Lonely Stingray??

[Raymann88]

I have a pregnant female motoro that is pregnant for her second time. The male started picking on her quit a bit biting her back until she started to bleed. He would leave her alone for a few days and then do it again. she had her last batch of pups Sept 9 and you can see pups moving inside her again so I'm guessing it's not because of mating. I separated out the male a week and a half ago and left the female in the tank by herself. She has stopped eating (only picks at night crawlers) since I removed the male and has lost her pregancy "humps" although I can still see the pups moving inside her. All water parameters are the same (in fact I added a FX5 to her tank a few days before separating them because of the amout of food she was going through). She is in a 5' x 3' x 2' tank. The male has become a picky eater too since I moved him into a tank with 3 other rays and only picks at night crawlers as well. I've had to put a divider in so he can eat otherwise the other rays get to the food first.

My question is - Do rays "bond" with other rays and then become lonely when separated??? Anyone have any experience with this?? The pair had been in a tank with an Arowana for the last couple of years and all were happy. Arowana is eating fine. Don't know if I should put him back in with her or not, as she has started to heal up nicely and don't know if he will start picking on her again.

Thoughts / Suggestions

 

[grapedinox]

I have this exact same thing happen with my 2 retics if separated they both will quit eating and mine spend all of their time climbing the walls of the tank seeming in frustration.

 

[grapedinox]

also due to pregnancy for the reason for separation of mine.

 

[Anderman]

May just be the temperament of the ray or stress from the biting and moving to different tanks.

I seperated mine on her first pregnancy as the male was trying to breed with her again on her last couple days of her pregnancy. The last time she was pregnant I had 7 rays in the tank with minimal problems. She gave birth and I took out the pups.

Never had and issue with biting except for the first pregnancy and never had an issue with the eating. Too many things come into play when they are pregnant like hormones etc, which causes other rays to act different as they can sense the hormones and pregnancy.

 

[Just Toby]

I spoke to a guy who was breeding loads of motoros, more than he could sell but every time he took the male out she stopped eating, pregnant or not!

 

[Raymann88]

I spoke to a guy who was breeding loads of motoros, more than he could sell but every time he took the male out she stopped eating, pregnant or not!

Did he have to put the male back in to get her eating again or did she start up on her own?

May just be the temperament of the ray or stress from the biting and moving to different tanks.

I seperated mine on her first pregnancy as the male was trying to breed with her again on her last couple days of her pregnancy. The last time she was pregnant I had 7 rays in the tank with minimal problems. She gave birth and I took out the pups.

Never had and issue with biting except for the first pregnancy and never had an issue with the eating. Too many things come into play when they are pregnant like hormones etc, which causes other rays to act different as they can sense the hormones and pregnancy.

Didn't move the female, only the male. I can see the male being a bit stressed from being moved and put in a tank with 3 other rays he's never seen before, but the female is still in the same 240 gallon tank all by herself (and the aro)

I have this exact same thing happen with my 2 retics if separated they both will quit eating and mine spend all of their time climbing the walls of the tank seeming in frustration.

Did they start eating again on their own or did you have to put the pair back together again?

 

[bcfd144]

Try putting the male back in the tank and just add a divider. This way she stays safe, but can still see him and know he is there. See if that helps.
Best thing I found to make a divider our of is egg creat. Strong but still allows water flow..

 

[Raymann88]

Try putting the male back in the tank and just add a divider. This way she stays safe, but can still see him and know he is there. See if that helps.
Best thing I found to make a divider our of is egg creat. Strong but still allows water flow..

Could be tough to do. The tank she is in is a 5' x 3' with a 24" arowana in it. Do you think I should move her into the tank with the male and leave a divider in that tank instead or will that be too stressful for her?

 

[bcfd144]

I think moving her would be to stressful for her. Size of the tank is not the problem with putting in a divider, its the Aro thats the problem. Is there anyway you can move the Aro for awhile and move the Male ray back into the tank?
You can try moving her, but if she is not eating and preg, I wouldnt chance that.. Just my opinion..

 

[Raymann88]

I think moving her would be to stressful for her. Size of the tank is not the problem with putting in a divider, its the Aro thats the problem. Is there anyway you can move the Aro for awhile and move the Male ray back into the tank?
You can try moving her, but if she is not eating and preg, I wouldnt chance that.. Just my opinion..

That's what I'm thinking too. I only have the one tank big enough for the Aro and that the one she is in. Will she start eating again if I leave her by herself - Anyone have any experience with that?