Looking for an interesting, suitable tank mate for your "lonely" Arowana? Freshwater stingrays are one of the most fascinating of appropriate tank mate options. Their bottom-dwelling habits as well as their environmental and feeding requirements make them highly suitable additions to healthy Arowana tanks.
Ray Background and Characteristics
Rays belong to the Chondrichthyes class and are completely cartilaginous. They are mostly round, broad, flat fish. Freshwater rays come in a variety of sizes and can range from 10 inches to over 3 feet! The rays most commonly kept by aquarium keepers are members of the Potamotrygonidae (or "P") family. These typically reach approximately 18 inches and fit well in an Arowana tank.
By far the majority of freshwater rays accessible to hobbyists hail directly from the Amazon River Basin. They sport an interesting array of patterns that help to camouflage them along river bottoms. Spots, scribbles, rosettes, and small circular, pebble-like patterns are some of the most beautiful and intriguing ray patterns.
Freshwater rays have strong mouth parts which allow them to eat a variety of crustaceans and shellfish. They also possess a characteristic "tail stinger" up to twice their size in length. These are appendages that are barbed at the end and feature venom glands. The ray's "sting" (the entire appendage) is whipped up with lashing speed under distress. Even small or baby rays can inflict painful, toxic stings with their tail. Venomous stings are normally replaced every few months, and care should be taken to remove and discard still-venomous, dropped stings carefully.
Rays are not aggressive by nature, and their tail stingers truly are considered a defense mechanism. Rays tend to inhabit the bottom of a tank and attract little attention from surface-dwelling Arowanas. Should an Arowana disturb a Ray, however, injury to both is likely to ensue. Housing a larger or adult ray as opposed to a young, small specimen is advisable. The size of the larger ray may deter the Arowana from approaching it.
Caring for Rays in the Aquarium
Freshwater rays prefer extremely clean, well-filtered tank water. The attention demanded by Arowanas in terms of water quality usually ensures rays thrive as their tank mates. They prefer a temperature and pH in line with that of Arowanas, and even enjoy many of the same foods. Rays thrive on a diet featuring live food such as farm-raised earthworms, blood worms, shrimp, and pieces of fish. Rays like to hide in sand or fine gravel, but it is not necessary for their well-being. Tank decorations such as rocks and driftwood are similarly not required for their benefit.
Unlike Arowanas, healthy rays should adapt quickly to their new environment. Care must be taken during the acclimatization period that the Arowana remains disinterested in the ray. At the first sign of any trouble, immediately remove the ray from the tank!
Rays do require some special considerations to ensure optimum health:
o Rays are scaleless fish and cannot tolerate the majority of fish medications unless injected
o Plecostomus and other sucker-mouthed fish may suck the protective slime coating from rays, causing injury and even death
o Heaters can inflict burns to a ray's disc. To prevent injury, a protective barrier should be placed around heaters, regardless of location.
ไม่มีความคิดเห็น:
แสดงความคิดเห็น