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Ten weeks already? Wow, time flies...:%) The last few fish have been somewhat affordable, so I decided maybe it's time for another crazy expensive fish... This is one of the most stunning fish you'll ever see.

RFotW #10 -- Lepisosteus platyrhincus -- Golden Florida Gar



Okay, I may be cheating a little. The Florida Gar is a relatively common gar; however, the golden, or xanthic, morph is a really rare and attractive one. It's said a red, or erythric, morph would be the most valuable, but they're so rare you can't find images of one! It's amazing what just a single gene can do to the appearance of a fish. Because of the flat ganoid scales, the golden appearance just looks even more awesome!

Of course, maxing at over four feet long, this fish is no pushover. You can temporarily keep it in smaller tanks, but you have to have some idea where the gar is going to go after it outgrows it's quarters. As an ambush predator, they also don't move as much as many other fish; normal gars have coloration that helps them hide in vegetation. This fish is mainly piscivorous, but it's probably somewhat possible to wean these fish onto dead foods so you don't have to buy live fish all the time. Obviously, you don't want to keep this fish with other bite-size fish, but they can generally be kept with all sorts of fish so long as they can't eat them.

Price tag for a Golden Gar? Well, the 24" one in the movie files in the last link was sold for $2400, if I'm not mistaken. For a fish like that, the price can be well worth it.

Links:

[link=http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.cfm?genusname=Lepisosteus&speciesname=platyrhincus]http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.cfm?genusname=Lepisosteus&speciesname=platyrhincus" style="COLOR: #40FFFF[/link]

[link=http://my.core.com/~garman/garanglershome.htm]http://my.core.com/~garman/garanglershome.htm" style="COLOR: #40FFFF[/link]

[link=http://www.predatoryfish.net/ibforums/index.php?showtopic=68908]http://www.predatoryfish.net/ibforums/index.php?showtopic=68908" style="COLOR: #40FFFF[/link] -- Has movie files of a Golden Gar showing it's beauty!

Past RFOTW:
1. [link=Polynemus paradiseus -- Paradise threadfin]http://www.fishprofiles.com/files/forums/The%20Recovery%20Room/46807.html" style="COLOR: #40FFFF[/link]
2. [link=Anableps anableps -- Four-Eyed Fish]http://www.fishprofiles.com/files/forums/The%20Recovery%20Room/47270.html" style="COLOR: #40FFFF[/link]
3. [link=Hypancistrus zebra -- Zebra Plec]http://www.fishprofiles.com/files/forums/The%20Recovery%20Room/47753.html?200409261201" style="COLOR: #40FFFF[/link]
4. [link=Potamotrygon sp. -- Pearl Ray]http://www.fishprofiles.com/files/forums/The%20Recovery%20Room/47753.html?200409261201" style="COLOR: #40FFFF[/link]
5. [link=Merodontotus Tigrinus -- Tigrinus Catfish, Zebra Shovelnose]http://www.fishprofiles.com/files/forums/The%20Recovery%20Room/48196.html?200410031445" style="COLOR: #40FFFF[/link]
6. [link=Rhinopias aphanes -- Merlet's Scorpionfish, Lacy Scorpionfish]http://www.fishprofiles.com/files/forums/The%20Recovery%20Room/48511.html?200410101249" style="COLOR: #40FFFF[/link]
7. [link=Tetraodon pustulatus]http://www.fishprofiles.com/files/forums/The%20Recovery%20Room/48859.html?200410171215" style="COLOR: #40FFFF[/link]
8. [link=Astronotus orbicularis -- Bumblebee Oscar]http://www.fishprofiles.com/files/forums/The%20Recovery%20Room/49209.html?200410241022" style="COLOR: #40FFFF[/link]
9. [link=Parambassis pulcinella -- Rhino Glassfish, Humphead Glassfish]http://www.fishprofiles.com/files/forums/The%20Recovery%20Room/49556.html?200410312127" style="COLOR: #40FFFF[/link][/font]

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The aquarist is one who must learn the ways of the biologist, the chemist, and the veterinarian.

Wow that fish is really awsome
Little bit to expensive for me though..and you have to have a big tank i suppose.
One of the best fish so far shinigami..wonder what's comming next

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I know human beings and fish can co-exist peacefully.