Should I just give up?

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Crazyfish88

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Nov 6, 2009
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BC, Canada
Well this was my 3rd attemp in starving my rays to take other foods and it was a complete fail. I chopped up 30 nightcrawlers with thin pieces of shrimp and marinated the worm guts with it. Starved for 4-5 days and they still won't touch it. They won't even touch a dead worm that's how picky my pair are...these were WC and I'm on the verge of thinking to sell them and pick up some CB rays. Also my pair of WC is taking a dent out of my wallet feeding them nightcrawlers. My dad cultivates red wrigglers in the backyard but they only produce when it's warmer out. During winter I have to buy the nightcrawlers. I buy cases of 600 worms which costs 120 bux and it lasts 3-4 weeks for the pair. Should I just sell them?


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how old are the rays? and what type?
young rays tend to be pickier about foods than older rays. certain morphs are much more finicky in their eating habits than others as well.
 
hereticlosmorte said:
how old are the rays? and what type?
young rays tend to be pickier about foods than older rays. certain morphs are much more finicky in their eating habits than others as well.
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Male is 9" and female is 12-13". I dunno how old maybe couple years? They are marble motoros. The males claspers are a good length and they are curled too. I want to keep them as they might pair up but feeding them nightcrawlers is killing my wallet but summer is coming soon so the food source would be free.


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People must understand what they are getting into with some of these WC. But if you can not afford it anymore then the answer is easy.
 
Add small amounts of chopped shrimp with the night crawlers. Just a little at a time till they start eating it. Feed smaller amounts at feeding time so they are hungry. If they get to the point where they are fighting over the food they should be willing to hoover up anything they can get. Not starving completely just makin em hungry.
 
Crazyfish88 said:
Male is 9" and female is 12-13". I dunno how old maybe couple years? They are marble motoros. The males claspers are a good length and they are curled too. I want to keep them as they might pair up but feeding them nightcrawlers is killing my wallet but summer is coming soon so the food source would be free.
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Crazyfish88 said:
Did u use the starving method or they just all of sudden eat other foods?
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curled as in not unfurled, or they are unfurled and sexually mature? if not sexually mature, i'd estimate they are under 3 yrs old.
my male retic is approx 10 inches and he is still not sexually mature. mine are around the 2.5 year mark, give or take.

you can actually keep a batch of red wigglers inside the house during winter, as they can keep multiplying throughout. they aren't nearly the pain in the ass that nightcrawlers are to breed (require colder temps whereas red wigglers are fine at room temp, and they stink less).

i did the starving method each time, max 5 days. then just one day after not feeding them the day before, i dropped some in and boom they were munching on tilapia. then they really started chowing on it. used sole when tilapia was not to be found in town, but they don't care for it as much (it has a bit more potent smell i noticed, as i don't eat seafood) then about 2 weeks ago, they consumed their first market shrimp pieces.

i still do give them nightcrawlers on occasion but variety is better than all of one food type.

thankfully in your case, worms are very nutritious, so it's not like they're eating junk.

just keep at it and one day they'll surprise you.
 
scott s said:
Add small amounts of chopped shrimp with the night crawlers. Just a little at a time till they start eating it. Feed smaller amounts at feeding time so they are hungry. If they get to the point where they are fighting over the food they should be willing to hoover up anything they can get. Not starving completely just makin em hungry.
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Ya I was feeding 3 times a day to fatten them up. Then I slowly cut down to twice a day of 50 nightcrawlers then now once a day. They still eat 30+ nightcrawlers once a day. I think I spoiled them to good in the past few months of power feeding.


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