unfortunately i do not own a ray at the moment but this definately applies. peoples are saying either, plecos with rays- don't do it, or can be done with care.
i have since decided i would never attempt to keep a pleco with a ray, just 'cause it isn't anywhere near worth the risk. this is because:
went home this weekend, and i keep a freshwater asian sole, obv different to a ray, but for this purpose the same principle applies. Basically its been kept together with some plecs for a few months. on saturday i realised it looked stressed, and its skin didnt seem as vibrant. on sunday i stayed up and watched in the dark and basically one pleco was chasing it around. by morning it had a slight white patch, where the slime coat and maybe some scales were completely missing. i then put it in a quarentine tank, which may end up its permanent home as it is big enough for it. it went into what i believe to be its equivelent of a death curl. for those who are interested, it basically arches the front (head) and the back of it to make a U-shape, so a bit different to a ray, and was extremely stiff. it is now however fine, and the white patch is smaller already and its back to burying itself in the sand, and just ate something. hes also more active than hes ever bean searching for food etc.
so to recap, plecos do like to suck on the slime coat of any fish, and when you put a great big surface area such as a ray or a sole, chances are it may take a while, and may graze by accident, but it is almost inevitable. once it has a taste it will NOT stop, and you are doomed unless you seperate them. i know that there will be some people that will say that it can be done, but imo, it would be stupid to try it in the first place. this particular pleco was a sailfin L083, and there are 2 of this sp. in the community tank. however it was one that got the taste and then wouldn't stop. i do hope this will put off people that are thinking of it, 'cause i imagine most people would not want to lose their ray.
i have since decided i would never attempt to keep a pleco with a ray, just 'cause it isn't anywhere near worth the risk. this is because:
went home this weekend, and i keep a freshwater asian sole, obv different to a ray, but for this purpose the same principle applies. Basically its been kept together with some plecs for a few months. on saturday i realised it looked stressed, and its skin didnt seem as vibrant. on sunday i stayed up and watched in the dark and basically one pleco was chasing it around. by morning it had a slight white patch, where the slime coat and maybe some scales were completely missing. i then put it in a quarentine tank, which may end up its permanent home as it is big enough for it. it went into what i believe to be its equivelent of a death curl. for those who are interested, it basically arches the front (head) and the back of it to make a U-shape, so a bit different to a ray, and was extremely stiff. it is now however fine, and the white patch is smaller already and its back to burying itself in the sand, and just ate something. hes also more active than hes ever bean searching for food etc.
so to recap, plecos do like to suck on the slime coat of any fish, and when you put a great big surface area such as a ray or a sole, chances are it may take a while, and may graze by accident, but it is almost inevitable. once it has a taste it will NOT stop, and you are doomed unless you seperate them. i know that there will be some people that will say that it can be done, but imo, it would be stupid to try it in the first place. this particular pleco was a sailfin L083, and there are 2 of this sp. in the community tank. however it was one that got the taste and then wouldn't stop. i do hope this will put off people that are thinking of it, 'cause i imagine most people would not want to lose their ray.
