Sweet new set-up, What next?

[KosmoKnot]

I love my new tank, have had it going now for about a month. It has a reticulatus stingray and a needlenose gar. They could careless about each other. One on the very bottom and one at the very top. Feeding both is very entertaining.

I need something for the middle, you know something to fill the gap. I've tried Bala sharks they icked all the time from the Gar trying to eat them. With a stingray you can't just throw meds in. Had tinfoil barbs they nibbled on the ray.

Only thing I can find out on the web is a Crown knife or Clown Knife I can't remember.

The stingray is the main concern, he was $65. I do enjoy the needlenose, but he is only $15. I don't mind trying new fish, but I would like it better not to drop more money into dead fish. Oh, and the whole moral issue about killing them.

Anyway, I hope I put this thead in the right group,
Thanks
KosmoKnot

 

[fufanu360]

sounds awsome, what size of tank is it? you should post some pics!
as for a tank mate, you siad a clown knife (it is clown not crown)...

 

[KosmoKnot]

It is in a 55g. I keep hearing that I'm pushing the lower limits of the Ray for tank size. I have two gravel pumps and a fountain fliter. As of now all tests show good.
I keep the feeder Gfish in a 2.5g so waste is kept down.

Do you think the Clown knife is a good mate, or is there better things out there?
Are they a fun fish in general?

Where do I post pics?

 

[CFC]

Absolutely not, a clown knife fish grows far too large for a 55 gallon tank with a average captive adult size of 24 inches and a possible adult size of 48 inches.
This is not the only issue, as i am sure you are aware FW stingrays require perfect water quality at all time and it does not take much in the way of a nitrate surge for them to curl up and die, adding another large or predatory fish to the tank will cause a considerate rise in the ammount of nitrogen pollution in the tank which will be detrimental to your rays survival. Before adding anything else to the tank i would suggest upgrading the tank and filtration to a minimum of a 100g tank (48x24x24") with two large external canister filters filled with a highly pourous modern biological filter media like Eheim substrat pro or alfagrog, then you could consider adding a medium sized peacefull schooling species such as silver dollars.

 

[Black_Ghost_Guy]

You are defenitly pushing the lower limits of the ray tank size, at least be decent enough to get a 75, 100 or larger (depending on the species of the ray, that's another thing that we need to know).

 

[CFC]

(depending on the species of the ray, that's another thing that we need to know).

He already said it was a reticualtus, one of the smaller rays which shouldnt exceed a disk size of 12" in captivity.

 

[KosmoKnot]

Plenty of room, now at 6' across.
So, before I add fish I should up the filtration. All my tests I run show up dead on spec, of course, I do a 25% water change at 3 weeks.

So far he eats everything I give him (blood worms and beef heart), and is very active with the bubbles from the gravel pumps. He even comes to the side of the tank that the viewer is on.

Love the info
KosmoKnot

 

[Black_Ghost_Guy]

(depending on the species of the ray, that's another thing that we need to know).

He already said it was a reticualtus, one of the smaller rays which shouldnt exceed a disk size of 12" in captivity.

Right, missed that first sentance. Even though they do usually only get to 12" in diameter, they can add another 12" with their tales... but yes, a 6' wide tank is defenitly large enough for a retic!

 

[CFC]

How is a 55 gallon tank 6 feet long, and if it is what is the width and height of the tank? A standard 55g is just 48x18x18".

I'm very suprised you have managed to keep a ray alive with water changes just once every 3 week, most ray specialists advise water changes of 25 to 50 percent twice a week and at the very least once a week. Check here http/forums.waterwolves.com/index.php?act=idx and here http/www.flat-fish.com/forums/ to learn more about freshwater stingrays and their care.

 

[fufanu360]

i think he ment the ray is 6 inches around... also water changes every 3 weeks even if the water params are ok, fish still need FRESH water