Florida Gar

[Gambusia]

I have two Florida gar in a75 gal. I have had one for about 3 years but it hasn't grown much. It is still 11". The other is 8".

The other inhabitant of the tank at this time is a 6" hybrid sunfish.

My question is can gar be stunted? Do they grow smaller in tanks than in the wild?

Thanks

Gambusia

 

[OrionGirl]

Yep. Any fish can be stunted. The size of the tank, competition, food quantity and quality, and water conditions can all act to slow growth and development of fish. Sometimes the stunting also results in internal organ deformities, behavioral issues, and poor reproductive succes. For some species it cause permanent damage, while for others, the damage is reversible if conditions improve. Fish that are native to large bodies of water (ie, large lakes) and seldom found in variable or small waters (ie, streams/ponds) seem to have less ability to recover from the effects of stunting, at least in trout.

 

[Gambusia]

I figured as much.

I was at the National Aquarium in DC and they have a 50+ year old alligator gar that they have stunted in a tank about 1,500 gallons if you know what I am talking about.

Thanks

Gambusia

 

[OrionGirl]

Yep. I've seen several gars that were pretty stunted in several aquariums, and others that looked very healthy and happy, even in small quarters.