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Longnosed Gar: Lepisosteus osseus: Brief husbandry profile

Started by Guest_Brooklamprey_* , Oct 15 2006 11:55 AM

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#1 Guest_Brooklamprey_*

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Posted 15 October 2006 - 11:55 AM

Longnosed gar (Lepisosteus osseus) is North America's second largest and most widespread Lepisostid species. This size makes them one of the more challanging gar species to house properly in a home type aquarium. The minimum tank size for one of these fish depends on the size of the fish at time of acquisition, however, an adult can be expected to need a tank, or preferably a pond / stock tank, of at least 4 feet wide and 8 foot long. Tank size for young fish should be carefully calculated so the fish is gradually "stepped up" in tank sizes. The reason for this is two fold. One is that long nose and jaws are easily damaged by a fish that is startled. The other is if these fish hit a fast start in a tank that is much to large you will frequently lose the fish to a Broken backbone. Gars should not be allowed to preform a fast start with significant inertia to hit the side of the tank with any speed.

Longnosed gar are not really picky fish when it comes to the quality of the water they are housed in and can easily survive in most any condition. They are however just a little touchy to ammonia when young. Young gars under 10 inches should be maintained in very clean water with a mininium of a 25% water change weekly. Filteration is best done with sponge filters for small fish as they do not do well with fast flowing waters.

Gars like many Anachronistic fishes "breath" air. How frequently they do this depends on the temperature of the water and associated Dissolved oxygen content. Gars should always be allowed surface area to "breach" or "breath" air.

Feeding Longnosed gars is not problematic. While these fish are in the wild predominatly picivores, in captivity they are rather easy to feed a variety of prepared and frozen foods. Training a young gar to take Prepared or frozen foods is easily accomplished if one just has a little patience and persistence. The key is to let the fish recognize the unfamiliar food as a food item. Once this is acheived feeding anything is possible.

This is but a brief look at Longnosed Gar husbandry.
Questions comments and additions are welcome.
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#2 Guest_Irate Mormon_*

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Posted 15 October 2006 - 05:08 PM

In my experience they do not make good husbands AT ALL!

#3 Guest_Brooklamprey_*

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Posted 15 October 2006 - 05:13 PM

In my experience they do not make good husbands AT ALL!

I'm sure My wife would agree that Gar nuts do not make good Husbands either.....

We tend to have a distinctive Anachronistic smell that only Gar keepers and Gar fishermen have

Plus we have this overwelming urge to dive into the most nasty of water bodies to chase after and catch a stick be it a gar or not....

#4 Guest_chad55_*

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Posted 15 October 2006 - 06:40 PM

I personally think that longnose gar shouldn't be as readily available as they are. They get way too big for most people. I think that there are plenty of people that have ponds and stuff big enough for them but there are also a majority of the people that have WAY too small tanks.

Chad

#5 Guest_Skipjack_*

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Posted 15 October 2006 - 06:43 PM

So, what you guys are saying is that I won't be able to keep a longnose in a 10 gallon for life? :lol:

#6 Guest_Brooklamprey_*

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Posted 15 October 2006 - 06:56 PM

So, what you guys are saying is that I won't be able to keep a longnose in a 10 gallon for life?

Just might be trying to say something like that...

#7 Guest_Irate Mormon_*

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Posted 15 October 2006 - 07:04 PM

So, what you guys are saying is that I won't be able to keep a longnose in a 10 gallon for life? Laughing

Of course you can! We are talking about the life of the fish, yes? At some point the fish will die in the 10 gallon.

:-({|=

Damned ethics - who came up with that idea, and why does it gotta apply to ME?

#8 Guest_Brooklamprey_*

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Posted 15 October 2006 - 07:27 PM

So, what you guys are saying is that I won't be able to keep a longnose in a 10 gallon for life? Laughing
Of course you can! We are talking about the life of the fish, yes? At some point the fish will die in the 10 gallon.

Damned ethics - who came up with that idea, and why does it gotta apply to ME?

In the words of my Boss:
"Applying ethics is a messy business"...... "Some things just seem right in your mind but in reality it is very wrong to ever assume your right without someone telling you it is so"

#9 Guest_BassNut144_*

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Posted 09 February 2007 - 12:02 PM

I bought my Long Nosed Gar, when he was 9 inches, and kept him in a 15 gallon for about 2 months, then I upgraded to a 55 gallon and added a Yellow Perch and a Warmouth to the tank....I would definetly recommend starting with a 10 gallon so that he doesnt grow too fast, but you dont want to keep it in there too long...I would also recommend a wide tank...A 40 Gallon wide is plenty enough...I have had mine for about 6 months now and he is now 18 inches and I am going today to buy a 40 gallon wide.

So, what you guys are saying is that I won't be able to keep a longnose in a 10 gallon for life?

#10 Guest_drewish_*

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Posted 09 February 2007 - 12:52 PM

What you have is a stunted longnose gar. There is no way that fish should be in a 40g breeder.

Yes, it is true, you should start with a smaller size tank and work your way up. Richard can probably ellaborate on the appropriate stepping-up scale.

#11 Guest_Brooklamprey_*

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Posted 09 February 2007 - 02:18 PM

I bought my Long Nosed Gar, when he was 9 inches, and kept him in a 15 gallon for about 2 months, then I upgraded to a 55 gallon and added a Yellow Perch and a Warmouth to the tank....I would definetly recommend starting with a 10 gallon so that he doesnt grow too fast, but you dont want to keep it in there too long...I would also recommend a wide tank...A 40 Gallon wide is plenty enough...I have had mine for about 6 months now and he is now 18 inches and I am going today to buy a 40 gallon wide.

What are the dimensons of the 40 wide? A 18 inch longnosed should not be kept in tank less than 24 inches wide and at least four foot long.

#12 Guest_nativeplanter_*

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Posted 15 February 2007 - 12:30 PM

In my experience they do not make good husbands AT ALL!

Oh, but they are so KISSABLE!!!

#13 Guest_dmarkley_*

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Posted 15 February 2007 - 03:01 PM

I had a longnose gar that was 4 inches when I got him. He lived very nicely in a 30 gal for a month and then I moved him to a 110 gallon. After a year in there, he reached 11 inches and I moved him outside to a garden pond of 1200 gallons where he was very popular with visitors. He'd regularly surface to see if they would feed him.

Alas, sadly I got up on a Saturday morning last fall to find him lying next to the pond with a big chunk taken out of his head. Either a racoon or a skunk decided to sample him. Apparently gars don't taste good.

I'd have to agree that these are not the best fish for most typical aquarists. They grow fast and get too big for most indoor aquariums.

Dean

#14 Guest_E_americanus_*

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Posted 16 February 2007 - 12:30 AM

it's been a while since i have posted on this forum, but i plan on jumping back into things...so where better to start than the gar thread (eh richard?

)?

great summary of the longnose gar! they really do have an amazing YOY growth rate and potential. amongst the juveniles i have kept, the fastest grower was an individual that grew from 3" to 10" in a mere 21 days. this was done from a 10g to a 50g breeder, along with higher temp (~82F), frequent feedings, and very frequent/large water changes. that's the fastest i have grown one to that size; these days i tend to let them start growing at lower temps.

definitely an impressive fish

richard you should post some early pics of that 'green' specimen you brought back from IL

--
--solomon

#15 Guest_Gambusia_*

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Posted 17 April 2007 - 07:14 PM

I have a mature longnose gar I was fornuate enough to obtain.

I keep it in a big stock tank.

Really neat and hardy fish.

Can tolerate a wide range of temps.

But my large gar prefers to eat live golden shiners over most else.

#16 Guest_NateTessler13_*

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Posted 04 June 2007 - 03:07 PM

Seems the common mistake with keeping these fish is always too small of an aquarium. Research, research, research. At the lab that I work in a Longnose Gar was brought back from a field trip to house in a 300 gallon aquarium. When it came back from the field trip it had been labeled "Alligator Gar". 1st off, not a chance from Central Ohio, 2nd, why would you try to keep an Alligator Gar in a 300 gallon aquarium...I hope that people interested in keeping this fish do take the time to read up on husbandry profiles (which we should put more of on this website), to make sure they can care for all their fish.