Rays and Puffers - Actual experiences?

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DB junkie

DB junkie

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Jan 27, 2007
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This subject comes up a lot. Everyone always talks about what COULD happen, but I've never heard of any cases where something bad actually happened.

Does anyone have any proof that puffers actually attack rays?

Would love to hear some first hand experiences...... I believe it was Scott (Skynoch) that has had MBU and rays together for quite some time without issues. Anyone else ever try it?

:popcorn:
 
After seeing the behavior of my puffers, I'd be pretty amazed if any of them could resist taking nips out of a ray. You're asking for RL experience, sorry I can't give you any. But I guess my point is that one of the reasons I can't give you RL experience is I'm pretty dead sure that it would be bad news.
 
My Mbu was great and I hated to sell him when I got rays but it wouldn't have worked. The Mbu would bite into my armoured cats causing damage. It's in their nature to sample what's on the bottom. Maybe you can get lucky and have it work but you'd be taking one heck of a chance.
 
KNH said:
Maybe you can get lucky and have it work but you'd be taking one heck of a chance.
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Have been for well over a year..... ;)

Not with just 1 puffer or ray either. :)

I guess I'm just a little confused. I just don't get why puffers would attack fish when they don't really seem to eat fish..... I understand a curious nibble here and there, but failing to see how the curious nibble turns into taking chunks. You would think that just like rays they'd eventually figure out where the food comes from and wait for people to give them the food rather then try to eat something they wouldn't in the wild. OR does wild MBU diet include fish? I know mine have never really eaten fish fillet despite it being fed to thier tankmates ona regular basis.
 
Never had the courage to try my 9" Fahaka with my rays or VATF.
Every experiment of adding some type of fish with him has resulted in missing parts. He has let a 5" common pleco be housed with him for the last six months, but I dont think it comes out until all lights are off. LOL

Just like our rays, they (rays) know where their food comes from but still readily kill other tank mates. Mine are fed plenty but still killed 4 geos not to long ago.
 
Mine loved tilapia but I only really fed it to him on occasion due to their need for hard shells etc. Mbu get large quick and I saw the damage they cause to their tankmates first hand. An unsuspecting 5" cichlid swam in front of mine as I was dropping in food and the mbu took out a huge triangular shaped piece from the cichlid causing instant death. I would be very leary of a mbu removing an eye, tail or chunk from a disc causing major damage.

Glad to hear its working for you though up to this point. How about some pics? I love the idea of the combo.
 
I think it is Rudy who has a large Mbu with his rays. My Fahaka destroys 3" mussel shell, hate to see him get a hold of one of my rays or VATF.
 
DB junkie said:
Have been for well over a year..... ;)

Not with just 1 puffer or ray either. :)

I guess I'm just a little confused. I just don't get why puffers would attack fish when they don't really seem to eat fish..... I understand a curious nibble here and there, but failing to see how the curious nibble turns into taking chunks. You would think that just like rays they'd eventually figure out where the food comes from and wait for people to give them the food rather then try to eat something they wouldn't in the wild. OR does wild MBU diet include fish? I know mine have never really eaten fish fillet despite it being fed to thier tankmates ona regular basis.
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You've been doing this with multiple puffers and rays in one tank? How big of a tank is this and what species of puffer? Usually you can't keep two giant puffers in a tank together unless it's HUMONGOUS.

And as for your confusion, a "curious nibble" from the Mbu I had completely decapitated a ropefish in one stroke. They don't nibble, they surgically snip a triangle out of the fish, like a pair of hedge shears.
 
DB junkie said:
Have been for well over a year..... ;)

Not with just 1 puffer or ray either. :)
Click to expand...
Sooner or later 2 mbu will fight without any doubt, I have seen this many times in shops where they made an error. Mbu generally get to a certain size and then turn from experience.

By the way, if your ray tanks ever go to high nitrate (which some do) mbu die from high nitrate very early compared to rays, they just seem to go down hill and sulk on the bottom at which point I expect the rays will get interested.

Keep us posted though as I love puffers and would love to see some pics in with the rays and hear of a success....you just might be lucky plus have a large enought tank.
 
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