Victim of sudden death--

[IKeepPacu]

That stinks, can all of those fish in your signature be kept with rays? I've heard a lot of people say that most cichlids will pick at stingrays eyes.

alot of people say alot of things cant be done. and that you shouldent keep cichlids with rays. and while generally speaking, they are more than likely right about keeping cichlids with rays, im a bit more open. personally i think MOST cichlids are more territorial then straight out aggressive (with some exceptions, of coarse). ive always had pretty good luck keeping strange combo's as long as they were raised from an inch or two together, and have plenty of hiding places and breaks in lines of sight.

off topic, but perfect example was keeping 3 MALE red devils together with 1 female devil in my 250g when it was a SA/CA community tank. were raised from around 1 1/2" with a bunch of convicts and dempseys. never one single fighting death, even at 6-7" when i sold two males and one died not long ago to make room for pacu.

thats why i made it a point to say my cchlids not only are small, but never, ever pay any mind to the rays with the exception of following them around the tank some and hovering right near them. wasent any stress or fighting with them.

 

[Nic]

sorry for the loss

 

[Miles]

my male retic was found curled up yesterday morning, apparently havng died over night.

and none of my fish bother the rays what so ever.

75g--1 P. Reticulata, 1 Black Ghost Knife, 1 blood parrot, 1 BPxFH, 1 Chocolate Cichlid, 1 Managuense

I would reconsider your tankmates being the issue.

Dispositions change at night...

 

[IKeepPacu]

I would reconsider your tankmates being the issue.

Dispositions change at night...

i work overnights and am in and out at all different hours. the fish sleep at night generally, ive still never once seen them go near the ray. the fish usually retire to their own little caves and nooks the ray couldent get into anyway

altho, i almost wish it would have been a tankmate. atleast then id have a better answer than "sudden death"

 

[Tucc185]

sorry for the loss, losing a ray is horrible. Check my earlier post about retic rays and tankmates though, something similar happened with mine and I believe it was chronic stress rather than any overt instances of being picked on. I just don't think retics in general can handle fast/dominant tankmates well. Not saying that was definitely it, it just is something to consider.

 

[IKeepPacu]

just having fast swimming fish above the ray, even with no aggression is enough to stress him out?? if under lingering stress, wouldent a ray not eat then, or can they still eat and act normal while having the other guys bother them??

thats something i dident consider. i figured as long as there was no physical fighting, they would be fine. in all honesty,i dident think of "mental" stress just from the fast fish. and the jag is indeed quite fast. MUCH faster than the BP, kilin, or chocolate. who are all extremely lazy and just loof around all day.

anyone have input on this??

 

[Miles]

ding ding ding..

"Acute Stress".. http://www.stingraysource.com/StingraySource/dreamline/acute.htm

I put some tiny severums in with my baby retics.. and they quit eating because they didn't like the severums picking at their food during feeding time.. I am sure your cichlids were pretty aggressive eaters..

I put a small schoal of black skirts in there, and they wanted to hide alot the first week..

I think when rays are juvies, especially retics, they are very sensitive and prone to environmental stress. I just rescued 2 tiny retics yesterday, and put them on a barebottom 100g long. They freaked out, and wouldn't eat blackworms.. I added sand, driftwood for cover, and threw a blanket over the tank.. and today they are out and eating.

I still think it was your tankmates.. the BGK is a nuisance at night, and the one I had in with my rays kept biting their tails and eyes when foraging for food. Not to mention Managuense are some of the nastiest little fish.

 

[IKeepPacu]

i took this into major consideration, and decided to move the jag into my 250 where he'll be with fish he sure as heck isnt going to be bullying. the rest of the mates now minus the BGK are extremely docile, slow, and generally lazy.

ive seen quite a few people keeping knifes and rays together. is this something i should worry about as well, or should it be a little less stressful for the ray, since the BGK is much calmer than the jag was.