Interesting Take on Feeding

[shookONES]

I received a unique take on ray feeding recently. I was skeptical and wanted to bounce it off the members of MFK before taking it to heart.

In a nutshell, this person claimed that the majority of ray failures can be attributed to a single factor-over feeding. It seems that these obese rays are ticking time bombs of death, of sorts. The perfect ray should exhibit slight pelvic bone showing and a slight indentation between gill plates. Fat rays are unhealthy rays, to put it bluntly.

Now, this goes against EVERYTHING I've heard about ray feeding. I was under the impression that heavy feedings were necessary to fuel their activity. These guys don't just sit still. Rather, they are constantly cruising the tank in search of food, thus burning energy; energy derrived from food.

What's your take on this.

 

[dr_sudz]

I don't keep rays, but in someways the lesser food would sounds likely. I think alot of fish keepers over feed all their fish, but you need to keep it in a delicate balance. Not just when you feed but what you feed. Tho lots of keepers seem to have their rays for a long time while feeding everyday, that is something to think about too.

 

[shookONES]

His reasoning behind this was a simple comparison to fishes in the wild. These fish are constantly on the move and searching for food, yet there are very few gluttons that come out of the water. I'm having a hard time accepting this recent piece of knowledge.

 

[redtailfool]

A dented forehead is actually a sign of acute malnutrition... The pelvic bones is the first sign that a ray is skinny... if the pelvic bone area is out of fat reserves, then the forehead dent will be the next sign. This is not a healthy sign at all.

As far as the wild animal theory goes, not all animals from the wild are healthy as they have to compete for food and they also get their share of parasites and diseases. But your friend has a point somewhat on this because afterall, they have thrived in the wild and thus we should try to emulate their natural conditions if possible.

I have to say that most hobbyists fishes are overfed.. intentionally or not. We give them very nutritious in big portions everyday which simply do not happen in their native habitats. They are also confimed in such small rectangular tanks or even pond that arent even close enough to the swimming area that they usually swim in the wild.

To me, the number one reasons for stingray deaths is the initial condition of the ray and water quality... You could feed them once ever other day but if you do not have a powerful bio filtration system and and diligent maintenance such as water quality testing and very frequent water changes , you will have dead rays.

As for initial conditions, you have to make sure that you can trust your dealer and you get
a ray that is in fighting form and excellent health. Just because it doesnt really matter if you have the perfect water and the best food ready if you just recieved rays that are half dead.. They will eventually die .

 

[shookONES]

Well said Wes.

 

[dr_sudz]

I agree with redtail when dealing with all fish you have to look at what they do in the wild. I find it funny that people need to go away for a few days and need to find someone to come in to feed their fish (which they end up killing them) instead of letting the fish fast for the few days. wild fish can go for days or weeks (pending on species) without eating, mind you that should not be the habit of taking care of your fish but we can all take a lesson from nature.

 

[marshy]

I agree with redtail when dealing with all fish you have to look at what they do in the wild. I find it funny that people need to go away for a few days and need to find someone to come in to feed their fish (which they end up killing them) instead of letting the fish fast for the few days. wild fish can go for days or weeks (pending on species) without eating, mind you that should not be the habit of taking care of your fish but we can all take a lesson from nature.

Agree!
On a daily basis, I make sure that my rays and other carnivore fishes are fed regularly.
Hence, when I do go on vacation for more than a week, the fishes don't get fed at all.
Perhaps once a week by a friend who comes in to check on things...that's all.
No problems with that.

 

[redtailfool]

I feed my rays every other day now.. thats really considered blaphemy to a ray keeper
but i see that they have not lost weight and my water is cleaner this way.. I would still feed everyday to a smaller ray though ( anything under 10 inch diameter ) .

 

[EXPENSIVEFISHCOLLECTOR78]

Me and My Dad feed are rays three times a day every 8 hours 6:00am, 2:00pm, and 10:00pm and we give them 90% water changes every Tuesdays and Fridays. We have noticed this diet of 3 meals a day is like mimicing the average meal of a human person and we also have noticed are rays growth increase by this method rouhgly speaking are rays have grown an Inch a month on this diet Just thoght I would share my opinion

 

[The Happy Mud Skipper]

90% water changes twice a week?? How do the Rays like the swing in PH and Temperature or is the water pre-treated? Also how do you afford that??