack_*
-
- Guests
Posted 15 September 2013 - 04:13 PM
Matt, I've caught Florida gar on hook and line that were 4' long when I lived in S. Ga. - the small ones were 2-3 feet long! They lived in the noxious, foul-smelling tailwaters of a dam.
Absolutely. But in my 240 they grew like crazy for the first year, then pretty much just stopped. Still fed plenty, and frequent water changes. Others have said the same thing. They seem to stunt well with no ill effects. They stayed about 14-15 inches for 2-3 years. Finally, I handed them off to Richard Kik, and Brian Zimmerman. They were fat and sassy the whole time.
#20
Guest_HicksFish_*
Guest_HicksFish_*
-
- Guests
Posted 19 September 2013 - 03:32 PM
Short notice, but I just saw an offer from a vendor that will deliver pre-orders to the convention. Their stock list includes "Spotted Gar 2 - 3 inches $10".Thats awesome i really hope i can go. That man is truely a marvel with his work and studies i believe. Not to mention primitiv fish my fave subject.
Sorry, but I don't know anything else about the vendor so please don't take this as a recommendation.
It's Aquascape Online located in Belleville NJ. Website is http://aquascapeonline.com/
Reply to this topic
1 user(s) are reading this topic
0 members, 1 guests, 0 anonymous users
NANFA Youtube Channel 
