New Adoptee

[smithw14]

Okay, so, my neighbor is moving - and she comes hobbling over with a fish and tells me to take it or its going down the toilet. Well, obviously I took it. Have no idea what it is, but it is in my tank now.

Attached is a picture. Hope it gets along with my oscar!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Any help would be appreciated. Need to find out what this sucker eats. It is about 4 1/2 inches. Stays at the top mostly. Comes up for air. Seems rather peaceful, except I belive its a carnivore due to its mouth and what I believe I saw lots of sharp teeth.

The oscars are thrilled to death - they have something else to investigate in the tank. They are scared of it but at the same time have nipped it a few times. Typical oscar behavior in my book. They were biting on string the other night. No harm done though, the guy just scoots away but lets them come right back up to him. My oscars are only 3" so I don't believe they will kill it. Who knows. They have pretty much left him alone after about 15 minutes. Occasionally they will get excited again if he swims by. I guess this is better than the toilet alternative, huh?


He won't eat flakes, ciclid pellets, wafers, worms, bugs, or tuna. Thats all I've got for tonight - he just ignores it. Cooking up a batch of brine shrimp to try tomorrow though. He's got to be a carnivore.

 

[Apocalypse_Gold]

Looks like some variety of gar to me. Definitely a predator. Prefer live food. It may just take some time for him to adjust to other foods.

 

[lovemybarbs]

I saw one of those at Petco once. They fed it a live fish. It is pretty cool to watch. I forget the name of it, but I want to say it had "needle" in it.

 

[JRagg]

Looks like a longnose gar. I was looking at some other gar earlier but the fins didn't match up. They seem to match on this one.

http://www.aqualandpetsplus.com/Oddball, Gar.htm

 

[lovemybarbs]

yep. I found this one. Look out! They bite!

http://liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=1897

 

[MattAquaBio]

They are just called Needle fish around here.

 

[smithw14]

Good Lord - this little things gonna be freakin ginormous! And a killer! Ha ha - weird.

You think its possible to wein them into eating flakes or pellits or something a little less expensive than live food??? I don't mind feeding some live food, but shoot - that can get expensive quick.

 

[rich311k]

I am pretty sure they will only except live foods, especially fish.

 

[smithw14]

I hope my crayfish doesnt get him. He sticks close to the top, which is good, but also swims up and down aimlessly occasionally.

 

[MattAquaBio]

LOL personally i'd be more afraid of him gettin the crayfish. But like stated earlier, i think your going to be going for hte feeder fish a lot.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

Could be a needle nose fish....

http://www.fishforums.com/forum/user-journals/10152-trying-breed-needlenose-fish.html

 

[hsherman1986]

that looks like the needle nose fish my fish guy keeps trying to get me to buy. I have been heavily thinking about it, but hadn't decided yet. Yes, they will only eat live food, you might try to wien him into something different, but good luck with that.

 

[JRagg]

The fins are different than a needlenose. His has a fin in the middle, whereas a needlenose does not. A longnose however does have a fin in the middle. I stick by my original assessment. Longnose gar.

http://myfwc.com/Fishing/Fishes/gar.html

Also, the head slopes down on the picture that you posted, whereas the body slopes up to the head on the needlenose.

 

[bert12]

I believe JRagg is correct.
For food you could try crickets?

 

[Menagerie]

If you opt to go with feeder fish, it is best to breed your own to keep disease out of your tank. There are numerous fish that breed readily and produce enough to keep your new fish happy.

 

[smithw14]

LOL personally i'd be more afraid of him gettin the crayfish. But like stated earlier, i think your going to be going for hte feeder fish a lot.

Naah, Crayfish is about 6 times his size - at least for now . . . .

If you opt to go with feeder fish, it is best to breed your own to keep disease out of your tank. There are numerous fish that breed readily and produce enough to keep your new fish happy.

How does one go about doing this? It sounds expensive. I'm SUPPOSED to be saving for my move after graduation next year...... lol



UPDATE:

Well, ol' fellow survived the night. He still just moseys along on the top of the tank, not going anywhere in particular. Oscars could care less about him now. Still won't eat anything I try to feed him. The brine shrimp will be ready this evening. Going to go to the pet store to see what kind of feeder fish they have. I really don't think I can get into the breeding thing - I don't have the time or money to start up another tank right now. I don't know what kinda fish ishould give him. Maybe the pet store will have some ideas....

 

[JustOneMore20]

I think they get pretty big, so you might need a bigger tank soon!

 

[Jarred Darque]

that looks like a true gar. MAJOR diff than a needle nose...about 2-4 feet in final length.

Get a good pic of his tail, fully expanded will made identifying easier.

what size tank is he in?

 

[Jarred Darque]

I would suggest breeding guppies/mollies/platies for feeders.

 

[smithw14]

Yeah, I think it is a long nose gar from the pictures I've been looking at . I'll work on a new picture soon - I gotta work on some criminal law homework (play comes later!). He is in a 55g right now.

Okay, I got some guppies - I suppose I could breed them in my 20g community tank????? I have never bread. How do you do this? My roommate is picking up some sort of breeding thing-a-ma-jig at the pet store. He hasn't gotten back yet. I've got about 13 guppies.

Okay - but here is my other question. I tried feeding the guy some guppies and ghost shrimp. The *bleepin* oscars ate them all before the gar does. He managed to finally get one. GREAT. God bless em - but my oscars won't let my other fish eat. In past I have had to trick them to one side of the tank and quickly drop some food for the others. AND, now my oscars are not going to eat non-live food anymore.. UGH

So how do I wean a fish off of live food? Is it possible? I certainly don't want all my agressive fish eating live food for the rest of their existence. What a pain in the tuckus.

::sigh::