Females are often accompanied by more than one male. Yellow eggs are scattered in vegetation and other submerged structures, usually hatching within eight days of spawning. The fry remain in the yolk-sac phase for another week, at which time they begin to feed on insect larvae and small crustaceans. At little over an inch in length, fish appear in the diet. Sexual maturity is usually achieved when fish reach about 15 inches in length.
Shortnose gar are more tolerant of high turbidity than other gar species.
Shortnose gar inhabit large rivers and their backwaters, as well as oxbow lakes and large pools. Distribution Shortnose gar are present in the Mississippi River drainage from the Gulf Coast as far north as Montana in the west, and the Ohio River in the east. In Texas Shortnose gar may be found in the Red River basin below Lake Texoma. As with alligator gar, Shortnose gar may be captured by entangling the teeth in nylon threads, or by bowfishing. There is no state record reported for Shortnose gar in Texas.