11 replies to this topic

[MrCatfish]

My gar hunting and eating Convict Cichlid fry

https://www.youtube....h?v=JiP9hLtBKNU

[mattknepley]

Wild how he makes an s shape to strike like snakes tend to. It's also interesting that with that long, toothy beak it has, it makes a deliberate effort to get his prey as close to his head as possible. The better to latch onto it I suppose...

[Michael Wolfe]

I thought his s shape reminiscent of a Topminnow. And I also noticed that he seemed to strike sideways with that long set of teeth when he could.

[MrCatfish]

It just started doing the S strike a day or two before I made the video. It started in conjunction with the cichlid fry's  ability to swim more efficiently. The S strike is definitely faster than what it used to do. Which was to swim up next to a fry and flick it's head to the side. I love watching it hunt and feed.

[Betta132]

The fry don't really seem to notice it. They look a bit uneasy when it drifts in their direction, but it looks like they may not realize that's a predator instead of just a random drifting stick. 

Have you tried feeding it something that can get away? I'd be interested to see how/if it would learn to hunt more challenging prey. Maybe a whirligig beetle or something else that moves fast? I don't think whirligigs are biting beetles. 

[MrCatfish]

I haven't tried anything else yet. The convict fry is what I have on hand at the moment. But they are running out quickly so I will be looking for something else. I will have to make another video of it hunting other prey.

[Betta132]

Perhaps earthworms would be a suitable temporary prey. That's assuming you can get some without pesticides, of course. 

Also, a fight between a three-inch gar and a three-inch earthworm might be entertaining for both the gar and anybody watching. Maybe not so much for the worm. 

[loopsnj64]

Perhaps earthworms would be a suitable temporary prey. That's assuming you can get some without pesticides, of course. 

Also, a fight between a three-inch gar and a three-inch earthworm might be entertaining for both the gar and anybody watching. Maybe not so much for the worm. 

 

 

Would earthworms also work for a similar sized (3 inches) grass pike, i have one that i needs to be fed soon, i can provide fish for when gets bigger, i can't provide baby fish for a 3 incher though

[Michael Wolfe]

guppies or neon tetras would be OK for a 3" gar

[mattknepley]

Gambusia might be an option, depending on your location.

[mattknepley]

I thought his s shape reminiscent of a Topminnow. And I also noticed that he seemed to strike sideways with that long set of teeth when he could.

Interesting about the topminnows; I didn't know any fish did this.

[Matt DeLaVega]

 

 

Would earthworms also work for a similar sized (3 inches) grass pike, i have one that i needs to be fed soon, i can provide fish for when gets bigger, i can't provide baby fish for a 3 incher though

Daphnia Magna are perfect right now. Order a culture from an online source and he will go to town. Put half the culture with the pickerel, and half in an outdoor green water tub. The outdoor tub will grow until it uses up the greenwater.  The aquarium culture will keep the pickerel well fed and growing like crazy provided that you feed them yeast, and or powdered spirulina. By the time the culture crashes, you won't need it anymore.