Motoro's with Frontosa Colony?

08trdoffroad

Candiru
MFK Member
Jul 16, 2009
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Utah, USA
Hey all,
I have a question, I currently have a colony of 10 Burundi Frontosa that are all 4-8" (my alpha is pictured in my avatar). My LFS has a couple of small (4-6" disk) Motoro rays. Do you think I could add them to the Frontosa tank and raise them together? Would this tankmate combination work? Any potential concerns, problems?
 

Brian_Indiana

Fire Eel
MFK Member
May 22, 2010
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Muncie, IN
I do not have any experience rays, but my Fronts stay around the bottom and like rocks caves. How will the rays act with them all in the same space? Don't rays need open space? Do you have a lot of rock formations?

If it would work, it would be a sweet livestock mix.
 

08trdoffroad

Candiru
MFK Member
Jul 16, 2009
313
2
48
Utah, USA
Front's do like caves, I only have two rock formations in my tank, but plenty of open space aswell, especially for a ray as tiny as the one I am looking at. The tank would get bigger with the ray. As I plan on a 210 G in the near future as soon as uncle sam pays up what he owes! ha ha! My fronts are all fairly large, so I don't see the ray getting too big for them as they will continue to grow with it.
 

keepinfish

Potamotrygon
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Jun 29, 2007
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Be prepared, that a 210 will only last a female motoro 2-2-1/2 years max. IF that is the largest tank you plan on getting consider a male or 2. They will stay smaller, but still COULD outgrow that tank
 

08trdoffroad

Candiru
MFK Member
Jul 16, 2009
313
2
48
Utah, USA
The two that the store currently has are both presumed males. I only would purchase one of the two, and pick up a female later on.
 

Just Toby

Fire Eel
MFK Member
Apr 22, 2010
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Guildford UK
You need to provide plenty of swimming space at the bottom and a 210 is the staring point IMO for a motoro..male or female. The females will need a lot more fairly quickly.
 

Miguel

Ole Dawg
MFK Member
Dec 28, 2006
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Very much south..
Apples and oranges, in terms of water requirements.

( Not saying it can't be done; I would not )
 

Just Toby

Fire Eel
MFK Member
Apr 22, 2010
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Miguel;4834940; said:
Apples and oranges, in terms of water requirements.

( Not saying it can't be done; I would not )
Really? If the ph was 7.5 with an average hardness, 0 nitrite and ammonia with nitrate below 20 ppm then why would both species not thrive? I have kept both in the same environment the fronts bred and although I have not kept rays for more than 1 year, I know my rays will breed as soon as the motoro is old enough as they are showing signs now.
 

08trdoffroad

Candiru
MFK Member
Jul 16, 2009
313
2
48
Utah, USA
Just Toby,
So you are currently keeping Frontosa in with a pair of rays? I just hate to spend $150 for the ray, only to have it get beat to death or some other complication. I could have sworn I have seen pictures with guys keeping single Frontosa in with rays in other threads so I was hopeing they would chime in.

Miguel,
I do not alter my water parameters from what they come out of the tap so I would imagine the PH is between 7.0-7.5 out of the tap. I have read that rays, especially Motoro are hardy and will adapt to a wide variety of water parameters as long as Nitrate and Ammonia are kept in check. I haven't tested ammonia, nitrate and nitrite in quite a while but the tank is cylced and mature, it has been set up for almost two years. I perform weekly water changes of 50% so husbandry shouldn't be an issue.
 
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