Data sheet spotted gar
German name:
Spotted gar
Scientific name:
Lepisosteus oculatus
Origin:
North America (in rivers draining into the Gulf of Mexico)
Size:
Body length 60cm – 100cm
Aquarium
Length:
Length from 300 cm width
Contents:
5,000 liters
water values
Temperature:
12°C – 22°C
pH:
6.5 – 7.5
GH:
10° – 15° dH
Behave
Area:
entire pool
Lining:
Live food (small fish up to approx. 20 cm), sturgeon food, switching to frozen food is possible
Behave:
quiet
Number:
single or pure large species tank
Difficulty level:
Advanced (due to the size of the aquarium alone)
Origin
The spotted gar (Lepisosteus oculatus) originally comes from eastern North America. There it lives in rivers such as the Mississippi and other bodies of water that flow into the Gulf of Mexico. It is predominantly a freshwater fish, but can sometimes also be found in brackish water zones, where there are many hiding places. In addition to gill breathing, the fish also possesses a lung-like swim bladder, which allows it to survive even in almost dry waters and swamps.
food
The spotted gar prefers to feed on live food in the form of other fish with a maximum size of 20 cm. But they also feel comfortable with sturgeon food or (after a while) also accept frozen food.
Tino Strauss, Lepisosteus oculatus 03, CC BY-SA 3.0
Look
The fish gets its name from its numerous spots, which are irregularly distributed throughout its body. Its color is brownish to olive green. Depending on the age of the animals, you can see a different coloration of the spot pattern. Young gars are much darker in color and also have a long black line along the lateral line organ. In older specimens, this line is no longer visible and their spots are no longer very pronounced. The belly of the spotted gar is almost white. The fish has anal and dorsal fins that are clearly set back, making it a very agile and fast swimmer. They have about seven to nine fin rays. What makes the fish particularly striking is its long and narrow snout and rounded tail fin.
attitude
The spotted gar does not make any special demands on the aquarium. It is best to plant heavily in places with floating plants or hanging branches that allow the animal to hide.
The bottom should be covered with sand or gravel. In addition, there should be enough stones and roots so that there is also the possibility of retreat. The spotted gar feels most comfortable at a water temperature between 12°C and 22°C degrees. The pH value should be between 6.5 and 7.5 and the water hardness should be between 10° and 15° dGH.
gender differences
There are only a few sex differences in the spotted gar.
Sexually mature animals can mainly be distinguished by their size: Female gars can reach a size of up to 100 cm, while males can reach a maximum length of 60 cm. In addition, the male gars are somewhat slimmer and often have a stronger colour.
Breeding – if breeding in the aquarium is possible
Breeding in the aquarium is not easy. The mating season of the spotted gar (Lepisosteus oculatus) is actually in the spring, when the water in its natural habitat is correspondingly warmer. During the mating season, several males (milk cows) always team up with a female (rogner). They prefer to spawn on flat shore areas, where the female usually gives over 30,000 by sticking them to plants or stones and inseminating them together with the males. The newly hatched larvae have a sticky suction cup underneath their mouths, which they use to attach themselves to objects. After about three weeks their yolk sac is used up and the small gars begin to swim freely. Then their hunt for other fish or insects, such as mosquito larvae, begins.
socialization
Although the spotted gar (Lepisosteus oculatus) is a predatory fish, it can still be socialized well with other large fish species. However, anything it can see as prey that fits in its mouth will be eaten. For this reason, the spotted gar should only live in an aquarium with fish that are at least half their size.