Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2.fluke 9/24/84; site vax3.fluke.UUCP
Path: utzoo!decvax!tektronix!uw-beaver!fluke!szepesi
From: szepesi@fluke.UUCP (Les Szepesi)
Newsgroups: net.pets
Subject: Freshwater rays
Message-ID: <1416@vax3.fluke.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 10-Jun-85 20:17:07 EDT
Article-I.D.: vax3.1416
Posted: Mon Jun 10 20:17:07 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 11-Jun-85 22:01:56 EDT
Distribution: na
Organization: John Fluke Mfg. Co., Inc., Everett, WA
Lines: 36
Xref: tektronix net.pets:00945 

I have a new 55 gallon freshwater aquarium that's in its second
week of establishing the ammonia/nitrite/nitrate cycle, and I'm 
thinking about how I'm going to populate it.

Presently, I have a single black ghost knife. I am considering 
getting a freshwater ray that's available in one of the stores 
here and I'm wondering if anyone has any experience with this 
beast. I've been checking up on it for two weeks now, and it
appears healthy.

I understand the rays eat primarily tubifex. Do you feed them by
pressing the worms against the glass, even though they're bottom feeders?

Is it possible to have live plants with their habits of burrowing
into the gravel?

What about growth? A book I've consulted says they can grow to 4 feet
in diameter, obviously too large for my aquarium.  I've heard that
fish will not outgrow there environment, but I have yet to hear a
good explanation for this, so I'm inclined to doubt it.

What if he does get to be that large? What is normally done with
any fish that's outgrown its tank, beyond buying ever-larger aquaria?

By the way, the ray in question is already about 1ft in diameter and
living alone in a 15 gallon tank.

Thanks in advance,
Les 

-- 
Les Szepesi		decvax\
John Fluke Mfg Co.	ihnp4  >!uw-beaver\
PO Box C9090    MS 274G		   allegra >!fluke!szepesi
Everett, WA 98206 USA	ucbvax >!lbl-csam /
(206) 356-6362		hplabs/