33 replies to this topic

[Peckoltia]

Thanks for the pic mate (PM).

That is a spotted gar, not an alligator gar. Nice fish either way.

Spotteds stay much smaller, usually max out at around 60cm, some may get larger.

[FrontyKwal]

No worries mate. Oh alright I dont have much knowledge of gar's, werent sure if there was different kinds or not but yeah amazing fish was cool seeing it up close

[Peckoltia]

Easy mistake to make for the untrained eye.

A few years back, I spent thousands of dollars bringing 'alligator' gars to Perth. I think i ended up bringing about~25 over in the space of 12 months. Only a couple ended up being true alligator gars, the rest spotteds/florida gars.

The differences are quite obvious when you know what to look for.

[Peckoltia]

Spotted gar.

Colours are variable, so not a sure fire way to tell them apart at a young age, as they are all 'spotted'. Best way is look at the head/snout. Gator gars have a much shorter and broader snout. They also have a double row of teeth on the top jaw, spotteds have a single row (can be hard to see).

Second pic, the gars are only about 10cm, super cute at this size. Probably the coolest fish to watch actively hunt small feeders. At 10cm they look like pencils with teeth!

Edited by Peckoltia, 22 September 2012 - 10:19 AM.

[FrontyKwal]

Bet you would of made thousands though ? Yeah I just looked up some info on gar's and the amount of years this guy has had it for definitely wouldnt be a gator gar haha. Did you part ways with all of them or kept some ? I understand if you cant answer that question though

[Peckoltia]

I no longer have any gars.

To be honest, I can't remember where they all went. A lot were sold through Malaga Aquariums. Some to people privately.

Gar doing, what they do best, eating Malawis!

[ruffaz]

hey peck can you still bring theses in at all the same way you did before ?

[Peckoltia]

Have them sent to Perth the same way you would any other fish.

[ruffaz]

ex east i gather

[Peckoltia]

I'm not sure what answer you were expecting from me?

I get fish sent to Perth from the eastern states. Bringing in fish from overseas in illegal (as I'm sure you know), and I want nothing to do with illegal activities.

[Jules]

Ruffaz i assume your saying to get gars sent here from over east?
As far as my understandings are its only illegal to import the sp. but within states shouldnt present a problem? But dont quote me, wouldnt suprise me still if they tried to seize a fish like this anyways.

[Peckoltia]

AQIS in perth check for snails and plants. Nothing else from my experience.

Their is no legal difference between bringing a spotted gar to perth and an electric yellow. Their is no reason why the fish would be seized if the bag is void of plants and snails.

[Jules]

I have never tried so am certain you def no better then me Alex.

What about fresh water longtoms?
I seen a few showed up before Malaga Aquariums shutdown.
they could be just as cool and a heck of a lot cheaper and potentially just as easy to source.

Edited by Jules, 25 September 2012 - 12:14 PM.

[Peckoltia]

Some natives need translocation permits, I don't think long toms are one of them though.

I have always wanted some long toms. I'm not sure how well they do in aquaria, always struck me as the sort of fish that'd smash itself up pretty easily.