Flower/Tiger "Hardiness"

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flamenco-t

Piranha
MFK Member
Mar 27, 2006
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South of Heaven
I've been talking to a few flower keepers and I am curious to see the overall opinion on their hardiness.

I've owned one a long time ago with motoros. My experience was while their behaviour is almost identical as motoros and black rays BUT they don't see to take beating or "bullying" very well.

I saw my flower was punking out my motoro (motoro was fine) BUT, when the motoro strikes back, the flower got stressed out. Stress = self starvation, some lastes 3 weeks before taking food again.

He eventually died after almost 2 years.

I still love their pattern but I want to get overal opinion based on experience.

Am I the one with these type of experience with flower ?

Does tiger have the same behaviour ? Is the reason why you don't hear much of them because of the low number of captive species..

Thanks in advance,

Stan
 
I've always heard best kept in a species tank, or at least where they are the majority, but then again is that really that far from the truth in any ray species?
I've personally never kept Flowers or Tiggers. I have also never really had that much success mixing ray species. Sure I've kept them together, and am currently but there's no way to argue it being as good for them as if they were in a species tank I don't believe. Seems they have less problems and are MUCH hardier when kept away from other rays (tiggers anyways), not to say you can't kind an aggressive one that may work, but speaking "typically".

Flowers are generally cheaper then Tiggers.

I don't think many keep them in fear of feeding them as adults, but I know there's people out there successfully keeping them. Maybe not breeding them but I know they're out there. Pretty sure there's a pair up in MN that's been together for a long time but not sure they're both mature yet.
 
hardiness is not really a word you can use in association with flowers or tigers.they are fragile little pussys lol they need to be acclimated this may take a very long time most never do!!!

i have a flower and a tiger in the same tank,they are very very pussy.my cichlids scare them ,they are like a early warning system if something is wrong you know right away only if you are lucky and have a tougher flower or tiger others will just die! i got very lucky and got them both already acclimated,i would never watse my money ordering in myself.my flower was in a shop for over a year till it came around than i bought it and the tiger a friend did me a favor for me got her from a personal collection.it was just a bit tricky getting them on frozen instead of live worms ect.some will never except frozen.not all flowers and tigers are the same,but mine are insane eaters.they eat tons & over all compared to my leos , hens the same size as my flower.. the flower eats way more!!

overall i beleive a well acclimated healthy hardy flower or tiger are probably among the rarest of rays in the hobby ,most people just end up killing them and blaming it on something or convincing them selfs they got sick and died "no actually you killed it" most people also overlook this species and think because its always on a list that its common! it comes down to a good source for them and if you get a good one .than its a challenge after that the whole time.consistantcy is the key

a nice flower or tiger is by far the nicest ray.
 
flamenco-t said:
Is the reason why you don't hear much of them because of the low number of captive species..

Stan
Click to expand...

this is because everybody who owns one kills it! if you are up to the challenge get one.i killed a flower many years ago took me less than a week.
 
I kept my old one for almost two years, just a simple WC twice a week and big filter....his tank mate were 2 motoros for the entire time.
 
I've never kept rays, but I was actually thinking of getting a tiger. I love the pattern and I need something big for my 500g so I'd love to hear from people who actually have them
 
i have a 12inch tiger had him for a few month seems fine with other rays super eager to eat but..........only eats night crawlers and blackworms
 
brich999 said:
I've never kept rays, but I was actually thinking of getting a tiger. I love the pattern and I need something big for my 500g so I'd love to hear from people who actually have them
Click to expand...

your tanks not big enough
 
The tiger that I have been thinking on getting will eventually (once it passed QT) move in with 7 black rays and a marble.. I am just not sure if she's going to get ganged up by the black rays..
 
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