shortnose gar

Scientific name Lepisosteus platostomus
Descriptor Rafinesque
Year of description 1820
IUCN category (World) LC
Family Lepisosteidae
Genus Lepisosteus
Lepisosteus platostomus Lepisosteus platostomus

Introduction

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

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Who is it?

Morphology

  • Average size
    62.5 cm
  • Maximum size
    88 cm
  • Longevity
    20 year
  • Pattern
    tasks
  • Average size
    62.5 cm
  • Maximum size
    88 cm
  • Longevity
    20 year
  • Pattern
    tasks

How to recognize the shortnose gar ?

The shortnose gar measures between 62.5 and 88 cm. This fish is bicolore with a predominantly marron, blanc, beige and gris body. The also has noir tasks.

Behaviour & Life cycle

  • diet
    carnivorous
  • Sociability
    living in shoals
  • territorial
    No
  • Way of living
    diurnal

The shortnose gar is a fish living in shoals naturally found near to the surface. This species is carnivorous .

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

Reproduction

  • Reproduction
    ovipare qui dépose ses Œufs dans la végétation

The shortnose gar is a fish ovipare qui dépose ses Œufs dans la végétation. This fish protects its eggs from nearby predators.

Harmless species

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

Where to find it?

Conservation status of populations (IUCN)

World : LC

Where to see this species?

What is its habitat?

Natural environment characteristics

  • Temperature
    10 - 18 °C
  • pH (acidity)
    6.5 - 7.5
  • gh (hardness)
    6 - 16
  • Flow
    Slow

Biotope presentation

The shortnose gar is most often found at a depth between 0m and 2m. However, it is not impossible to find this species at other depths. This animal evolves in areas characterized by a strong presence of vegetation (aquatic and marsh plants, decaying organic matter, roots...).

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

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
    760 liters
  • Population min
    not specified
  • Temperature
    10 - 18 °C
  • pH (acidity)
    6.5 - 7.5

Characteristics

  • Difficulty breeding
    very difficult
  • Behaviour
    slightly aggressive
  • Availability
    rare

General reminders

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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 shortnose gar

The shortnose gar is a species which lives naturally at a temperature between 10 °C and 18 °C. For proper maintenance, the temperature should never exceed the 21°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.

The shortnose gar is a species whose maintenance is rather reserved for informed aquarists . It can only be successfully carried out by carrying out a minimum of documentation work. Special husbandry conditions can easily lead to the death of the species or other animals.

This species is very rare in the aquarium trade. Instead, it is maintained by knowledgeable aquarists who own and breed individuals from wild origin strains. If you want to get this species, we advise you to contact specialized clubs. }Specimens from long time breeding are a bit easier to breed but you have to respect the particular water parameters.

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

Being a living in shoals fish, it is advisable to install at least 0 individuals in an aquarium of 760 liters minimum. Group maintenance is a prerequisite to ensure their well-being. Lonely individuals tend to quickly become stressed and become especially susceptible to disease. Warning, mixing several species living in the same living area is not recommended if the volume is not significant. This fish being a predatory species, it is recommended to maintain it in a specific environment, without other species. Indeed, any crustacean or fish of lower size will become a potential prey. If you still try to associate it with other species, the cohabitants must be of a size at least comparable to the predator in a much larger volume. The aquarium can be provided with many hiding places and a large space to allow each individual to find refuge if necessary.

The species enjoys a particularly vegetation-rich environment. The addition of plants will provide many useful hiding places for resting. These areas are also conducive to possible breeding in the aquarium.

Tips for feeding

The shortnose 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.

Food recommendations from our partner JBL - Products PRONOVO

Reproduction protocol

  • Spawning cleaning
    No
  • egg-laying protection
    No
  • Fry 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.

Adrien Falzon

Adrien Falzon

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.

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Species of the same family

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Species of the same biotope

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