Flower Rays

Raymann88

Candiru
MFK Member
Jul 1, 2011
606
8
48
Canada
Anyone have long term success with these rays? Been doing a lot of research on this forum and it seems lots of people have tried them and have lost them for one reason or another. Some can't get them to eat, some have them for a few years and they mysteriously die and some have them die from getting stressed out from other rays (including other flower rays). Interested in getting a pair, but can't seem to find anyone with long term success. If anyone is successful, please post pics and some background info as to how long you've had them, what your feeding them, tank setup and water parameters (RO vs tap, hardness, ph, etc).

Thanks,
 

Raymann88

Candiru
MFK Member
Jul 1, 2011
606
8
48
Canada
Yeah he's had one for a couple of years - just saw it a couple weeks ago - great looking ray. Says it's finicky. I've been going through the posts, lots of members have posted getting / having flowers, but very few updates are on the positive side. Seems like they only live for a couple of years and then die off. Many other ray keepers have rays they've kept for 5+ years (Some almost 20 years). I have rays that I've kept for almost 5 years now. I'm looking to see if anyone has had similar success with flowers to see if there is any truth to the "myths" that they are hard to keep or if they are just not as plentiful in the hobby as some other rays (motoros / Leos). I wonder if the death rates of flowers are as proportionate as those of other rays, but seem higher just because there are not as many around.
 

UnstoppableJayD

MFK NNJ
Staff member
Global Moderator
MFK Member
Jun 6, 2012
4,876
1,333
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Northern NJ
I have been tempted to try one myself on a couple occasions... but in the same boat as you very limited info on long term success. I spoke to Richard Ross on them and tigers last year and he said it can be done but really shouldn't be mixed with other species. And a local BD breeder told me over the years he has kept 30 or so wild rays and he only lost 3... 2 of the 3 were flowers...
 

Blkpiranha

Polypterus
MFK Member
Jun 8, 2007
2,553
111
96
I heard if you are going to do it and want any of chance at success then they have to be a species only tank.

Hard to breed,big tank and no money in selling pups so I am out!
 

calgaryflames

Plecostomus
MFK Member
Nov 10, 2009
1,771
48
51
calgary
Need reverse osmosis if you want any chance of keeping them in our water long term. They should not even be potamotrygon. They are more like an antenna ray have totally different body shape than potamotrygon do.

I'd say my old ceja ray was hardier than any flower or tiger I've kept.


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suckerfish

Dovii
MFK Member
Nov 8, 2005
984
387
102
LAGASH
I've never kept any rays, but was always interested in flowers and same questions you did. One thing in my research that stood out is: John @ECZS mentioned they should be kept at a much lower temp than other rays. I think he said mid 70s. Maybe calgaryflames could confirm.


Go Sharks/ USA gold this year!!!!!!!
 

boogeyman

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Dec 31, 2012
198
5
33
Wilmington nc
I have owned 3 and they took a while to get adjusted to the tank one didn't eat for almost the first 2 weeks then he started eating had him for a year then I got a new tank and moved him to the new tank and he got so stressed he died 2 days later the water was the same the second had the same problem had the ray for over a year and switched tanks but this time the ray made the switch ok but after a month I added a new ray and I guess the new stressed it out to much it couldn't handle it but the third flower ray I've had for only a couple months he took a while to get acclimated but now he eats anything and he is extremely active and doing very well he co exists with 7 other rays in a 600 gal with a ro unit drip system so the water quality its optimal

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