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Gar -- Shortnose or Longnose?

Started by Guest_DanRad_* , Jun 21 2009 01:52 PM

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6 replies to this topic

#1 Guest_DanRad_*

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Posted 21 June 2009 - 01:52 PM

Purchased this fish as a Shortnose Gar back in 2005. Was never confident about the species, and am still uncertain. Others (online) more informed than I have suggested it's possibly a longnose with an unusually short snout, or possibly a hybrid.

Either way, it has become one of my favorites. Took awhile to convince it to eat pellets, but no problems any more.

Two views from 2005:

Posted Image

And a few from today (6/21/09):

Posted Image

#2 Guest_panfisherteen_*

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Posted 21 June 2009 - 03:29 PM

quite possibly a mediumnose (longnoseXshortnose), it looks like it has the fin spots of a longnose, but the body spots look a little strange for a longnose

#3 Guest_Brooklamprey_*

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Posted 21 June 2009 - 05:56 PM

Going to have to say again it is definitely not a Shortnosed. The only two lepisosteids it resembles closely are Spotted (Lepisosteus oculatus) or longnosed (Lepisosteus osseus). In my opinion it tends to have pretty strong Spotted traits but at the same time I've seen captive longnosed show some of these traits as well.

Kind of a tricky one you have there...

For reference this photo is of a Spotted gar that is approximately 2 years old. As you can see there are many similarities.

#4 Guest_DanRad_*

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Posted 21 June 2009 - 06:58 PM

I'm sold on it not being a shortnose. Like you say though, it doesn't exactly match the other two either.

#5 Guest_panfisherteen_*

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Posted 22 June 2009 - 02:23 PM

here is a longnose I caught this morning (theyre the only gar up here):
Posted Image

by the looks of mine, yours is a spotted gar if it isnt a shortnose

#6 Guest_Brooklamprey_*

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Posted 23 June 2009 - 07:09 AM

Both Spotteds and Longnosed are highly variable in coloration and it is best to not use that as a primary id trait. Specific morphological traits are better to use for an accurate diagnosis. Unfortunately this is very difficult to do over the internet with Photos. In most cases they are easily identified, even with just photos, but every once and while a fish like this pops up. Hobby supplied fish are difficult at times for there is no collection locality and no idea if it may have been hybridized.

Dan if you still have this fish I have a quick little test you could do to determine if it is a Longnosed or spotted.
I'll send you over a PM with instructions..