Joined
·
4,347 Posts
rays are quite tricky, i wouldn't advise using a 72 bow tank, but if you must I will give you my opinion.
1. no pleco ( don't think it may not work, i'll tell you right now it won't work. If you listen to nothing else I post please avoid the pleco)
2. diet is very important with this species... Frozen blood worms and mysis shrimp are good for smaller specimens, as they grow to a sub adult size you can suppliment the diet with live ghost shrimp to keep them active and predatory. ( you will love to watch them hunt prey) Adults will eat nearly anything, I prefer a pellet diet consisting of Hikari Massivore pellets, and sinking carnivore pellets depending on what kinda cash I have at the time of purchase. Live earthworms and frozen beef heart are a good treat for larger rays. Do not feed krill, it has way too much protein and will kill your ray quickly. If you get a ray that will not eat frozen or pellet diet live black worms will definately peak his interest and should only be used to start feeding. After feeding black worms for a about a week the ray should start eating a frozen diet. Take that opporunity to dose Metronidizole to get whatever garbage came in with the live worms out of the tank
3.Water parameters... Ph of 6.5-7.0 is a standard among individuals and shops alike with a temperature range from 76-84F (i keep my rays at about 88 in the store and have very good luck)
4. Tankmates, In my opinion the best tankmates for rays are species that will not really compete with them for food or territory. Surface dwelling species like african butterfly fish will do very well and never venture down in to stingray turf. It will also keep 2/3 of the tank occupied with just the ray and the butterfly fish. As far as middle dwelling, some species of geophagus will fare pretty well.
geophagus jurupari
yellow fin curviceps
discus (if not other middle dwelling tankmates are in the tank)
Larger tetras
hope this helps!
F
1. no pleco ( don't think it may not work, i'll tell you right now it won't work. If you listen to nothing else I post please avoid the pleco)
2. diet is very important with this species... Frozen blood worms and mysis shrimp are good for smaller specimens, as they grow to a sub adult size you can suppliment the diet with live ghost shrimp to keep them active and predatory. ( you will love to watch them hunt prey) Adults will eat nearly anything, I prefer a pellet diet consisting of Hikari Massivore pellets, and sinking carnivore pellets depending on what kinda cash I have at the time of purchase. Live earthworms and frozen beef heart are a good treat for larger rays. Do not feed krill, it has way too much protein and will kill your ray quickly. If you get a ray that will not eat frozen or pellet diet live black worms will definately peak his interest and should only be used to start feeding. After feeding black worms for a about a week the ray should start eating a frozen diet. Take that opporunity to dose Metronidizole to get whatever garbage came in with the live worms out of the tank
3.Water parameters... Ph of 6.5-7.0 is a standard among individuals and shops alike with a temperature range from 76-84F (i keep my rays at about 88 in the store and have very good luck)
4. Tankmates, In my opinion the best tankmates for rays are species that will not really compete with them for food or territory. Surface dwelling species like african butterfly fish will do very well and never venture down in to stingray turf. It will also keep 2/3 of the tank occupied with just the ray and the butterfly fish. As far as middle dwelling, some species of geophagus will fare pretty well.
geophagus jurupari
yellow fin curviceps
discus (if not other middle dwelling tankmates are in the tank)
Larger tetras
hope this helps!
F
