cichla and rays

[nomis]

who here has keeped or keeping rays and cichla together i plan on geting a adult pair in a week or to and was thinking how do the rays go at feeding time having to compete for food with the bass will i have to try get the food down to them past the bass how do you guys do it
i feed my niger from a pipe maybe i will have to do the same for the rays

 

[Bogwoodbruce]

I have a 17" cichla in with a 22" disc motoro. no problems.

 

[Pharaoh]

Post up some pics Boggie.

 

[High City Rida]

I do keep my P's with my Ray. I wouldn't recomend it though because of Nitrate concearns for the Rays health but you can do it if you keep a good husbandry schedule going. As for the feeding I put my hand in the tank to keep the P's from eating what I want to feed my ray when he is not getting any food from the over eating. It also can be done by large feedings to ensure that enough food is available for the Ray. Large feeding will also require you to step up your Husbandry ( Cleaning) schedule as the water tends to get foul a lot faster then usual. There are ways around it but it should not be attempted by a novice or someone who is uncomfortable dealing with there P's or Ray. It's not that it can't be done just make sure you pay special attention to your Sting Rays needs through out the whole process. IMO Rays need there own tank just to make sure there health is in pristine condition. But you know better then anyone what legnths your willing to go to for your Cichlds happiness. I hope this helps with your decession.

 

[High City Rida]

I don't want to discourage you at all. So I guess I should say yea it can be done. The statement above is just my latest observation in my own tank. But I have more then the usual amount of action and size and Cichla in one tank. So at this point I am not so hot about mixing them if your numbers are large. If you have one or two of both I don't see it as a problem at all.

How many P's do you have and how many Ray's were you thinking about? And what size tank do you have? I guess I should of asked these questions first before posting my opinion. Sorry!

 

[haynchinook334]

here you go...my retic is in the back ground.
for feeding wise....i feed my pbass there shrimp and pellets.
then i wait 20mins then feed my ray bloodworms.

 

[blatch]

nice fish

 

[Bogwoodbruce]

Post up some pics Boggie.

Some bad pix

 

[nomis]

thanks for all the info i do have a few cichla atm 8 tems but will be thinning out the numbers soon the rays are an adult pair of retics around 3yrs old they will go in my 8x30x30 for now and when i get of my lazy back side and finish my 12x4x3.5 they will go in there
i have a weekly maintenance schedule so far all water parameters are good nitrates around 20ppm

 

[Clash]

cool pics guys thanks. it is always such a bummer when people ask to see pics, but then they never get posted. Thanks again and cool set ups ( wish I could have a ray )