The spotted gar

spotted gar

Scientific name	Lepisosteus oculatus
Descriptor	Winchell
Year of description	1864
IUCN category (World)	LC
Family	Lepisosteidae
Genus	Lepisosteus

Introduction

Lepisosteus oculatus, commonly known as spotted gar, is a fresh water fish from the North America.

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Who is it?

Morphology

Average size

100 cm
Maximum size

150 cm
Longevity

18 year
Mimicry

plants
Pattern

ponctuations

Average size

100 cm
Maximum size

150 cm
Longevity

18 year
Mimicry

plants
Pattern

ponctuations

How to recognize the spotted gar ?

The spotted gar measures between 100 and 150 cm. This fish is bicolore with a predominantly marron and beige body. The also has marron ponctuations.

Behaviour & Life cycle

diet

carnivorous
Sociability

living in a group or alone
territorial

No
Way of living

diurnal

The spotted gar is a fish living in a group or alone naturally found near to the surface. This species is carnivorous .

Although the spotted gar is non-territorial, it is sometimes aggressive towards other species.

Reproduction

Reproduction

ovipare qui pond en eau libre

The spotted gar is a fish ovipare qui pond en eau libre.

Harmless species

This species does not represent any particular threats to humans when encountered in its natural environment.

Where to find it?

Origin

North America

Countries

Canada United States of America Mexique

Conservation status of populations (IUCN)

World : LC

Where to see this species?

What is its habitat?

Natural environment characteristics

Temperature

12 - 20 °C
pH (acidity)

6.5 - 8
gh (hardness)

9 - 19

Biotope presentation

The spotted gar is most often found at a depth between 0m and 5m. However, it is not impossible to find this species at other depths.

This species lives near large roots, in which it can find refuge in case of danger. This type of habitat is often found not far from the banks.

Species of the same biotope

Main recommendations for fishkeeping

Deontology

Respect for wildlife

In order to preserve wildlife, if you acquire this animal, it must not be released into the wild. See also, the Fishipedia charter.

Fishipedia supports the practice of responsible and environmentally friendly aquarium keeping. We encourage maintenance if it is motivated by a desire to understand the biological functioning of living things and if it is done with respect for animal life.

We believe that aquaristics is an opening to the discovery of aquatic environments, especially freshwater, and that this knowledge is necessary to better protect and respect these environments. Logically, we refute the compulsive purchase of animals that would not find a sufficient and / or adapted place in the host aquarium.

Our recommendations

Min volume

5000 liters
Population min

not specified
Temperature

12 - 20 °C
pH (acidity)

6.5 - 8

Characteristics

Behaviour

slightly aggressive

General reminders

Before acquiring an animal

It is strongly advised to read the complete dedicated file and to get information on the feedbacks of maintenance of the envisaged animal, this to avoid any potential conflict whose end result is generally the death of the individual (or the other inhabitants). It is important not to overload your aquarium to limit pollution. This will make maintenance easier.

Freshwater conditions

In nature, animals are subject to weather conditions and live in waters with variable characteristics. The recommendations offered by our team for aquarium maintenance are a guidance and cannot be assimilated to scientific datas.

General reminder on maintenance datas

Setting up your aquarium

Le démarrage d'un aquarium est une partie primordiale pour l'équilibre et le bien-être des poissons. Lorsque l'on met en eau un aquarium, l'eau passe naturellement par un cycle biologique : le cycle de l'azote. Celui-ci dure environ trois semaines. Tous les 2 jours, nous vous conseillons de tester votre eau jusqu'à ce que le taux de nitrite soit à zéro pendant plusieurs jours d'affilée.

Pour accélérer ce cycle, vous pouvez utiliser un activateur de bactéries comme JBL Denitrol. Cette solution riche en bactéries vivantes et enzymes permet une mise en place rapide du cycle de l'azote. Les poissons peuvent alors être introduits plus rapidement.

Testing water parameters

Il est important de tester l'eau de son aquarium régulièrement pour maintenir un environnement sain pour les poissons et les autres habitants. Les tests d'eau permettent de mesurer les niveaux de différents paramètres tels que le pH, la dureté totale, ainsi que les taux de nitrates, de nitrites et d'ammoniaque.

Pour réaliser ces tests, vous pouvez utiliser des produits d'analyse spécialisés tels que JBL ProScan qui permet de réaliser un diagnostic de l'eau directement via un smartphone. Il existe également des coffrets de tests plus classiques de bandelettes, comme JBL PROAQUATEST.

Water changes

En cas d’usage de l’eau du robinet, vous pouvez utiliser un conditionneur d’eau de type Biotopol de JBL pour éliminer les substances nocives comme le chlore, le cuivre, le plomb et le zinc. Les conditionneurs d'eau garantissent une meilleure santé aux poissons et une meilleure croissance des plantes.

Precautions to be taken with chlorine

Chlorine and chloramine are dangerous for the health of animals. Used to disinfect water, these agents are present in significant quantities in tap water. We recommend using an anti-chlorine agent every time you change the water. In addition to chlorine, treatments and medicines sold for aquarium use sometimes contain dangerous heavy metals in high doses.

Specific needs for the spotted gar

The spotted gar is a species which lives naturally at a temperature between 12 °C and 20 °C. For proper maintenance, the temperature should never exceed the 23°C for long periods. Nitrate levels should remain below 50mg/L. To keep the water clean and unpolluted, plan on changing 20% to 30% of the water volume each month.

Maintenance difficulty

Heating not required

As this species is used to living in fairly cool water, the presence of a resistance is not necessary in your aquarium. Also be careful to control the temperature of your tank in summer.

Cohabitation & Environment

In a community aquarium context, this species should be kept in a minimum volume of 5000 liters.

Tips for feeding

The spotted gar is carnivorous.

This species can eat dry food (flakes, pellets), fresh food and frozen food. To avoid deficiencies, it is recommended to vary the types of food.

You should not overfeed your residents to avoid polluting the water. For most species, it is better to feed a few small portions each day rather than one large meal.

Reproduction protocol

egg-laying protection

No

Hybridization risks

In general, it is advised not to mix several species of the same genus or different varieties of the same species, to avoid the risks of hybridization.

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Sources & Contributions

Participation & Validation

The Fishipedia team and specialist contributors are committed to providing high-quality content. However, although the information comes from scientific sources or testimonials from specialists, the cards may contain inaccuracies.

Translation

Translation done with the valuable contribution of our translators, who make this information available to a wider audience. We sincerely thank them for their commitment.