Florida gar feeder diet question

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Nyrkorey

Plecostomus
MFK Member
Jul 19, 2021
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So I'm planning on getting about a 7 inch florida gar for my 400 gallon tank. Obviously they are notorious for being stuck on feeders.. I have a well planted 135 tank. So here my couple questions..

1. What fish would be best too breed/feed the gar if I started them in my 135 thats been running for years.

2. I understand feeders aren't exactly the best nutritionally for them, even if I feed the feeders a great diet.. if I do feeders would the also accept shrimp and other meaty stuff? Such a talapia and such. Or is it better too stick too one or the other?
 
Nyrkorey said:
notorious for being stuck on feeders
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I was fortunate to receive a pellet trained Florida Gar from a friend. Was told the gar learned by observing other fish in the aquarium with it.
Nyrkorey said:
1. What fish would be best too breed
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Far as time I would say the Convict Cichlid.
Nyrkorey said:
would the also accept shrimp and other meaty stuff? Such a talapia and such.
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Yes very possible. I personally would stop the live feeding once it accepts non living foods. The Florida Gar I had ate tilapia, pellets, and earthworms 😆
 
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Nyrkorey said:
So I'm planning on getting about a 7 inch florida gar for my 400 gallon tank. Obviously they are notorious for being stuck on feeders.. I have a well planted 135 tank. So here my couple questions..

1. What fish would be best too breed/feed the gar if I started them in my 135 thats been running for years.

2. I understand feeders aren't exactly the best nutritionally for them, even if I feed the feeders a great diet.. if I do feeders would the also accept shrimp and other meaty stuff? Such a talapia and such. Or is it better too stick too one or the other?
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Never heard of Florida gar being notoriously stuck on feeders. Should be a treat for them.

The best way to feed them non live is to throw the food directly in front of their face. 7” is large enough for them to start eating frozen foods. For pellets, I would go for floating so it’s easier for them.
 
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Caveden said:
Never heard of Florida gar being notoriously stuck on feeders. Should be a treat for them.

The best way to feed them non live is to throw the food directly in front of their face. 7” is large enough for them to start eating frozen foods. For pellets, I would go for floating so it’s easier for them.
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So let's say I get him on frozen shrimp from my market and talapia and all that, you would cut out feeders completely correct? I'll see how he is when he arrives and what he likes. Hopefully it goes smooth.. I'm afraid if he eats shrimp and talapia and pellets and I give him a feeder ever so often he will refuse other food
 
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tlindsey said:
Yes because feeding live can complicate things imo. It only takes one sick or parasite harboring feeder to pass it to the gar.
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Very good! That's what I figured so I figured ide ask the experts ;) is there a floating pellet you guys recommend or had good luck with?
 
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IMHO gar are among the easier of the pure-predatory fish to wean onto a diet of non-living food items. Do yourself and your fish a favour, and try to offer as varied a diet as possible; silversides, tilapia, shrimp, krill, earthworms, etc. This keeps them from becoming addicted to only one food, which in turn makes it easier to work around shortages if this food or that food becomes unavailable for some reason.

I'm a huge fan of "gut-loading", although in my fishroom that means slitting open the gut of a dead food item and cramming pellets inside. :)
 
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