Small tankmates with rays?

[tanglovers]

I think it just depends on the rays and their size. I have lost many fish to my rays. Angelfish (eated like potato chips), then tried larger geophagus (5-8") lasted a month or so but finally got eaten. Tried a fairly large S. daemon (7-8") was eaten. My rays only seem to eat fish when they are pregnent, this has been when virtually all of these fish were lost.

They have not bothered my shoal of clown loaches though (all 7-9"), I think this is because the loaches are active at night where the other fish seem to become less active and more listless during the night time making them easy pickings for the rays.

 

[eklikewhoa]

I think a lot of fish know better than to mess with loaches, I wouldn't count them as "tankmates that don't get eaten". Loaches have a helluva self defense thing, they have super sharp switch blades on both sides of their face.

 

[KNH]

Update: another month has gone by and the rams are doing well. I'm looking into adding more.

 

[eklikewhoa]

That's awesome!

Got some pictures to show the size difference?

 

[KNH]

No but I'll have to take some. Largest ray is 17" across and the rams are 2".

 

[KNH]

Yeah Pete I've lost many tank mates that's what is making this so interesting for me. Its in the rays nature to hunt small fish etc.

 

[eklikewhoa]

I seen some 6-7" motoro and king hen housed with tiny geos with no problems, also housed with some silver dollars and only jump at them when it comes to feeding time.