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Alligator Gar

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GregBickal

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Anybody know if it would be legal for me to keep an Alligator Gar in a tank as a pet?

If it is legal, anybody know where I can get one? Cedar Rapids Area.

I breed and sell koi, and I have alot of koi that are ugly (carp colored, or white, or deformed). Right now I feed these koi to a snapping turtle, but it isnt able to keep up with the supply and not as exciting to watch.

I could house this Alligator Gar in a 4000 gallon tank, in my indoor facility. Water temp is 60F winter to 78F summer.

What other recommendations would anyone suggest as another large fish that would like to be fed 6" koi every day :D
 
Huh, I used to have a Large Mouth Bass in my aquarium. He was about 5" long, never thought about the legality of it. Caught him out of my uncles farm pond. Put him in there to be a bully to the last of 3 bluegill I had first...... Not much into fishing anymore, are gator gar around here and are they legal to keep if caught? If so, then why why wouldn't you be able to keep one? I bet Muddy knows the answer to this......
 
A flathead would be cool, especially in the size of tank you're talking about. Only problem with them is that I doubt you'd ever see him feed.

As far as any legal ramifications for keeping fish pets, call a DNR Fisheries office.
 
The neighbor down the street has a mud pond full of huge flathead. They come up to eat pellets, quite a site. Don't know as I want a Catfish tho not bizarre enough looking.

Gar are in Iowa waters, but I don't know if they are on an endagered list or something which could prohibit me from getting one. I'll check with the DNR. I know I found a little fingerline Gar back in 1980 when I was a kid. The creek flooded and I found it swimming down the partially flooded street.

If anyone catches one, let me know :)
 
You won't find any alligator gar in Iowa or any other midwest state. They are only in southern regions. The ones in the midwest are longnose and shortnose gar.
 
Shovelbuck said:
You won't find any alligator gar in Iowa or any other midwest state. They are only in southern regions. The ones in the midwest are longnose and shortnose gar.
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Id get a big ol muskie and feed him the koi
 
Shovelbuck said:
You won't find any alligator gar in Iowa or any other midwest state. They are only in southern regions. The ones in the midwest are longnose and shortnose gar.
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Aren't there shovelnose gar, too? Somehow I remember having to ID that one in a fisheries class all those years ago.
 
AZHunter said:
Aren't there shovelnose gar, too? Somehow I remember having to ID that one in a fisheries class all those years ago.
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Shovelnose gar may be a slang term for shortnose gar as their beak is pretty short and wide. There are shovelnose STURGEON however.

If you go with gar or a flathead I still don't think you'll see any exciting feeding frenzies unless you starve them for a few days in between feedings. You want frenzies, get some green sunfish and dump little minnows in with them every few days.
 
South Skunk river down my way is riddled with gar these days. No alligator gar as Jay mentioned but they can get two or three feet long. A lot got shot with bow fishing rigs this summer!:grin:
 
Gar is a rough fish so I don't see why it wouldn't be legal.

I watched a video a while back a guy has a flathead about a pound or so. He put a dozen baby fish in the aquarium and the flathead would just hold still until the fish got right above his mouth then he would suck them in and chow down it was cool to watch. Watched it on Catfish Academy but can't find it now.
 
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You would have to go to TX or LA if you want a gator gar. You would need to catch him on a rod and reel and transport him home. He would need to be probably 100 lbs or better to eat the amount of fish you are talking about. I have a longnose gar in my aquarium, but he is only about 14 inches right now. He eats 5 minnows a day. Fun to watch him feed. I know a guy in OK that has a couple 100 lb gator gar in his pond he transplanted there from TX. Keeping them alive on the roadtrip was difficult he said and he only had a quarter of the distance you have to travel. You could put a half dozen big longnose gar in your tank. They are readily available. They reach 30 lbs around here and could grow much bigger than that in your tank with enough food. And they would be cool to watch.
 
I have experience and a rig capable of transporting a fish long distance :)

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If you have that many "leftovers"/"duds" you could probably help out a trapper or two.

i'd go with a couple of flatheads, plenty of them right there in the Cedar River...I bet a 6" Koi would make awesome flathead bait on a ditty pole:drink1:
 
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