tail biting

spotfin

Silver Tier VIP
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Jan 2, 2006
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Maine
Need some help. My male motoro has taken a likening to biting the end of the females tail. This started back in January or so. Previous to this I had a second male ray, who was the dominant male, in the same tank and there weren't any problems. I sold that ray in December. Soon after, the current male started to lightly bite the female. It progressively got worse and I had to install a divider in the tank.
Her tail would heal up so I would remove the divider. All would be well for several days (a period of two weeks went by once) and the tail biting would start again. He has bitten 1.5" off of the end of her tail now. Will this tail biting eventually end? I'm hoping it is just a phase. If not, I will look into selling the male.
 

stingrayguy

Dovii
Community Vendor
MFK Member
Jul 20, 2005
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Illinois
I have pond with 4 large rays. And when ever its breeding time. They all bite tails. All the rays tails are right at the end of the stinger. Seems to be a breeding thing for me
 

Nic

Peacock Bass
MFK Member
Oct 8, 2005
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outside philly
my old pair arround 9" the male would do the same to her.... love bites??
 

turkeyboy85

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Oct 14, 2007
3,163
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mn
yea my 8" male bites my prego female all the time... not even when its feeding he will jsut randomly bite her tail and back of the fins
 

mekoner

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Nov 14, 2006
99
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vancouver bc
I have two males and the bigger one has bitten of the tail of the smaller one to the base of its stinger
 

Rosewood022

Candiru
MFK Member
Feb 17, 2006
308
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Troy, MI
I have the same issue with one of my females. She bit the tails off of a couple of other females, right up to the end of the stinger. She leaves the dominate female alone though. If your pair is breeding, don't sell the male. Tail biting seems to be normal behavior.

Pat
Amazon Stingrays
 

spotfin

Silver Tier VIP
MFK Member
Jan 2, 2006
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Maine
Ok. I'll keep an eye on them. They are seperated now so she can heal. He chewed it right back to the stinger, and even chewed the tissue off the last 1/4 of her stinger. I'm surprised she didn't stick him.
 
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