Sand Sifters/Cleaners with rays?

Arghas

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Sep 20, 2008
108
1
0
canada
Hiya guys,

On one of the threads, one of the concern was using sand as a substrate, and pretty much the gist of it was : sand good/bad...but good, if u can sift ur sand properly---(not a debate of whether sand is good or not, so if possible let's keep at the topic)

So my question is, do you guys have any experience in having these cleaners/sifters work with rays?

As far as I know this was my list:
Snails----eaten
Small eals that protrude their head in sand----saw them burrowing, then showing their heads....then they dissappeared 1 by 1 (i thought that it was because they were under the sand or something------later saw Stingray, being happier than usual.....

Thanks in advance for your thoughts and insight guys!
 

coyotethug

Gambusia
MFK Member
Sep 3, 2005
551
4
16
46
Michigan
Snails are relished by my rays. I have an african cichlid tank loaded with malaysian trumpet snails and I throw some in as a treat every now and then. Tried to get them to establish but they get taken out too quickly.

Mixing rays with anything is really a disaster waiting to happen. They with either eat it or barb it if it gets in their way. I had a trio of geophagus for about a year before they acquired a taste for them and then all gone in a weekend.

My rays keep the sand stirred themselves by blowing it around and hunting through it.

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swedeboy78

Candiru
MFK Member
Sep 21, 2011
778
48
46
My crib
Altifrons are great for this, they also the largest of the Geos - but like Coyote said, it's just a matter of time and ones your rays are big enough, the Geos will most likely go missing.
 

coyotethug

Gambusia
MFK Member
Sep 3, 2005
551
4
16
46
Michigan
I have discus, geos, heroes, satanoperca with my rays, works very nice! Had them together since forever.
What kind of rays, how big, and what size tank? Curious becUse I would like to add some tankmates on the system I will be setting up shortly but I have had a lot of bad experience. So far lost 6 frontosa 6 to 8 inches, one 17 inch tigrinus, 17 inch broko bass, 24 inch clown knife, a couple dozen large tinfoil barbs, three broko geos, a couple of flagtails, prob more but that is all I can remember at this time. Everything was good until they got about 10 inches then either you were on the menu or you were getting darted. Only long term companion that worked was a silver aro.

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Raymann88

Candiru
MFK Member
Jul 1, 2011
606
8
48
Canada
If you keep the sand layer thin enough ( no more than an inch or so ) the rays will keep it stirred up as they blow/sift through it looking for food. Most of my tanks are bare bottom. As the rays get bigger they stir up the sand enough that it gets sucked up in the intake of my filters. The tanks I have sand in I don't do anything special for the sand.
 

Tor-Eriik

Bronze Tier VIP
MFK Member
Jan 3, 2010
1,488
8
568
Norway
What kind of rays, how big, and what size tank? Curious becUse I would like to add some tankmates on the system I will be setting up shortly but I have had a lot of bad experience.

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Its a 1200 gallon tank, 1400 gallon system. But i have had them all together way before that system, also had all those fishes(exept for the discus) in a 550 gallon indoor pond, worked good there aswell. When they were in the 550 setup they were 8 rays, 10-12 inches.. Now they have grown pretty much, im down to 7 rays, between 15-22 inches..

Also have 5 angels, 4 satanoperca, 2 redcheek, 3 altifrons together with 2 hystrix rays in a 180 gallon setup, rays are 8 inches + i gues.

In my 1200 gallon i have 3 pretty big driftwood pieces providing cover. In my 180 gallon i have 2 driftwood pieces, not really providing all that much :)
 
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