Stingray Aggression

[Randolph71]

Hi everyone, let me explain my situation: I've had a male motoro for more than year already. He has grown from 9in to about 13in in disk size. Since then he's killed 2 stingrays in the 1000 gallon pond with him: a female 1in larger than him, they used to breed together and I got 2 litters from them. However, one day, he was able to corner the female and just ravaged her. She died a few days later.

Eventually, I got a second male motoro stingray. This second male lasted only a few days before dying. He, as well, was an inch or 2 larger and in those few days suffered several bites from my original stingray. The original motoro didn't have a mark on him.

I now need some advice: is this normal behavior? How can I stop this aggression? Over the next several days, the bites seemed to get worse. Does having discus, redline barbs, china high fin, severum, bosemanni and red rainbows worsen the bites?

 

[wednesday13]

Hi everyone, let me explain my situation: I've had a male motoro for more than year already. He has grown from 9in to about 13in in disk size. Since then he's killed 2 stingrays in the 1000 gallon pond with him: a female 1in larger than him, they used to breed together and I got 2 litters from them. However, one day, he was able to corner the female and just ravaged her. She died a few days later.

Eventually, I got a second male motoro stingray. This second male lasted only a few days before dying. He, as well, was an inch or 2 larger and in those few days suffered several bites from my original stingray. The original motoro didn't have a mark on him.

I now need some advice: is this normal behavior? How can I stop this aggression? Over the next several days, the bites seemed to get worse. Does having discus, redline barbs, china high fin, severum, bosemanni and red rainbows worsen the bites?

Welcome to ray keeping... u should have pulled the plugg before he killed ur female and an additional male. Thats how u learn tho as ive had the same scenario happen with a pair of rays and also male vs. male fighting. IMO once some males are mature this is what happens. I keep all my males solo in their own tanks now. Dither fish/tank mates make absolutly no difference. If a male is agro, he will most likely stay that way. All male tanks are possible but theres always a chance of fighting. You need to setup a large "crib" or divided section in ur pond for the male if u wish to have other rays and breeding. females/males should always be seperated for birthing purposes and u need to have a divided off section for any agressor, prego female or injured ray that needs to de stress/heal back up.

 

[wednesday13]

Can do a full divider like this or use the same concept to make a box....or chain in another tank. gotta be able to divide tho for the number of reasons i mentioned earlier.

 

[Jez1992]

As above, some rays are just more aggressive than others, just like people!

A good friend of mine has recently had to sell an amazing BD male as too aggressive and killed one of his females and beat up the others too bad.

Either keep separated permanently or sell him, if I were you id just sell him!

A super aggressive ray is going to always be that way and limit what other stock you can have.

 

[DOOB]

I once got away from this same senario back in the 90's where i took the original ray out of the tank and slid the new one in. A few days later i popped the other male back in. Seemed like a dominance thing in my case but they lived in harmony for yrs after that

 

[Jez1992]

Can do a full divider like this or use the same concept to make a box....or chain in another tank. gotta be able to divide tho for the number of reasons i mentioned earlier.
View attachment 1343462

Can I ask how you secure the divider to the tank, especially at the bottom?

I had a similar one with suction cups but the rays just blasted it out. Now I have a pond I cant use magnets as tank walls too thick.

any ideas would be appreciated

 

[wednesday13]

Can I ask how you secure the divider to the tank, especially at the bottom?

I had a similar one with suction cups but the rays just blasted it out. Now I have a pond I cant use magnets as tank walls too thick.

any ideas would be appreciated

Not my tank pictured above was just an example, i keep all my males in their own tank now unless i need one to get the job done in my females only tank. even females can fight with each other tho.. In ur case id just make a 5 sided box using the same materials i.e. pvc frame with some kind of plastic netting. with a bottom on ur pvc "cage" u can put a birthing female in there or agro male. u can let it free float around the pond or secure it in a corner. like a pup box but larger. If uve ever seen pics of pond style breeding setups over seas. most all of them use these style cages in their ponds for pups or adults alike.

This is my buddys tank, an esteemed member here DIDYSIS and his "ray cage"...one way of skinning the cat so to speak. Hope u get the idea now

 

[Randolph71]

I'm really not interested in breed stingrays. I think I'll just sell him and get all females.