Anyone on here keeping fresh water rays with there discus like me?

[ZX10R]

I have been wondering why my discus are not growing as much as I would like. The last few days I have been watching a lot closer during feeding and I have noticed that my ray is eating up all the food faster then the discus can eat. Just wondering if other people keeping rays and discus together have run into the same problem and what they are doing about it.

[Discus master]

I have been wondering why my discus are not growing as much as I would like. The last few days I have been watching a lot closer during feeding and I have noticed that my ray is eating up all the food faster then the discus can eat. Just wondering if other people keeping rays and discus together have run into the same problem and what they are doing about it.

I have no clue about rays and disucs together I know that the ray is the more dominant species. I wonder if you tried a feeding cone one of those cones that will keep the food at the waters surface where the ray will not go for it but discus will? is that possible does you ray stay on the bottom? or will he come up to feed thats the only thing I can think of.

How big is your tank I always heard unless its a huge tank not to keep them together but like I said I do not know anything about them sorry hope this helps some.

[zamboniMan]

Once the ray figures that out he'd probably just go to the top to feed. Best thing would probably be to separate them so your discus can get more to eat.

[ZX10R]

Once the ray figures that out he'd probably just go to the top to feed. Best thing would probably be to separate them so your discus can get more to eat.

I was only keeping them together until the ray got bigger then he is either getting a bigger tank (I hope my fiancee let's me get), selling him, or moving him to my brothers tank with his rays. He is like a vacuum when I put food in the tank. The discus run around eating as fast as they can but he ends up still eating all there food. Out of the 5 foods I feed my discus only two he won't eat which is flake or BS. Just wondering if other people who have rays and discus together feed there fish something else the ray won't eat up to fast.

[srusso]

The plain and simple of it, the two fish types should not be kept together. They are simply not compatible. Rays are cool though, so I understand why you want to keep it!

[ZX10R]

The plain and simple of it, the two fish types should not be kept together. They are simply not compatible. Rays are cool though, so I understand why you want to keep it!

I am sorry but I disagree with this statement. Now if the ray is big enough maybe 2' diameter and the discus are small enough let's say 3" he can eat one then yes I agree they shouldn't be kept together. But I have seen people on youtube, monster fish keepers, and on here keeping them together with no problem. Most people who say they can't be kept together have never had any dealing with rays so they are just going on what they have seen in discovery channel. My ray is only 6" diameter he could hardly get something the size of a piece of corn in his mouth how is he going to fit a 4" discus in it??????????? People have to remember rays don't have teeth so it is not like he can take a bite out of a fish. Unless it can fit in his mouth whole or soft enough he can pull small pieces of he can't eat it.

[Rex82]

A friend on another forum keeps discus with his motoro's but he only puts adults in with them as far as i know....he says he has never had a problem.

[Disgirl]

Rays do have teeth:D, they are flat, crushing teeth rather than pointed and sharp teeth. They are called plates.
Barb

[ZX10R]

A friend on another forum keeps discus with his motoro's but he only puts adults in with them as far as i know....he says he has never had a problem.

That is good to hear I would never put juvies with a large ray either then you are asking for trouble. I am trying to find different things to feed my discus that the ray won't eat up to fast and the fish can get some food also. Do you know what he feeds his discus?

[roclement]

This discussion has been had before...yes they are compatible and do well together but the size of the tank needed to do it succesfully is often found to be prohibitive.

When I had motoros with discus I would spot feed the rays so they had time to get their fill and then feed the fish, my rays as well as discus loved live blackworms so I fed the rays in the bottom and put some in a feeder on the water level for the discus, both were happy.

If the footprint of the tank is big enough for the rays, they should stick to the bottom.

Rodrigo

[ZX10R]

Rays do have teeth:D, they are flat, crushing teeth rather than pointed and sharp teeth. They are called plates.
Barb

Sorry that is what I was getting at there teeth are tiny and more for crushing the food not taking a bite out of the fish like a shark or something.

[ZX10R]

This discussion has been had before...yes they are compatible and do well together but the size of the tank needed to do it succesfully is often found to be prohibitive.

When I had motoros with discus I would spot feed the rays so they had time to get their fill and then feed the fish, my rays as well as discus loved live blackworms so I fed the rays in the bottom and put some in a feeder on the water level for the discus, both were happy.

If the footprint of the tank is big enough for the rays, they should stick to the bottom.

Rodrigo

I have given my fish and rays live blackworms before and they went crazy for them. I had a hard time keeping the live blackworms alive for a extended period of time so I quit keeping them. I just ordered the freeze dried blackworms from Al. Want to see how that goes during feeding. Just trying to find some foods that either the ray won't eat up to fast or something that stays suspended in the water longer. Because if it settles on the bottom you can bet the ray is going to vacuum it up before my discus get there bellys full.

[Discus master]

I am sorry but I disagree with this statement. Now if the ray is big enough maybe 2' diameter and the discus are small enough let's say 3" he can eat one then yes I agree they shouldn't be kept together. But I have seen people on youtube, monster fish keepers, and on here keeping them together with no problem. Most people who say they can't be kept together have never had any dealing with rays so they are just going on what they have seen in discovery channel. My ray is only 6" diameter he could hardly get something the size of a piece of corn in his mouth how is he going to fit a 4" discus in it??????????? People have to remember rays don't have teeth so it is not like he can take a bite out of a fish. Unless it can fit in his mouth whole or soft enough he can pull small pieces of he can't eat it.

Yeah but the compete with the discus for food and the discus is a slower eater and there lies the problem this is why at leat while the discus are juvis they should not be kept together, it is a known fact the fish that are going to compete with the discus for food should be out like i said unless there were perhaps adults or if the tank was really big I would suspect then it may be ok say put a divider in during feeding times might help?

[Discus master]

I have been wondering why my discus are not growing as much as I would like. The last few days I have been watching a lot closer during feeding and I have noticed that my ray is eating up all the food faster then the discus can eat. Just wondering if other people keeping rays and discus together have run into the same problem and what they are doing about it.

What about a divider in while the feed? other wise you may end up with stunted discus or worse sick discus.

[Discus master]

I am sorry but I disagree with this statement. Now if the ray is big enough maybe 2' diameter and the discus are small enough let's say 3" he can eat one then yes I agree they shouldn't be kept together. But I have seen people on youtube, monster fish keepers, and on here keeping them together with no problem. Most people who say they can't be kept together have never had any dealing with rays so they are just going on what they have seen in discovery channel. My ray is only 6" diameter he could hardly get something the size of a piece of corn in his mouth how is he going to fit a 4" discus in it??????????? People have to remember rays don't have teeth so it is not like he can take a bite out of a fish. Unless it can fit in his mouth whole or soft enough he can pull small pieces of he can't eat it.

Yeah he can keep them together if he wants stunted discus thats why I say maybe adult discus would be ok but juvi discus need their food. So while there is no threat of the ray eating the discus which was never the issue the op stressed anyway so I am not sure why you even brought that up its not the fish eating the discus that is the problem its the competion that the ray comptes with the discus for food and there is the issue you should never put a fish in with discus if its going to compete with it for food becuase as we all know discus do not compete for food very well but if perhaps they were adult discus then it be a diferent story or like I read a larger tank. And I always learn thing by means of reading that how I learned 90% of what i have leraned abut discus. here on SD

[Discus master]

I have been wondering why my discus are not growing as much as I would like. The last few days I have been watching a lot closer during feeding and I have noticed that my ray is eating up all the food faster then the discus can eat. Just wondering if other people keeping rays and discus together have run into the same problem and what they are doing about it.

I hope they did not get stunted on you already??:angry:

[ZX10R]

Other wise you may end up with stunted discus or worse sick discus.

They are not going to get stunted or sick from being in a tank with rays. I feed them 5-6 times a day so they are getting food. I am asking people who have kept them together what they are feeding there discus. Maybe there is some other food I haven't tried. The reason I brought up the ray eating the discus is because 99% of the people who say don't keep them together say that. And I know you didn't get your 90% of knowledge from reading about keeping discus and rays together because there is very very little information out there on keeping freshwater rays in aquariums. Sorry to bust your bubble but after reading your 4 posts in a row and knowing you have only had discus for a couple months I don't understand how you can be answering my questions about rays and discus together and feeding.

[Discus master]

They are not going to get stunted or sick from being in a tank with rays. I feed them 5-6 times a day so they are getting food. I am asking people who have kept them together what they are feeding there discus. Maybe there is some other food I haven't tried. The reason I brought up the ray eating the discus is because 99% of the people who say don't keep them together say that. And I know you didn't get your 90% of knowledge from reading about keeping discus and rays together because there is very very little information out there on keeping freshwater rays in aquariums. Sorry to bust your bubble but after reading your 4 posts in a row and knowing you have only had discus for a couple months I don't understand how you can be answering my questions about rays and discus together and feeding.

No you are miss understanding me I am saying I have learned 90% of my knowledge on keeping discus by reading, not discus and rays together but discus and its been more like 4 moths going on 5 sense I started keeping discus not a couple I started out on a diferent forum before I found SD now I call SD my home. I was saying if the discus are not getting the required amount of food becuase of the ray then thats where you could run into problems, this is not ray specific rather in general any fish at all who is competing with a juvi discus for food where the discus is loosing out then you are running the risk of a stunted disucs esecially if they are not growing that much rite now then you might be seeing the early sighn of it most certainoy signs they are not getting what they need, it is known that discus will not compete well for their food an if other fish are kept with discus the discus should be the dominant fish in the tank this is especially true when young and growing. Now if I am in correct then I ask for the experinced discus keepers to chime in so that I may read and thus learn even more about the hobby.

[ZX10R]

A friend on another forum keeps discus with his motoro's but he only puts adults in with them as far as i know....he says he has never had a problem.


This discussion has been had before...yes they are compatible and do well together but the size of the tank needed to do it succesfully is often found to be prohibitive.

When I had motoros with discus I would spot feed the rays so they had time to get their fill and then feed the fish, my rays as well as discus loved live blackworms so I fed the rays in the bottom and put some in a feeder on the water level for the discus, both were happy.

If the footprint of the tank is big enough for the rays, they should stick to the bottom.

Rodrigo

I think you are taking this in the wrong direction. My fish are healthy and doing great. Just like these posts people have kept discus and rays together with no problem. And if you were to have rays and discus together like I do they do make very good tankmates. Yes they eat the same foods and yes they sometimes compete for food. But my fish are not starving and turning into stunted discus. My fish are growing and very healthy but I am wanting to try and get them to grow faster. I was wondering if there is a food out there like live blackworms or any ideas on feeding like Rodrigo suggested.

[Discus master]

Oh ok I see now it sounded like orginally you had a concern as you stated in your first post that your discus have not been grwoing as well as you would have liked to see and you were looking closer durning feeding and were noticing that your Ray was eating up all the food faster than your discus could. Thats way I guess for me some alarms went off but if all is doing well then sweet, I am not sure what else you could give them maybe soaking some of the frozen foods in vitimins and then re freezing them would help to make sure their getting all that stuff good, the only other thing I have heard about to get em to grow faster and or bigger was to power feed them like crazy just hammer them with food and do tons of water chnages as a result of it, other than that thats all I have ever heard in regards to this. and I have been doing tons of reading I did not come across one food over the other in terms of growing them out faster I think just a good varied diet with plenty of water changes is the best thing for them, sorry I could not be of more help.

[vera]

I think Mal's FDBW is a good idea bcz they dont sink straight away so discius can pick it up from surface , while rays more in to hoovering the bottom
TC

[ZX10R]

I think Mal's FDBW is a good idea bcz they dont sink straight away so discius can pick it up from surface , while rays more in to hoovering the bottom
TC

Just what I am hoping will happen

Thank You

[vera]

Best of luck , let us know how it goes , i wish one to have 1 Ray with my Discus in display tank

[Willie]

I haven't kept rays with my discus, but that's because my largest tanks are only 125's. I've seen rays kept with adult discus in Asian show tanks, so obviously they are compatible with each other.

What do you feed your discus? My understanding is that rays only eat live food. If you feed beefheart, than the discus should be able to eat fine.

Willie

[ZX10R]

I haven't kept rays with my discus, but that's because my largest tanks are only 125's. I've seen rays kept with adult discus in Asian show tanks, so obviously they are compatible with each other.

What do you feed your discus? My understanding is that rays only eat live food. If you feed beefheart, than the discus should be able to eat fine.

Willie

Here is a list of what I feed them during the day out to the side is who eats what. Ray don't eat just live stuff most of the time I feed mine frozen shrimp or frozen scallops.

1. Han's food recipe (discus/ray)
2. FBS (discus)
3. FBW (discus/ray)
4. Flake food (discus)
5. Beafheart (discus/ray)