# snakeheads and alligator gars



## mikeoway (Apr 13, 2003)

right now i have 2 red sh around 6-8" long. and i am planning to get 2 alligator gars and i was wondering if anyone can tell me if those fishes would get along?


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## v4p0r (Aug 14, 2003)

Dude you better have a 500-700 gallon tank for that. Both get huge!


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## Shred Revolution (May 16, 2003)

Red Snakeheads can get 3 feet long and they have huge heads with sharp teeth. You need a large tank for one.


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## Show_Me_The_Teeth (Dec 4, 2002)

If the Snakeheads even think about killing your gars they will without hesitation. Keep them seperate.

SMTT


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## Innes (Jan 13, 2003)

yes do not put gars with red snakeheads


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## Polypterus (May 4, 2003)

Depends,
First you need to actually correctly ID what gar it is,
If it a True Atractosteus spatula you do not want it, they get way
to large, you will not be able to keep it,

if it is a Floridia gar or a Spotted which are much more common,
those can be kept in a large tank, Snakehead if properly fed and provided
cover will not likly bother the gar, the gar will not bother it,
If you provide the nessesary habitat it should not be a problem,

Also keep both fish together only if they are equal in size, 
No snakehead can damage a gar much if they are on equal terms,
Gar have an armor coating on them, those ganoid scales are very tough
a snakeheads tiny teeth do not do much to this coating,

With proper care co-habitation is not impossable for these fish


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## Show_Me_The_Teeth (Dec 4, 2002)

Redline Snakehead have tiny teeth? I dont know what Reds you have been looking at. So they are not aligator size that doesnt mean they are small. But I have seen my Reds teeth and they are not small they are about 1/4 to 3/8 " long.


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## oldnavycb (Aug 27, 2003)

where can i see some snakehead and gar pics?


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## SiameseDream (Sep 7, 2003)

this is SMTT's snakehead, im sure he doesnt mind me posting


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## BUICKBOY (May 9, 2003)

I kept a red snakhead before with a gar and well the snakehead got a little frisky one day and bit the gar right in half. He didnt even eat it.
Is it just the angle of the picture or is that fish way to big for that tank.


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## TimmyTeam (Jun 20, 2003)

isnt that a 27"er in a 200 gallon...thats awsome


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## Vampor (Feb 15, 2003)

ive heard that mixing SH is a difficult project only that and then put a 2 gars with them wont make it easier, i might be toatlly wrong but thats somthing ive heard.

Nice SH dude


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## crazyklown89 (Aug 28, 2003)

no offense SMTT but your snakehead looks like a retarded SH with down syndrome


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## TimmyTeam (Jun 20, 2003)

LOL it kinda does look like it has downs


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## snakier (Oct 5, 2003)

mikeoway said:


> right now i have 2 red sh around 6-8" long. and i am planning to get 2 alligator gars and i was wondering if anyone can tell me if those fishes would get along?


 That would be the most stupid thing you can do, is to put SN with gars.


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## snakier (Oct 5, 2003)

BUICKBOY said:


> I kept a red snakhead before with a gar and well the snakehead got a little frisky one day and bit the gar right in half. He didnt even eat it.
> Is it just the angle of the picture or is that fish way to big for that tank.


Learn from BUICKBOY experience! Don't reenact it.









It was even stupid that the fact you can even think you can do it.


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## snakier (Oct 5, 2003)

Unless you think you have thought of a new break through and have figure out the secrect of how to keep those togerther.


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## snakier (Oct 5, 2003)

Sorry... but you set yourself up with that question.









Good Luck w/ SH & Gars


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## mikeoway (Apr 13, 2003)

thanks for those of you who gave useful advise. i am not familiar w/ these fishes. so that was why i ask. i got the gars because i just can't resist. i want to see what are these fishes are all about. they are about 10 inchers. rite now they are in a sectioned off 60 gal. till i get my new 180gal. so here are some pictures of my snakeheads and gars.








snakier . whats your problem. if i knew do you think i would ask? isn't the point of these forums to share info and ask for advice if you are not sure or dont know?


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## mikeoway (Apr 13, 2003)

:nod:


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## mikeoway (Apr 13, 2003)

BUICKBOY what were the size of the sh and gar when you put them together?


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## mikeoway (Apr 13, 2003)

:smile:


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## mikeoway (Apr 13, 2003)

...


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## Polypterus (May 4, 2003)

Well well, How interesting you got the same bastards I do,
Please please PM me with where these fish came from, I'm trying to track the
source of them.









These fish are likley Tropical or Cuban Gar they are not typical Atractosteus
spatula, I'm still working on firmly Identifying the species, Key though I need
definite anwsers as to the source of these fish


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## Polypterus (May 4, 2003)

BTW all four I have also been very easy to train to
Tetramin carnivore pellets, they are very easy to feed


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## crazyklown89 (Aug 28, 2003)

WOW!!!! Gars are vicious! i thought they look like lil bitches until i saw that one trying to eat a pellet!







thats freaking awesome!


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## acestro (Jul 7, 2003)

While snakeheads are easily more aggressive, alligator gar teeth win out. I had a pic posted in pfish but I can't find it....just trust me, those are some unreal teeth!


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## crazyklown89 (Aug 28, 2003)

> alligator gar teeth win out


you mean theyre better than white snakeheads' are?? or that they lose their coolness when gars grow up?

eitehr way ill take your word for it draco youve seemed to always be right in the past


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## snakier (Oct 5, 2003)

Slow your roll man...chill out! Keep the negitive off the board!


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## accr (Nov 27, 2002)

acestro said:


> While snakeheads are easily more aggressive, alligator gar teeth win out. I had a pic posted in pfish but I can't find it....just trust me, those are some unreal teeth!


























Those gar teeth are what the size of my SH's baby front teeth. And IMHO....bite/pressure per square-inch-wise, a V shaped mouth beats any "I" shaped mouth.

Now see if I can get a pic of my 14" Reds yawnning







...


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## snakier (Oct 5, 2003)

snakier said:


> Slow your roll man...chill out! Keep the negitive off the board!


Ok, I'll CHILL but I was just trying to make my point to people like mikeoway







.

It's a fact that when people buy pets that they don't know about and then out grows their tank.... what do they do, throw em in the big lake for someone else to find it and get the species banned by authorities to ruin it for everyone. I don't want that to happen just because of 1 guy's ignorance to purchase 2 SH and 2 gars and doesn't even have his 180 gal yet? Doesn't make any sense to me.... those SH get super huge, super quick and the 180 gal isn't going to hold 2 SH and 2 gars???? Someone needs to tell this guy that the 180 won't make the cut!!!!









If he'd have a little respect to resize those pictures for people that has slow dial-up and a low resolution moniter, I would be even chillier.









thePack


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## acestro (Jul 7, 2003)

> bite/pressure per square-inch-wise, a V shaped mouth beats any "I" shaped mouth.


Hmmmm







interesting subject to bring in. Biomechanics-wise I'd agree, but it depends on where in the mouth the pressure is measured and what kind of fulcrum/muscle-bone attachments as well. If you look at it from an ecology perpective those gar teeth are essentially for prey capture, not aggression. But don't you think a 5' snakehead could fall under the prey capture of this....









But, hey, they're both impressive predators, albeit the snakehead is more derived.


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## Kory (Jun 5, 2003)

Can a gar do this to a fish in one bite?


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## Kory (Jun 5, 2003)

or this


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## acestro (Jul 7, 2003)

Did that guy take a giant bite out of both of those fishes?

I want him in a tank!
















Alligator gar don't usually sever fish, they can fit the entire fish in their mouth...:laugh:

I could care less about these comparisons, all fish have evolved to be good at what they do. 
Snakeheads=be mean and tear sh*t up 
Alligator gar=be big and tough scaled and eat everything

I really dig snakeheads, actually have one, but had to give the holostean his props!

Cool pics by the way!


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## acestro (Jul 7, 2003)

I found a pic of an alligator gar and snakehead fighting...........

.....come on, check it out...........

..................

..............


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## acestro (Jul 7, 2003)

Sorry, couldn't resist. Here's my vote for "toothy" champ...


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## Kory (Jun 5, 2003)

here's mine


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## acestro (Jul 7, 2003)

Very cool, gotta love those anglers. How bout this one...


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## Mr.P (Jul 14, 2003)

That's just scary looking if you ask me.


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## piranha45 (Apr 8, 2003)

acestro said:


> Very cool, gotta love those anglers. How bout this one...


 yeah ill bet those things explode when they come within 500 feet of the surface too


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## piranha45 (Apr 8, 2003)

mikeoway said:


> right now i have 2 red sh around 6-8" long. and i am planning to get 2 alligator gars and i was wondering if anyone can tell me if those fishes would get along?


 gator gars get 10 feet long. 2 Red Snakeheads by themselves would need a 1000 gallon tank if you wanted to keep them humanely


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## piranha45 (Apr 8, 2003)

acestro said:


> While snakeheads are easily more aggressive, alligator gar teeth win out. I had a pic posted in pfish but I can't find it....just trust me, those are some unreal teeth!


snakeheads don't get 10 feet long though :rock:


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## Kory (Jun 5, 2003)

Check this gar out.

This is an "Alligator Gar" fish caught on May 3, 2003 in the Mississippi
> River.
>
> It has been certified as the 2nd largest Gar ever caught, and A
Mississippi
> record.
>
> Earl's fish had a certified weight of 215 pounds with a total length of 7
> feet, 11.5 inches and a 40 inch girth.


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## Kory (Jun 5, 2003)

I don't think a snake head would stand a chance.

Also good luck finding an aquarium for 2 of those and 2 Snakeheads


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## piranha45 (Apr 8, 2003)

oh why did he have to kill it?


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## Polypterus (May 4, 2003)

piranha45 said:


> oh why did he have to kill it?


 Everytime I see that pic I wonder the same, Big gar are getting real
rare these days. Beautiful fish


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## Kory (Jun 5, 2003)

cause Earl was a dumb red neck?


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## NIKE (Jan 27, 2003)

damn that was a monster







and it's so dead







bastards!!!


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## Polypterus (May 4, 2003)

Its funny though Earl caught that on 50lb test line,

from what I heard the fish will be mounted and displayed at a seafood company









(also heard it was 11 foot 7.5 inches must have been a typo)


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## Show_Me_The_Teeth (Dec 4, 2002)

Sometimes a fish like that is caught because it swallowed the hook and there is no chance of it living. So keeping it isnt always a bad idea. But a snakehead can be kept in a home aquarium but a gar has to be kept a a zoo aquarium.


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## acestro (Jul 7, 2003)

> yeah ill bet those things explode when they come within 500 feet of the surface too


Oh yeah, well let's see how a snakehead looks AT 500 feet below!




























:rasp:









I think it would look like this:

. . _______________________

And for earl.....







, you can leave a hook in the stomach of something that size and it will survive. I wonder if they tried to age it.


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## Zuri (Jun 23, 2003)

Whatever happened to taking a picture and letting them go? I love to fish, but I always let them go if it's in public waters. ********......


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## Polypterus (May 4, 2003)

Show_Me_The_Teeth said:


> Sometimes a fish like that is caught because it swallowed the hook and there is no chance of it living. So keeping it isnt always a bad idea. But a snakehead can be kept in a home aquarium but a gar has to be kept a a zoo aquarium.


 Depends on the species of gar,

Gars in the genus Atractosteus (alligator gars)
Should not be kept, neither should the Long-nosed Lepisosteus osseus,
these are not home aquarium fish.

Short-nosed, and Spotted gar, as well as the Flordia are excellent fish
to keep and are well adapted to a tank of 100 or more,

As a note many of the sutible fish are called Alligator gar in the hobby,
Identification is nessesary, I would suggest firmly ID'ing a fish before buying it.


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## Show_Me_The_Teeth (Dec 4, 2002)

Very True!! But I was refering to to alligator gars because everybody thinks they are so cool.


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## Zuri (Jun 23, 2003)

I saw 2 gars at a lfs that were labeled as Alligator Gars. I about gasped! I really hope they weren't really alligator gars. Some poor schmuck is gonna buy those things and in a few years (if that long) he/she will have a few true Monsters on their hands.

Some fish shouldn't be sold for the home aquaria. Is it just the media that gets fish like Snakeheads banned, but stores can sell fish that get 10 feet long?? Does anyone see any sense in this????


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## Polypterus (May 4, 2003)

Zuri said:


> I saw 2 gars at a lfs that were labeled as Alligator Gars. I about gasped! I really hope they weren't really alligator gars. Some poor schmuck is gonna buy those things and in a few years (if that long) he/she will have a few true Monsters on their hands.
> 
> Some fish shouldn't be sold for the home aquaria. Is it just the media that gets fish like Snakeheads banned, but stores can sell fish that get 10 feet long?? Does anyone see any sense in this????


 Um.......... NO there is no sense to it, But then some pet stores will sell you
Tigers, Bears, and Cobras and they think it's ethicly fine too,


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## acestro (Jul 7, 2003)

I want a bear!


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## Kory (Jun 5, 2003)

This crazy lady who lived outside of the town I grew up in had a pet bear and bobcat. They kept getting out of there cages and the DNR was always having to go out and find them and return them to her. The last time her bear got out they never did find it.


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## perrogoma (Oct 1, 2003)

Zuri said:


> Whatever happened to taking a picture and letting them go? I love to fish, but I always let them go if it's in public waters. ********......


 why? fish taste so good


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## Zuri (Jun 23, 2003)

Because if our generation doesn't stop the over fishing NOW, our kids won't have any fish to catch at all. Fish like that Gar take years and years to get that big. Everytime I see someone take a decent sized well grown fish (except carp) from a local water it pisses me off. Take a Channel Catfish for example, it may only take 2 years to get to 6-7 pounds, but to get to 50 pounds it may take 10-15 years. We've only got one planet and if we don't all take part, it's fruitless.

Sorry to preach, I apologize, but if there isn't a legitiment reason (mortally wounded fish, you're starving to death) to take a fish from public waters, don't.

Just my 2 cents.

Edited for sp.


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## piranha45 (Apr 8, 2003)

Zuri said:


> Because if our generation doesn't stop the over fishing NOW, our kids won't have any fish to catch at all. Fish like that Gar take years and years to get that big. Everytime I see someone take a decent sized well grown fish (except carp) from a local water it pisses me off. Take a Channel Catfish for example, it may only take 2 years to get to 6-7 pounds, but to get to 50 pounds it may take 10-15 years. We've only got one planet and if we don't all take part, it's fruitless.
> 
> Sorry to preach, I apologize, but if there isn't a legitiment reason (mortally wounded fish, you're starving to death) to take a fish from public waters, don't.
> 
> ...


 well said :nod:


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## acestro (Jul 7, 2003)

Yes, very well said. It is easy to be shortsighted and not worry about the future, but easy is often not the banner of morality. Good spot to wrap this thread up.


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