New P14 pup and flowrate tips pls.

[batang_mcdo]

Just bought my self a 7 inch female P14 pup.
need tips, she is currently in a 12o Gal tank with my 10 inch Bd trio.
I've read they are more sensitive than Bds?
any tips? I've fed her some freshwater fish yesterday, she ate some fish.

Today I've fed her squid, freshwater fish and some mp, i noticed she likes to clim the sides of the tank , should i be worried?
also her sting has a airhose on it, should i remove it? or leave it as is?

Also do rays need strong pump?
currently my rays are in a 120 gal with 75 gal sump. the return pump is a Rio 1100. I've ordered a new 4000L/Hr pump.
Should i replace the old pump and use the stronger one?

 

[Just Toby]

They do like flo but the pump is not the most important as long as you have good filtermedia and a good water change regime - keep an eye on nitrates as a good running filter that can keep up with the big bio loads off a ray is a nitrate producing machine.

I grow pothos (devils ivy) with the roots in the water and leaves out the tank- these go mad with nitrate in the water and strip it out well.

I also run a constant drip to overflow to waste.

My tank turns over about 6 times per hour with the pump I use. 360 gallon tank.

 

[Bigfishnut]

Like J Just Toby said...bigger tanks should have 4 to 6 times turnover through the sump. The rest of your flow should be in the form of wavemakers. I've been told p14 like a higher flow than most rays. You can probably put one so it flows across the fron or back pf the aquarium so if it's too much for the bd's they can find calmer water. As far as climbing goes, some rays are climbers some aren't. I have a ray thats on the glass more than he's on the bottom. Look into getting a bigger tank soon. All of your rays will outgrow a 120 very quickly.

 

[JK47]

Like J Just Toby said...bigger tanks should have 4 to 6 times turnover through the sump. The rest of your flow should be in the form of wavemakers. I've been told p14 like a higher flow than most rays. You can probably put one so it flows across the fron or back pf the aquarium so if it's too much for the bd's they can find calmer water. As far as climbing goes, some rays are climbers some aren't. I have a ray thats on the glass more than he's on the bottom. Look into getting a bigger tank soon. All of your rays will outgrow a 120 very quickly.

Agreed on nearly every point. The pump most certainly needs an upgrade. That is a lot of bioload in a rather small tank. Over filtration at this point is obligated. I believe in x10 turnover ratio (tanks less that 300 gallons are often more). That is my preference though and each keeper has their own approach. Zeros are zeros on a test kit anyway you dice t up. That has never failed me and the rays love the flow.

P14 are downright comical when it comes to climbing glass. Mine like to hover on the surface (upside down) and make waves. Albimaculata have an amazing activity level. They do like flow and a lot of it. Getting them on different foods is a challenge but not impossible. Just ensure you fattened them up first before trying to covert to new foods after the sump has the bioload handled.

 

[batang_mcdo]

thanks guys by the way when should i transfer my rays?
i have a 350 Gal with 180 gal sump which has an arowana and some tigers in it.
but hesitant to move my rays as i feel they'll be better fed in this 120 gal by themselves.

i already have a wave maker blowing downwards from left to right where the overflow pipes are.

right now i do 30-40% water change 3 times a week.
but i really need to keep close eye on water parameters, i had an ammonia spike 2 weeks ago, good thing i noticed something wierd with on of the Bds.

btw will a ray be good by itself? or do they do better in groups?

 

[Bigfishnut]

I'd move all 4 together. No time like the present! Your rays will benefit from larger water volume and more space. A 120 is far too small for 3 10" and a 7" ray. Be sure to move your bio media also...a surge in bio load like that is certain to overwhelm your biological filtration in your big tank. I'm sure your rays will manage to get enough food. It helps to drop food in several different places to stop a particularly greedy fish from getting more than their share. Keep us posted

 

[batang_mcdo]

I'd move all 4 together. No time like the present! Your rays will benefit from larger water volume and more space. A 120 is far too small for 3 10" and a 7" ray. Be sure to move your bio media also...a surge in bio load like that is certain to overwhelm your biological filtration in your big tank. I'm sure your rays will manage to get enough food. It helps to drop food in several different places to stop a particularly greedy fish from getting more than their share. Keep us posted

thanks, maybe I'll move them one at a time, so that the filter in the bigger tank can adjust?
its also fully packed already with a chamber running K1.

btw how should i go about moving them?
scoop them out in one container? then should i drip acclimate?
or float them in plactic bag first? the 2 tanks are just besides each other.

 

[Bigfishnut]

If the parameters are similar you can just scoop 'em and drop them straight in. Be sure the temps are close...within a couple degrees is ok. I'd do a large waterchange on both tanks before the move, this will ensure your parameters are the same or close to it. If your running k1 you'll be ok moving all 4 in at once. In my experience K1 is capable of a large surge in bioload without skipping a beat. I'm sure others can back me up on this as well. Rays seem to find comfort being able to touch each other and interact. I've kept rays singly temporarily before and they don't seem to act naturally. Just my experience.

 

[Bigfishnut]

Rubber net is a good way to move rays...plastic bags are even better, but your more likely to get nailed that way. Do what your comfortable with. Don't risk it if your not comfortable getting in close proximity of your rays. Netting a ray stresses it out big time, but they recover quickly.

 

[JK47]

thanks guys by the way when should i transfer my rays?

btw will a ray be good by itself? or do they do better in groups?

You should move them at the same time if the tank can adequately handle the bioload. Take it easy on the food for the first few days to a week. Let the tank catch up and stay on those water tests and you should be fine. It's better than the ammonia building up in the 120. A spike in a larger tank is diluted by more gallons.

BD's couldn't care less. P14 is not good on its own in my experience. I'm sure it would survive but mine hate being separated or solo. I can move a rock and my male will not eat for two days. They aren't sensitive they just behave like toddlers throwing a fit. It's kind of funny honestly