General stingray stocking advice and overall help

[Kobeclone]

Hi,

I have been involved in keeping fish for the last 3 years, mostly smallish tanks less than 100 gallons. I have kept mostly cichlids, community fish, and plecos. I would like to try to keep a motoro or retic stingray. I will be picking up a used 200 gallon 7X2X2 tank on Saturday. I know that many of you will say that this is too small for either species, but I hope to buy the ray at around 6-8 inches, and the ray will only be in this tank for the next 1 1/2 years before I leave for college. I have been researching ray keeping in depth for the past 2 months, so I feel that I am ready to keep a ray.

My first question, is which ray should I get? I know most people say motoros because they are fairly adaptive, easier to get to feed, and an overall "beginner ray", but on the other hand a retic may be easier to keep in this tank due to its relatively small size.

Next, I know this tank is relatively small, but could I keep tankmates? I was thinking a shoal of 5-7 2-4 inch clown loaches. From seeing videos, I just love how they shoal on top of rays and swim with them. Is this feasible? I would be fairly upset if the ray consumed these loaches, as it very well could, but I guess then I know I can't keep CL's with it...

Thanks for your help. I'm sure I will be asking plenty of questions along the way so please bear with me.

 

[turkeyboy85]

rays will eat anything they can fit in thier mouth....

 

[Kobeclone]

I understand that that is true to an extent. That is why the ray will be 6-8 inches and the CL's around 4...

 

[Gr8KarmaSF]

Ray and clown loach combos are possible but understand that if you get a motorro that it will eventually outgrow the loaches and be able to fit them in its mouth.

Grow rate is something to consider....

 

[turkeyboy85]

I had my 6" motoro take out my 4 in ghost knife granted it just slirped it up but... u get the idea...

 

[Nic]

if you can find a healthy retic or want to make one healthy get a retic.... if not get a motoro... motoro is a lil easier and more hardy retics tend to be more sensitive.... any fish you put with a ray is a gamble if you want to be technical....