Rays and Puffers - Actual experiences?

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
Never tryed puffers with my rays, but want to try at some point.. I am also keeping alot of "rayfood" in with my rays, and it works good and have done for over a year. I keep altifrons, satanoperca, discus, multispinosa and heros rotkeil with, none has bin eaten so far.. I also keep L-200 and Bushynose in there..
 
Projects huh? Updates?

Project "Sick of spending hours a day on maintainance". Fact : 25% waterchanges can cut hours out of your day if your system has some volume. I'm trying to figure out a way to do 250 gallon waterchanges consisting of 60% RO water in less then a half hour. This meant a complete filtration over haul on the big tank to free up 250 gallons worth of rubbermaid tubs and to have the room to do this. Just have a stand for the tapwater tub to finish, find and install a couple float valves and getting the RO put together. Still need to figure out how to remove 250 gallons from the tank fast. Gonna try a 2" siphon.

This is while trying to figure out what's going on with the big tank. Believe it's too many males, so had to set up a over under dual 125 gallon system to isolate the males in for a while. This involved getting my feet wet with drilling glass.

I'll do a huge update when it's all said and done. Been at this for close to 2 months now.
 
The shells from the mussles have not caused any problems for the scobina but may if you are keeping rays with more of a sensitive bottom. I would be more worried about any driftwood than mussle shells. I clean out the mussle shells only once every six months so there is allways lots of pieces the rays swim over.
 
never kept rays and puffers but i did have to tell a LFS that they best split them up after watching the puffer nipping the rays eyes and tail

not sure if they did split them up or sell but when i went back a month later the ray was gone
 
Keeping so called uncompatible tankmates together is hard but very feasible if you are smart about it. Alot has to do with feeding and feeding schedules, most the time people aren't feeding enough food so that's where issues take place or they dump all the food in at once in one spot. The other problem with feeding is not enough variety or feeding the variety in the unproper order. Of course there's the obvious size concerns that come about but to me it should be pretty obvious you don't mix a 1" slow moving bottom feeder with 18" ray or catfish. So far I've mixed just about everything I've wanted with no issues.
If your mixing rays and puffers make sure if your using sand to just keep a 1/8-1/4" thickness and there shouldn't be issues with puffers thinking rays eyes are snails.
 
Keeping so called uncompatible tankmates together is hard but very feasible if you are smart about it. Alot has to do with feeding and feeding schedules, most the time people aren't feeding enough food so that's where issues take place or they dump all the food in at once in one spot. The other problem with feeding is not enough variety or feeding the variety in the unproper order. Of course there's the obvious size concerns that come about but to me it should be pretty obvious you don't mix a 1" slow moving bottom feeder with 18" ray or catfish. So far I've mixed just about everything I've wanted with no issues.
If your mixing rays and puffers make sure if your using sand to just keep a 1/8-1/4" thickness and there shouldn't be issues with puffers thinking rays eyes are snails.

Some fair points here but in my opinion..... just not worth the risk!
 
Few more points......

Can we all agree there's more risk mixing Aimara with rays then MBU with rays?????

How many people out there have Aimara with rays?

I personally think there's more risk in rays killing eachother breeding then there is with any of the mentioned tankmates. I am willing to bet that a pup takes more damage from a male trying to breed her then she's gonna recieve from any of the tankmates mentioned in this thread, yet subjecting rays to this kind of gamble is considered acceptable day in and day out here. Maybe not "acceptable" but regardless, we all see it happening.

I'm not trying to convince anyone that questionable tankmates is a good idea. But typically when something isn't a good idea or worth the risk then there's usually several failed attempts before it's considered a bad idea. The reason I made his thread was to find out if there actually is proof of why it's a bad idea.

This is seriously like saying a MMA fighter shouldn't be allowed to be part of society or have a family cause they are capable of inflicting bodily harm. Just cause these fish have weapons of mass destruction doesn't mean they have the demeanor to use them, just like people that fight for a living.

We send our children off to school everyday in a day and age where it might not be worth the risk to let them out of the house, but........
 
Variety feeding order? Can you elaborate on that a little. Db- do you keep substrate in the tanks with the puffers in them?

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Interesitng points all. For those of you with "killing machines" and rays, were they all introduced while small or has anyone introduced a large "killer" with their rays and no ill effects?
BTW, looking forward to the updates DB love the DIY ideas here...big part of what keeps the hobby interesting. How is the male Pearl doing? Pics?
 
Interesitng points all. For those of you with "killing machines" and rays, were they all introduced while small or has anyone introduced a large "killer" with their rays and no ill effects?
BTW, looking forward to the updates DB love the DIY ideas here...big part of what keeps the hobby interesting. How is the male Pearl doing? Pics?

Male Pearl left a while ago. Good news is he should be back in a few weeks.

All my "killers" where introduced as small as I've heard of anyone aquiring each species and with young rays.

Nothing but DIY stuff here..... It's half the fun of having rays. Gotta let the creativity out or it will lead to long term health issues.
 
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