debating between sting ray and rtc ?
- Thread starter rob1984
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Sorry, if you were referring to me being "rude" I didn't mean to come acrossed that way, although you're not the OP...I'm just being blunt or straight to the point. In the past, when I've asked questions with pictures regarding needing help identifying species of a certain type of fish, and I have good books, now I have gotten some "rude" remarks there...but, there's stickies here that talk about the rtc. Yes, the rtc is a "clean up" fish, but will eat ANYTHING it can and thinks it can, then puke it up. I've seen it happen many times.In my comment, I was referring to I have each of the fish mentioned and if you search for a recent post of mine, you will find out that the ray did not work out with anything-not my achara x tsn, giraffe catfish or albino polypterus. All went after the ray's eyes. A lesson I'm still learning.
It really has nothing to do with being a newbie-just learn from how this site/forum works. There's threads and stickies. There's lots of info to read. Btw, I'm a female, hubby just goes along with my hobby (gave in)...to your above remark to "tough guys"
I think things just come across rudely via the forum. You don't know how someone says what they type. And I think a lot of it is people asking the same questions every day when there are numerous threads with the answers people are looking for. Generally, atleast for me, people get tired of repeating themselves.
I don't see where anyone was rude, I've seen repetition due to the OP being a little stubborn. It seems to be of late that a lot of people are complaining about people being rude when ever their own opinion is challenged. People need to stop being so sensitive and realize a difference of opinion isn't an insult. It's merely someone trying to empart their wisdom(though I'll admit some people's wisdom is questionable at best). Ahhh, I remember the good old days when they're actually was a real reason to complain. Insults to people's intelligence, financial resources, personal insults, flaming etc....
I have seen some bad advice in this thread, best advice in my opinion came from Oddball. RTC are predators get ridiculously large and though they'll eat anything they don't sift the sand for small food particles and such. So they shouldn't be ever considered for a clean up crew, they're just another mess to clean up after. Bichirs as well are predators and aren't given to sifting so again wouldn't be clean up crew material. They're looking for something substantial and will over look the small debris a clean up crew is supposed to clean. At best occasionally barely ever they'll bury themselves which could possibly toss debris into the water column. Again they're just another mouth to feed and to clean up after, not beneficial to cleaning. Stingrays do toss up the substrate but as was said they're a fish you build around not a after thought to merely clean the tank. If you expect them to live on scraps you'll quickly wind up with a dead stingray.
As I said best advice came from Oddball, Geo's are a good clean up crew as well as large Cory's, Hoplo cat's and loaches. That's not to belittle them or the consideration necessary to maintain them. It's just that they can serve a beneficial purpose to helping maintain the tank. Geos, Cory's, Hoplo's and loaches sift substrate constantly and will sort out small food particles and consume them as well as turning over the substrate helping to toss debris into the water column and help give your filtration the opportunity to filter it. They also help maintain the look of your tank if your using sand by turning over the sand and helping stop the growth of algae on the sand particles.
It's a hard think to do, but the most important thing an aquarist can do to keep a successful tank is to be able to compromise. There are plenty of fish I'd love to have, but I choose not to keep because I can't maintain them properly. I love stingrays and have kept them in the past, but I now know I shouldn't due to my tank size. I love Silver Aro's again don't keep them because I can't maintain them long term. I try to choose compatible tankmates that compliment each other visually as well as personality while compromising where ever it's necessary. That's my opinion at least.
Very well said, and haven't seen one stated like this in quite some time, especially when a thread was getting ready to turn sour....now that I feel like I'm "out of the closet" and this thread at least knows I"m a female, since the hobby's pretty much dominated by men....
I only have hoplo's in with my stingray as "clean-up" although the OP said they weren't going with a stingray I believe. You were right about bichirs not being "clean-up" crews. I've had 2 in the past, 1 currently now which is my albino one that's 4-5 years old. As you said, it's another mouth to feed. Catfish do an awesome job at stirring up the sand, ,keeping the debris moving along to the filters, keeping dead pockets from forming withing the sand as well. Otherwise, we have to move the sand around ourselves during water changes. Thing with catfish is that the bigger variety can only be kept with certain other fish, or most likely by themselves. Have to prepare ourselves for that possibility. I have a flowerhorn cichlid I specifically picked out that has his own tank for in our bedroom, which I love...but has to be by himself. Just another example. Stingrays are now another tank...
I am sorry if I sounded whiney. But like I said, I have been given some great advice here. And you are correct that I am unable to tell tone via typing. Anyway I love this forum, and will continue to learn from you guys. Thanks.
Joey Paul
Joey Paul
Cleanup if really small particles then malaysian trumpet snails. Otherwise it turns into another mouth to feed. No such thing as a cleanup fish just another mouth to feed. You want something to clean up get a python. Rays will work in your setup but will outgrow eventually. If you want to keep rays read the stickies.
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ya apparently no one can read, i mentioned above im NOT getting a ray nor have i said i want a rtc yet ... how im being stubborn is beyond me ... i asked a simple question and got simple answers, no need to carry on about all this other jazz you guys are going with
So what size is your tank in the first post you say, 73x19x24 and later you say something about a standard 180, I know that the ornates get rather larger and would probably not be comfortable in a 19" wide tank, it would be better if you had the 24" wide tank, if you like the polys then get them but you could always add more sand sifters like the bigger geos. But really an arowana is a bad choice for either of those tanks and can grow to 18" within a year(or at least my two did) but you said you were upgrading but unless you do it soon most of your stock would outgrow a 19" wide tank, a 24" tank would be better but still not good for the long run, even a 300g is kind of small for an aro that reaches ~30". Just my two cents, enjoy 
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