Hujeta gar
Ctenolucius hujeta
Also known as Rocket gar, Gar characin
FreshwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 72–82°F
- 22–28°C
- pH
- 6.0–7.5
- Adult size
- 9.8 in
- 25 cm
- Minimum tank
- 55 gal
- 210 L
- Temperament
- Mostly peaceful
- Social behavior
- Social
- Tankmates
- With caution
- Swim level
- Top
- Diet
- Carnivore
- Difficulty
- Difficult
- Breeding
- No record
- Rarity
- Very rare
- Family
- Ctenoluciidae
- Origin
- Venezuela, Colombia
Overview
The Hujeta gar is a predatory characin that hunts at the top of a large tank. It counts as difficult, a fish for experienced keepers.
Did you know
The Hujeta gar hunts at the surface and can launch clear of the water to grab prey. Leaps of up to around a meter have been reported.
Caring for the Hujeta gar
Keep Hujeta gars in a long tank of at least 55 gal (210 L). They patrol the top of the water and want length and surface area more than depth. Give them open swimming room up top and some cover at the sides. They can be nervous, so the lid must be secure, since a loose or light lid will not hold one in.
Soft to neutral water is fine, at 72 to 82°F (22 to 28°C) with a pH of 6.0 to 7.5. Feed meaty foods such as live or frozen fish, shrimp and large insects, and wean them onto frozen foods where you can.
Hujeta gars do best in a group of three or more. They mostly ignore fish too big to swallow but will eat anything that fits in their mouths, so size tank mates carefully. Breeding in aquariums is barely documented.
Good to know
Ctenolucius hujeta belongs to the family Ctenoluciidae and has the long body and beaky, pointed snout of a small gar. It is a surface-oriented ambush predator built for grabbing fast prey. It is generally considered of Least Concern in the wild.
In the wild
The Hujeta gar comes from rivers and streams in Venezuela and Colombia. It often lives in flowing water with wood and plants along the edges, where it hunts near the surface.
Common questions
What size tank does a Hujeta gar need?
A Hujeta gar needs at least 55 gal (210 L). It spends most of its time in the top.
What temperature and pH does a Hujeta gar need?
A Hujeta gar is comfortable at 72–82°F (22–28°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.
What does a Hujeta gar eat?
A Hujeta gar eats meaty foods such as live or frozen fish, shrimp and large insects. Wean it onto frozen foods where you can.
How big does a Hujeta gar get?
An adult Hujeta gar reaches about 9.8 in (25 cm).
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