Asian Aro And Rays

[dave_oddballs]

hi i am planning for a tank at least 6'x2'x2'. I have been told that this is an aceptable size for an asian arowana or the smaller sp. of freshwater rays. Could i keep them both? Just the 1 arowana, namely a double red from bas!, and a pair of rays? Please give me your thoughts, and serious ones please! As i am seriously in the process of sorting it out and to do it i wil have to get rid of all my tanks, exept for mabe 1 channa tank that will go underneith the big one!
Thanks
David

 

[Davo86]

You should be fine with both,although the only suitable ray species would be a pair of retics, scobina or hystrix, although the latter two can be fairly hard (and therefore pricey) to come by, All 3 can reach upto and around 18" although 12-14" is more likely. (excluding tail)

 

[mike os]

2' is not really wide enough for rays

 

[dave_oddballs]

as i said i want a tank at least this size. i do think i will be getting one 30" wide though, i was initially wanting 36" width but not sure about space, i may be able to go to 7 or maybe 8 foot length but i think 30" would be the most width i could go. i think i can safely base my question around a 7x2.5 x2 tank, it would be retics i would go for, i don't want to breed them, although it would be a real bonus if it got that stage, i just really like them and would be happy with retics. and of course the arowana! with a tank this size i would look at getting filtration along the lines of 2 fluval fx5's. would the tank be 'fully stocked' with these three fish? out of all my fish in my main tank i really dont want to get rid of my pink tailed characin! would this be ok in the tank with aro and retics?
all info and advice appreciated!!
David

 

[Davo86]

If you can go with a 7x2.5x2 then you would be fine with the rays, aro, Chalceus and even a few others such as a Fire Eel, Dat, Uaru or somes Silver Dollars IMO

have a search for Mark7616's tank, I'm pretty sure his was around 7x2.5x2.5 but he had a similar stocking based around an asian red and a pair of rays,

 

[dave_oddballs]

i love dats and would like to add one! id also like a medium to big snakehead but im sure it wouldn't go with the other fish and seen as though i am basing the tank around the aro and rays it looks like a no no, anyway one step at a time, i would have to get rid of my other tanks and fish first! if i got a 7 foot i should be able to keep 2 3 foot tanks underneath it so i would be able to carry on keeping my dwarf snakeheads! i'll no doubt be asking for more info when it gets nearer the time but thanks for your help so far!

David

 

[synodontisjack]

2' width is ok if you can find true hystrix but leo rays make the most stunning asian tankmates and will need 3' width as would motoro. Just a word of advice, the asian at BAS is of very low quality and perhaps worth a little under half of its asking price.

 

[mike os]

7x2.5x2 is great 8' perfect IMO... well it would be, thats what i've got LOL....big enough for motoros or leopoldi if you can afford them.

Chalceus and snakehead might have a problem with the aro, dats will be fine.

main issue in a ray tank is

a, will the rays eat it? if it is small enough to cover they may well have a go, though ime 8" fish of decent size like uaru are ok
b, will it harm the rays? Some fish like pikes and L numbers can damage rays