Gar+Stingray.. My observations.

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MonsterMinis

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Apr 28, 2009
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Wisconsin
I know a few people around here have had mixed results involveing rays and gar being mixed... thought I'de do abit of an update on our guys and abit of observations...

1. First I would like to say that I would not "reccomend" this combo unless you're okay with it possibly not working.

So far the 3 gar and the 3 rays get along very well.. with the exception of feeding time. Now the Cuban is actually the best during feeding time in reguards to the rays... but he 2 floridas are like a pair of dopey mutts after a thrown ball... and the rays get in the way at times... I've witnessed both floridas on seperate occasions go after the same peice of food the rays are about to pounce. The ray naturally pounces first, only to then get tagged by the florida. I've also witnessed my floridas "combing" the bottom with their snout for food and make a snap at one or another of the rays eyes...

Now other then this, Everyone gets along just fine, its funny to watch the floridas or cuban take a nap atop a ray ect. Even our big eel is out and about alot ( which she gets along fine with the rays as well)

No one has gotten seriousely injured yet.. but my small female rays tail did get mangled pretty bad, tbh i'm amazed i wasn't retreaving a dead gar out from what i saw. as well as a ripped disk. Nothing horribly bad, but concerning.

Since i really don't want to chance loseing our cuban to the rays.. and a ray to our apparently less intelligent floridas the rays will be relocated/rehomed asap. If it was just the cuban ( who avoids the rays and gives them space as well as being aware of them) I don't think i'de need to move anyone... but after 2 weeks and change. We decided the risk wasn't worth it.

I can see how this combo could work with the right fish... but our floridas have finally found a tank-mate that wasn't a good fit for them, but fine for the cuban. :screwy:

Would love to hear others with successes and failures in houseing these 2 types together.
 
He's CB and between 2 and 3yrs old now.

On a side note they must have heard me talking to the lfs, and I increased the feedings in the tank everyone is getting along. I feed the Gar pellets in the afternoon now and the rays and eel nightcrawlers at night, so the gar are already pretty content by the time i feed the rays and they aren't so aggressive at going for the worms. It may be a feeding issue more then anything else.

atm they are all together still and doing fine. we will be seperating them soon, but atm we don't have another large tank and either chance it.. or sell some fish.
 
I've tried it with floridas and marbles. I've seen the rays stalk and pounce on the gars. Luckily I've been there to save the gars.
 
My rays show no interest int the gar whatso ever... the largest rays disk is 8" and the smallest 5.5" the smallest gar is 14" ... I have also heard of this happeneing and have spent many hours watching the tanks dynamic. The largest fish is actually the spiney eel at 24" and nobody bothers her either so far.

I also noticed most the instances with issues where with motoros ( reg or marbles) and leos or black rays in general. Have not read much in reguards to keeping retics with tankmates. Though i have seen my female take down feeder goldfish ( she just eats the head)
 
This thread just needs some pics of the fish ray combo :-)
 
ColeFishing said:
Why wouldn't*. That way there not near each other during feeding.


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Seems logical enough.

Good job on the pellets mini, I know we haven't always agreed but that's good to here.

And I agree need pics!
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ColeFishing said:
Why wouldn't*. That way there not near each other during feeding.


Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
Click to expand...

I don't know about your gars but almost all mine will eat foods off the bottom of the tank without any issues.


As far as rays and gars. I have had 2 rays with gars. The first one, a male motoro kept getting it's disc nipped by the cubans gars. The second again a motoro and again with the cubans was not bothered by the gars at all. In both instances they were short term tankmates.
 
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