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stingray question... stkg./sel. 7/27/17 Cownose Ray, sys. mostly 3/10/13 Banjo shark help... 2/17/11 Ray tank question Bat Ray Temps 07/13/09 Electric Ray: Stocking\System No Useful Information.
3/26/09 Cortez Sting Ray, sys., comp.
2/18/09 Dear Bob, <Chris> I have a friend who wants to
give me a Cortez Sting Ray as a Birthday gift. It is eating quite well
in his tank. I own a 250 gallon tank with lots of rock and sand bed.
The ray is about 4 inches in diameter. I was thinking give it a 10 inch
width of sand 8ft long to play. <Mmm, will need more room than this
in time... and this is a "cool-water" species... not
tropical> The tank is 8ft by 2ft by2ft. I own a lot of snails and
hermit crabs. Will Mr. Sting Ray eat those critters or will he be lazy
and eat only the food I provide him (Krill, etc)?? <Likely both.
BobF> Look forward to your response. Christopher Sharks, rays, tangs, lionfish, and tangs... stkg. a large SW
pond - 07/19/08 hi WWM, I am in the process of building a
circular indoor pond and would be interested in putting some saltwater
fish. my question is : would I be able to have a black banded cat shark
(the "not true" cat shark), a lion fish radiata or
Volitans?), <Umm, no... too likely the Shark will consume any Lion
species> a sohal tang and a ray or eagle bat ray. <...?> How
big would the pond need to be? would 6,000+ gallons be enough (because
of the bat ray) and would I be able to keep a bat ray at all with the
rest of the tank being more tropical?. <... What species? There are
tropical Myliobatids: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eagle_ray> I am
planning on making the pond about 18 feet across by about 52" deep
(again circular). would the tang nip at the fins of the bat ray?
<Doubtful in a volume of this size> Have you guys had success at
keeping bat rays? <Not in residential settings, but in "public
aquarium ones", yes> and if I cannot keep a bat ray (I would
really love to have one), what other ray/fish would you recommend.
<? Are you joking?> I am in the middle of researching the fish I
plan to put in the pond and want to get all the info I can.
<...?> There will be live rock. (I don't know how much yet),
but no corals. Also are bat rays even legal to own? <As far as
I'm aware, yes... at least in the U.S.> The only reason I ask
this is they have one for sale at this LFS on 6Th and clement in San
Fransisco CA and some of my fish friends say they like the place
because they have some nice illegal corals. I am not a coral person but
if they have illegal corals they could have illegal fish. thank you for
all your help and info!!! sincerely, will <Keep studying and
planning Will... Bob Fenner> California rays, hlth. 12/9/07 Hi I have a 150 gal saltwater ray tank I have 3 Babies 4"s <...?> I checked all water parameters nitrites 0 nitrates 10-20 <Trouble> ammonia 0 ph 8.0 they are swimming and twitching. It almost looks like they are being shocked. <Good description> The temp is 60 degrees. I unplugged everything and they are still doing it I have a canister filter and a nitrate reductor <Evidently not working> which has a power head could it be leaking? Or am I lacking anything? I also have a chiller in the sump with Chaetomorpha alga and a protein skimmer Please help. Nicole <You might try unplugging all the electrics systematically, testing/measuring for stray voltage... even employing a device for drawing off said potential... But very likely the measurable nitrates are what are at play here. Need to be zip, zero... Please read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/marine/fishes/index.htm the second tray down, on Cartilaginous Fishes, Rays... Systems, Health... Bob Fenner> I have a question about rays... and SeaChem Products 9/2/07 I've never had any medical issues as yet, but I like to be prepared in case something arises. I know my way around fish in general, but I'm having a hard time getting good info about rays in this regard. I use Seachem products, I don't know how available they are elsewhere so you may not know much about how suitable they are. I trust them well with my other fish, but lack of info on rays does have me concerned. If you can at least point me in the right direction I'd appreciate it. Carol Scott <I have used the Morin's co.s products for decades... and am very familiar with their fine line. They are to be trusted... as being scientifically investigated, continuously researched... With Rays or other captive aquatics... What little we have archived re Batoid fishes can be found here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/fishes/index.htm near the bottom of the second tray. Bob Fenner> California Ray Death, cold animal in hot water... not for
long 2/25/07 I purchased a California Stingray
from "Living Sea" in Park Ridge, IL on November 25. The
"ray" starting taking food from hand within 2 days and I had
been hand feeding it since then. I noticed the other night the ray did
not eat any food from me, but was still it's active self swimming
around, but bumped into the live rock a couple of times. Yesterday
afternoon, the ray stayed on the bottom but was not moving around. I
picked it up and it did not move even though it was still alive. Within
20 minutes it died, (I was heart broken for when I purchase a fish, I
intend to keep it for a long time). The tank is 125 gallons with a
Bio-Rocker filter, Nautilus skimmer and another Eheim filter (2028
model). The tank mates are a 2-Clowns, 2-Blue Tangs, Long Nose
Butterfly and Blue Spotted Puffer. <Okay here is the firs indicator
of a problem...these animals listed are tropical animals while the
California ray....hailing from: that's right California (not a very
imaginative name huh?) is a temperate animals...likely the temperatures
in a tank of this size, with decreased oxygen is at least to blame. I
would also be interest in the acclimation process of the animal...>
Could the "ray" died from stress because the Butterfly and
one of the Tangs were constantly chasing the "ray" and
"nipping" its tail. <Yes.> I will be buying Scott
Michael's book, Aquarium Sharks and Rays . <Very good.> Any
possible reasons for the "ray" passing so soon. <Improper
Environment.> It was about 3 inches in diameter. <Quite
small.> Also, I did notice that the "ray's" coloring
was fading along it's spine. <Indicative of poor
diet/environment. Adam J.> Re: stingray question, health, sys. 1/17/06 Thanks for the info. Here's some more...The total population consists of 1 leopard ray(20"), 4 southerns (2-3', 2 16") and 4 bat rays (18"). The only animals with red marks are the two large southerns. We monitor NH3, NO2 and NO3. NH3 is 0 as well as NO2. We recently did a large water change and dropped NO3 from near 100 to 25mg/l. <Good> Although we buffer often to reach 8.0 the pH wants to stay around 7.5. <You may want to suggest looking into a source of soluble carbonate to blend in with (your presumed use) of bicarbonate... applying this as a slurry...> The tank is empty except for substrate which is coral sand. From reading on WWM it is probably too coarse but we're stuck with it for now. <Mmm... yes... not likely an issue here if the other Rays are fine> It is my understanding that when the tank was first set up there was a heavy metal problem. <Very common... in a "previous life" I necropsied cartilaginous fishes as a "consultant"... mainly in public aquariums... Many animals lost to "re-bar" exposure... other sources of metal contamination> I was told this was no longer an issue. I'm not sure what we would test for and in what quantities. <I'd test the water, or have it tested... use a pad of Polyfilter in your water flow... if nothing else... to steadily monitor (by color) such presence...> The primary diet is whole capelin with occasional feeding of peeled shrimp. <... and vitamin et al. supplementation I hope/trust... Are you familiar with Mazuri(.com)?> It was suggested to try Baytril (Enrofloxacin) which we have but I'm dubious about effect. <Mmm, I would not... And feel very uneasy re discussing this on-line...> Thanks for your input! <Glad to cooperate. Bob Fenner> Urolophus halleri (Round Ray), not eating, not tropical
9/18/06 Hey Crew, We got a Cali ray that came in to our
store last week on Thursday. The ray hasn't eaten yet. It seems
like he doesn't want to eat. We have tried frozen squid, krill,
gulf shrimp, and live ghost shrimp. None of them have worked. She swims
all day and all night and rest for a little bit. Should the ray be
eating by now? I've looked at some of the articles on your site and
nothing helped. We have been hand feeding and stick feeding.
Thanks, Ben <... is this fish in "hot
water?"... See here:
http://fishbase.sinica.edu.tw/Summary/speciesSummary.php?ID=2580&genusname=Urobatis&speciesname=halleri
Subtropical... likely needs to just be placed in cool/cold water and
allowed to acclimate. Bob Fenner> Stingray Environment 9/13/06 Hey Crew, <Hi> I have a question. My pet store has a round stingray in and it's in warm water (82 F). I tried to tell them that it's a cool water species but they told me it was caught in Baja and was found in warm water. Is it possible for this ray to actually live in warm water? They said it was a Cortez but looked nothing like that species and was clearly a Urolophus halleri species. Thanks For your time, Ben <Baja is a very dynamic environment, water temperatures can vary quite a bit depending on time of year, depth, location, and "El Nino" occurrences. Having dove there I can tell you it can get quite warm, close to 80 degrees at the end of summer, but can be 10 degrees colder in late winter/early spring. What I'm getting at in a very long winded and round about way is that it is possible it was caught in warm water, at least at the surface, however I agree with you that it is a cooler water species and does best at lower than tropical temperatures.> <Chris> Tidepool stingray/mangrove tank 3/15/06 Thanks
Bob for your answers to my refugium questions.
<Welcome> I now need to ask a much more simple question (I
hope.) I am building a tidepool to keep a couple of
yellow stingrays in and a small grove of mangroves. I will
be using the wet/dry I just took off my reef after adding the refugium
(along with some live rock, mangroves, and maybe macroalgae if it will
grow with the disturbance of the rays.) It pays to
recycle. No reason to let the wet/dry gather dust.
LOL I also have a heavy duty pond liner left over from an
indoor koi pond that I took down years ago so all is falling into
place. <Sounds good> I need to be clear with my
terminology here. I am just calling it a tidepool aquarium
because it will be sitting on the floor so the livestock will be viewed
from above (it won't actually have tidal action, though, it will
have a waterfall.) <I understand> My question is how much sand
should I have for the stingrays? <An inch or so... they'll move
around, root in it> Would it be worth trying to get the
benefits of a DSB? <Not likely... too much activity, and too much
chance of undesirable anaerobic action.> Since it is my
impression that stingrays want their eyes above the sand, I was
thinking that they would not dig too deep to disturb the process of a
DSB. <Unless you have the means (an open system...
a pipe to/fro the ocean... massive filtration, circulation...) I would
not use much more than will barely cover the rays... an inch or
so...> I want there to be plenty of sand depth for the mangrove
roots <I would grow these in a separate (raised, walled, even blind)
area or in the sump/refugium instead> but I don't want to put a
6" DSB in there if it is going to cause problems. I
have wanted to do this for some time. I love to view
stingrays swimming from above and I have been really interested in
growing some mangroves to actual small tree height (not the stunted
things we grow in our sumps.) Thank you for your help. God bless, Jonny
<Reads like a very nice project. Bob Fenner> Shark sel. and ray system 2/3/06 Hello, I have done tons of research on sharks and from many websites, including yours, the best shark for a smaller home aquarium, would probably be the marbled cat shark or also known as Indonesian speckled carpet shark, Hemiscylliidae freycineti, closely related to the Epaulette shark. This shark, not the epaulette, reaches a maximum size of 28 inches, but some sites say 22 to 24 is maximum. I have recently discovered another type of shark that is not advertised for sale on the internet but was at my LFS, it was the Gulf Cat shark, Asymbolus vicenti, <You've misspelled the name: http://fishbase.org/Summary/speciesSummary.php?ID=789&genusname=Asymbolus&speciesname=vincenti> maximum length at 23 inches. Do you have any info on this particular species? <Mmm, nope. Have never seen it in the trade or captivity> Can I keep it with live rock or is the risk of infection to much. I thought it should be ok do to its natural habitat is in rocky areas. One more question, can I keep a blue spotted ribbon tail ray, Taeniura lymna, in a tank that is 4 ft long, and 18 inches wide? <... possibly. Though very few live in captivity in any size system for long. Not a good gamble> The only reason I ask this question which may sound crazy is because some sites say a 75 is minimum, <Get longer than this sized box> people I know say this would be a fine size, and that my local fish store says that it will be ok. These rays in particular mostly lay in the sand unless agitated or frightened, or in times of feeding. I know they are not the hardiest and don't have the greatest survival rate but in my experience, I have been told that there was no way I could keep a blue ribbon eel or banded snake eel alive, and that the minimum size tank for a banded snake eel was 180 gallons according to Scott Michael's book and I have been successfully keeping both specimens in a 55 gallon tank for over 2 years. This makes me question recommendations. I know this is a lot to digest, just looking for more info and input. Thank you and your site for continuous help, Chris <In good hands, care, animals can be kept in smaller confines... are they happy, long-lived? Bob Fenner> Ray petting set-up 9/5/05 Dear Wet Web, <Maxwell... also our black labs name...> I own a seafood restaurant in California that uses fish in a sustainable way and stringently follows all best practices guidelines. After recently visiting the Monterey Bay Aquarium I was fascinated by the pond where kids could touch a ray. I would like to install a similar exhibit at a new restaurant that I plan to open so that kids can experience the marine life for fun can also hopefully lean about rays as well. I am wondering what type of ray or skate would be good to use on a smaller scale and would also tolerate being touched? <Mmm, good question... there are limits here, for all species... the best choices get very (too) large... the bat rays (Myliobatids)... and stingrays are out...> What size pond/tank would I need? I would prefer to use a Pacific breed so that it is from the local area, but any type will do. Any other advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you very much. Maxwell <Please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/fishes/index.htm The articles and FAQs files on cartilaginous fishes, rays/skates AND sharks... Much to consider... and an involved project... though worthwhile for sure. Perhaps having some fish stores that do such installs, aquarium service companies bid this job would help you gain insight, perspective, a faster useful education. Cheers, Bob Fenner> Call him, them Ray/s, but don't crowd them 8/28/05 Hey! Love the website and love the Sharks and Ray book. I've been in the saltwater hobby for 9 yrs. And I'm interested in setting up a shark tank and I like your input. The plan A -A round spotted or a Cortez round stingray. 2 monos, 1 grouper( miniatus or louti ) 2 yellow tangs in a 220. I currently have a 125 just to start the process until I accumulate enough to purchase the 220 In about 18-24 months. The set up now(125g) Wet-Dry for a 125, A UV sterilizer, a turbo 1000 protein skimmer, A fluidized filter up to 300g for the bioload (and for the transfer over in 2yrs with a bigger wet dry, and the 125 turns into the plenum with a heavy-duty skimmer.) <... this tank, and the proposed one are too small for keeping these rays. Bob Fenner> Saltwater stingrays Hello Robert, I'm new to the saltwater tank world, but I love SCUBA diving, and have developed a sincere passion for reef life. I'm just getting started by setting up a 75 gallon tank (I can't wait) :) <Great... two fabulous endeavors... that are interrelated!> My goal is to someday setup a habitat to house a saltwater stingray. The Blue Spotted variety sure are pretty, but after reading some of your text online, I may opt to try the California Stingray (Urolophus halleri). <I've kept these... can be done> Let me first say that I am not going to rush out and buy one. I am a very responsible person (I love marine life, and simply will not undertake any venture that I am not ready for). My initial goal is to setup a simple reef ecosystem, read many books, become proficient, then _maybe_ 2 years from now, attempt a Stingray tank. Whether I decide to or not, however, I'm still interested in learning about the species. <Surely> This being said, in order to make a sound decision (and quite frankly, for curiosity) I want to find out as much as I can on this subject. However, good, reliable information is hard to find. Can you point me in the direction of a some good books, and/or other resources that I can use to learn more about saltwater stingrays in aquarium life? Specifically I'm looking for information on: <Yes... Scott Michaels new Shark and Ray husbandry book is soon to be out from TFH/Microcosm...> Size of tank: What is the most suitable to provide the stingray with the appropriate space? <Something large and "flat"... the bigger the better... a hundred gallons minimum> Compatibility: Will the stingray play well with others. Other docile fish, invertebrates, anenomes, perhaps even other predators like a Porcupine fish or Moray Eel? <Yes on the fishes... invertebrates on rocks... with plenty of filtration...> Life span: What is the life span of a stingray in the wild/in an aquarium? <Years in the wild, weeks typically in captivity> Care: What specific needs does a stingray have? Basically I'm just looking for any and all information - but good, solid information. My ultimate goal is simply knowledge, no more. I live near the Minnesota Zoo, where I've done some volunteer work in the past. Would you recommend that I try to contact the people who are responsible for their reef exhibit? <Yes> Thank you so much for your time, <Much more to discuss my friend. Bob Fenner> Ross Grover Please reply soon!!! (marine stingrays) I am an amateur but recently saw the stingrays at Sea World Orlando and developed a great interest in the fascinating animals. What is the longest living stingray I can keep in the smallest aquarium with a max. of how many rays in that aquarium? <Perhaps the smaller dasyatids... one to a hundred gallons or so...> Is breeding easy and will I be able to sell the offspring easily? <If they were in good health, perhaps> What are some recommended books and species? <Please read here and beyond: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/rays.htm Do get, read Scott Michael's latest work cited in the FAQs there> Is it common (or possible) to remove the barbs or trim them in anyway to make the animals more easily handled? <Yes, both are done by public aquariums, research institutions> What are some dos and don'ts in the aquarium set up - do they need plants, bubbles, etc. What species go with what size tanks? <Lots of space, not-sharp substrate, good filtration, aeration...> Can you give some prices (I have no clue) I would greatly appreciate a reply at XXXX. Thanks, Timothy <Much to discuss. Let your enthusiasm carry you into discovery here. Bob Fenner> My school project Hello, my name is Trevor Harres. I am in 5th grade. I am doing a project at school where I need to spend a million dollars buying something. <A challenge to your creativity and prudence> We're not really spending money it's just pretend. <I see> I decided to use my money building an aquarium for bat rays where people could pet and feed them and another one for star fish and other animals like sea urchins that can be picked up and handled by people. I was hoping you could send me any kind of information you might have on the cost of what it might be to do this. Feeding and keeping the fish alive also has to be included. I can't go over a million dollars though. If you can find some time I would be very appreciative. You can check my information by calling my school if you like. Richmond Street Elementary School.......... Thank you, Trevor Harres <Mmm, I would make a list of the "Steps to Completion" of such a project... including design, construction, livestocking... AND a "spread sheet" (sort of like a calendar by months of the year with spaces for listing items of expense) for detailing what things (labor, electricity, water, rent, taxes...) cost every month (estimated by the projected cost of the facility and cost per customer visiting). The design and building part of the project can be worked on using the "Pond Index" part of our site: see here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ponds.htm Some input into speculating about the finance parts of your project can be found here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/bizfin.htm Do contact me with your concerns, questions, suggestions as you progress. Bob Fenner> Yellow Spotted Stingray Mr. Fenner <Steven Pro tonight
working my shift as part of the WWM crew.> I have a 55 gallon salt
water tank. I currently have one Fluval 304, one Penguin Bio-wheel 330,
one Penguin Bio-wheel 170, one Seaclone skimmer, and one Penguin
power-head. The tank is cycled, the test kit reads the lowest possible
amounts for Ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite. My ph is 8.4. My question is
could I support a yellow spotted Sting-ray. If so, would it need to be
solo in the tank, or could other fish co-exist? Are there any special
precautions I need to know about? <A 55 is about ten times too small
for any ray.> Thank You, James Hannagan <You are welcome. -Steven
Pro> Stingray HI..! I will get soon one stingray, meanwhile I'm documenting and preparing its new home, Which is the most suitable sand for a stingray to have? Could I use silica sand? or gravel could be better. <Please read over the Stingray and Skate materials stored on the Marine Index part of WetWebMedia.com Bob Fenner> Thanks Attn. Carlos Gorgon California Stingray I am looking into purchasing a California Stingray (Urolophus halleri) from the internet site "Flying Fish Express." I would like to add him to a 75g with a 6 inch porcupine puffer fish and 2 1/2 foot peppered moray eel. <you can stop right there, my friend. Two problems...one: stingrays are best kept in species specific tanks because of their feeding habits and vulnerability. It is an unwritten rule that never be kept with pecking/toothy browsers like full size angels, puffers, triggers, etc. And two: the sugar fine sand necessary/recommended for the skin health of the stingray will be a sloppy messy field day for Pufferfish species that love to blow puffs of water at the sand in search of crustacea and keep the tank milky cloudy most days of the week. Furthermore... a 75 gallon is really tight quarters even for small stingray species in the big picture. My advice... postpone the stingray for a larger species tank and enjoy a greater diversity of fish in the 75 gallon.> The tank has excellent water parameters (0 nitrite, 0 ammonia, and nitrates stay around 10ppm which I was told was very good). I do weekly - by monthly water changes and think the tank is ok to handle one more fish. Opinions on this? <indeed...as above, no stingray please> Anyway, I owned a f/w stingray a number of years ago (outgrew the tank, gave him away to a friend with a much larger tank), <the common destiny of most stingrays...if they are lucky and don't simply stunt and die prematurely from complications in crowded undersized aquaria> and would *love* to have another if at all possible. I've found numerous sites that state a 75g is min size required, <perhaps a minimum without tankmates and still not your best bet/responsible even if true> and the stingray should be ok with everyone in the tank. <I would advise much to the contrary and politely disagree> I would be hand feeding him so the puffer didn't steal his dinner. The eel is also hand fed with no probs. <hand-feeding none of these species is recommended> Max size of this guy is 9 inches, excluding the tail. The substrate is an aragonite/Aragamax mix, but I'd be willing to change that to pure sand <pure sugar fine sand would be necessary...else likely lesions and sores in time> or add sand to the mix if that's not soft enough for their sensitive stomachs. Thanks and appreciate your time to answer these questions! <I truly hope you realize your dream again with this beautiful animal in a bigger display without such unnatural tankmates. Best regards, Anthony> Blue Spotted Rays Bob, I have a 10 gal tank with sharp glass for a substrate. I don't like to clean the tank and like fish that naturally live for a long time. Should I get a blue spotted ray? <You're making my morning> Seriously, thanks for your advice, I did have my heart set on one for my 135 gal, but will have a change of heart based on your feedback. Thanks. Jim <Better to try other life that will do better in such captivity. Bob Fenner> Blue Spotted Stingrays Hi, I have a 115 gallon tank that has a DAS system, and I added a UV sterilizer. It has 150pds of live rock along the back wall. I have had the tank running for 1and half year. In side the tank I have a large dragon wrasse, 2 damsels, 2 urchins, and 4 starfish. For my birthday my father purchased a Blue spotted stingray. The person who sold it to him, said it could live in crush coral, but I was told it could not. It would die soon. I cleared a spot for it wear I used 40pds of sand for the ray. Is that going to help. What is a good feeding diet. Right now I feed it shrimp soaked in Zoë, and I also feed it squid. Is that ok or do I need to feed it something else. I was wanting to know how can I tell if it is male of female. The ray is about 6in wide, and 1foot long. Can you give me some advise on how to take care of the Ray. What is the Temperature and hydrometer supposed to be. Sincerely, Jon <It is irresponsible to buy something and then try to figure out how to take care of it. Please begin reading here http://www.wetwebmedia.com/rays.htm and follow on to the linked FAQ files (in blue at the top of the page). -Steven Pro> Catching A Few Rays...Not! Hi, <Hi there! Scott F. with you tonight> I had some questions on converting my tank: This is what I have - 180 gallon tank, 60 gallon tank converted to a wet/dry (w/ bioballs) filter, FW sand , heaters, powerheads. Question #1 - Can I place the Protein skimmer in the sump? <Actually, in the sump is the best position, IMO. It should be positioned in the sump where it receives the most organic-laden water from the tank> Question #2 - I am very fascinated with the SW stingrays - Do I need live rock and live sand? <Well, these fishes require very good husbandry, large water volumes (like several hundred gallons, IMO), and stable tank conditions. Really not the animal to try in one of your first saltwater attempts...In fact, I think rays should only be kept by advanced hobbyists who have mastered the fundamentals of marine aquarium keeping, and even then, with the best of care> I currently have normal sand for freshwater Question #3 - I was thinking about having some Live coral or anemone in the tank... Do I need to have live rock in the filter?? and will this affect the stingrays? Thanks ... Brian <Well, Brian- I really want to encourage you once again to get some experience with more forgiving animals first. A lot of the answers to the basic questions that you're asking can be found on the wetwebmedia.com site! Remember, even anemones require very specific attention to water conditions in order to thrive. Why not get a good book like Bob's "Conscientious Marine Aquarist", which will arm you with some great basic knowledge of marine aquariology, and give you some ideas for tank setups and fishes to try first? If you take it slow, acquire good habits, you'll be ready for those stingrays one day-and you'll be primed for success! Good luck! Scott F.> Tanks and rays hello u don't know me but I saw
you on the Internet, and read your Q-A page. I noticed that u said a
minimum of 100 gal tank was necessary for the smallest rays. And I was
wondering why that was, is it because it is necessary to maintain
relatively steady water parameters? Or is it because the standard 100
gallon tank doesn't have enough available living space (e.g.. the
bottom of the tank measures 18" by 48").<Both> I was
asking because I was thinking of building a tank for a ray . That is
approx 36" by 48" by 16"( I am a plastic fabricator and
can build anything necessary to accommodate a ray) but the gallon cap.
Is only 120 gal. would that accommodate a ray or 2 comfortably? Add another California ray? WWM crew, <Hello>
Hello! I maintain and stock the aquariums here at the local
science museum and have been asked by several coworkers and patrons if
adding another California ray would be possible since the one we have
is so popular. She's very friendly, squirting people
with water and doing flips. The tank is 600gal, short and
very very long. She has been in the tank for 2 years now. I
didn't see anything about adding more rays in my ray book or on
your site and was wondering what you at WWM think. <Is this a
Myliobatis californica? If your filtration can accommodate another
specimen I say go ahead. These are social animals, it's a good time
of year (water warming here). I would at least administer a 15-20
minute pH-adjusted freshwater dip in the acclimation process of the new
animal (to prevent introduction of external parasites)>
I don't want to upset her by adding an
"intruder" into her territory, but if you think that the tank
is big enough, and she wouldn't mind having some company, then
I'd really like to add another. Thanks! <I would have
two myself. Bob Fenner> Rochelle Shark and ray pond I'm making a shark and ray pond. The dimensions will be 8X4X2.5 with an arc on one end (the skinny one) being 2 feet. How many gallons is this? <Let's see... assuming that these dimensions are "square", and multiplying all in feet... I get 80 cubic feet... multiplying 80 by 7.5 (there are about seven and a half gallons per cubic foot), it looks like about 600 gallons> The pond will be somewhere between 3-4 feet of the ground in its special room. The reason being that for the 4 foot side opposite the arc will be a viewing window a little small than 4X2.5 and I'm not sure how thick to make the glass. What would you suggest? <Read through the "custom aquarium" (on the marine index) and "pond construction" (on the pond index) FAQs files on WetWebMedia.com> The glass will be part of the wall like a regular window that allows viewing of outside such as your yard, but this will allow you to view the pond. The idea came upon me while at a public aquarium. Many of there beautiful displays are set up this way. <Yep, have built some myself> The substrate will be fine white sand (it is actually sand for a sandbox) will this work? <Possibly... hopefully this is NOT silica... you want more round, soft carbonaceous substrate... like coral sand... which is sometimes sold as play sand as well... e.g. "Southdown" by Home Depot.> I would prefer to get tropical species. I plan on having only 1 shark maybe adding another later on down the rode. The Species I'm deciding from are Coral Catshark, Marble(d) Catshark, or Whitespotted bamboo shark. Will there be any problem with keeping any of these with rays. <Not likely> If so Pls tell me which one(s), and the problem(s). Only one ray is to be kept in the tank as well. I'm not sure which species, because so many sites say different stuff about rays. It is a real headache when it comes to researching rays. <Keep studying... the headaches will go away when you understand what is factual, useful and which is noise> Just when I thought I found the right ray, Urolophus halleri, which is said to be a tropical ray... I reed some of your FAQ's about them and you the a cool water species. Where you referring to a different species? <Please see fishbase.org here... a cool water species> or did I read it right. If they are cool water species what commonly available species would you recommend for my pound? <Actually, none that are regularly offered... Lymna is about it and has a dismal survival record. My advice is to contact a specialty marine livestock supplier like Marine Center (.com) and ask them to "special order" you a tropical species that doesn't get too large> Also Is a clean-up crew even possible with these species or should i forget the idea? <Not desirable or necessary... the animals will too likely be consumed... Your aeration/circulation, filtration and regular maintenance (water changes, gravel vacuuming) should take care of these arenas> If so what clean-up fish/crustaceans could i put in the tank to help. I was also thinking of a moray eel later on. Would it be a thing to look into? <Possibly... if the shark, ray are small enough to allow its presence metabolically. Bob Fenner> Atlantic Guitarfish in captivity - 3/28/04 I have a 6'Wx3'Lx2'H tank. I am considering an Atlantic guitarfish as a single specimen for this tank. <The tank is not big enough for this animal. Ideally a 10'Wx8'Lx4H would be ideal. I like Wider rather than high and the length should be a minimum of 8' Long> Can you advise? Is this size appropriate? <Not in my opinion at least not for long term success> From research I see they get 2.5' long, eat crustaceans and fish, need a non-abrasive sand bottom to bury (can you suggest a sand that would be appropriate without causing a constant sand storm?). <Oolitic would be fun> I am unsure what temperature they require. <75-78 would be within their range depending on where they are collected.> Since they are found off Florida I was thinking around 75F. <Should be fine> What salinity would be appropriate? <Natural seawater chemistry of 35ppt 1.025> Any other advice? <Be sure to feed them fresh human quality foodstuffs> I don't want to keep an animal I can't care for, but I think I might be able to provide an appropriate environment for this animal. <I would try to get my hands on a bigger tank for long term success, if you can. Thanks for the wait. ~Paul> TIA. --- Ralph Bat Ray? Bob, I wish to purchase a bat ray (4-5"'s) for my home 180 gal tank. Please email me with specifics Bo Siryj <Specifics? I have never seen a bat ray offered for sale that was less than eighteen or so inches wide... these animals get too large for your system. Bob Fenner> Where Can You Find Information On Cortez Rays? I've just about exhausted my resources looking for info on keeping these stingrays. I've looked through books and online and can find nothing. If you could point me in the right direction I would greatly appreciate it ... <Have you tried Scott Michael's classic "Sharks and Rays?" It's a great reference. You may need to look outside the hobby literature, and do a search on fishbase.org or other scientific sites for more data. use the scientific name for more detailed results. Good luck with the search! Regards, Scott F.> About a very small stingray Hi, Sorry to bother you again, since I told you in my previous e-mail that I am going to have a 180gal tank all set up in the begging of February. Could I put a small ray in my 55gal,until I get the 180 all set up? <Not likely... for these fishes, nothing that is at least three times their diameter in tank width, and twice (six) times it in tank length is adequate. Bob Fenner> Blue-spotted Stingray tank? 12/19/04 Hi, I am planning on building a tank for stingrays - dimensions - 7 ft long x 3 feet wide x 2 ft high, <hmmm... just one small specimen hopefully. Very little rock in the display too... soft substrates (1 mm sand grain size)... heavy filtration... ozone use too perhaps> how many gallons is this and is this <LXWXH in feet X the multiple 7.4 (galls of water in a cubic foot) = 310 gallons> sufficient for 1 stingray w/no tankmates to live out his life? <yes... several species could I believe. One specimen only though> It would house possibly Urolophus halleri (cool water?) <eh... I'm inclined not to recommend temperate species... harder to keep. More expensive usually too> but I would really like Dasyatis kuhlii, <an excellent choice!> although I cannot find anybody that sells it. <do put a special request in with rare fish collectors like the LFS oldtownaquarium.com in Chicago. They seek the rarest of the rare every week and ship nationwide.> My LFS has a Taeniura lymna but I think I should look for a different species. <Yikes! What a horrible species for captivity! I'm truly sorry to see it even offered :( Please avoid this one my friend> What is a good ray that would happily live in this tank? Thanks! <your first choice for blue spotted ray was quite excellent. Dasyatis kuhlii is an aquarium-use species of merit and beauty. Pasted below is the caption we will likely use for this fish in contrast to the other dreadful species mentioned above: **What a difference a genus makes! Dasyatis kuhlii (Muller & Henle 1841) is also known as the Blue-Spotted Stingray (or Kuhl's Ray). Like Taeniura lymna, this ray of shared common namesake is also found throughout the Indo-West Pacific, including the Red Sea. Growing somewhat larger, to twenty inches in width (50 cm) with the same electric blue spots, this species on the contrary makes an excellent aquarium specimen. They are reef associated and feed mostly on crustaceans with a tolerance for home-prepared substitutes (cocktail shrimp, packaged krill, etc.). What they lack in number of blue spots compared to the Ribbontail Ray, they make up for in hardiness, survivability and grace. Other common meats of marine origin are accepted readily like fish, Mysids, and squid, as well as commercial frozen shark food formulas and live feeder shrimp and crabs. A Best Bet elasmobranch. Venomous -- pictured here off Heron Island, Australia.** [from the Natural Marine Aquarium Vol. 2 part one, "Reef Fishes" by Robert Fenner and Anthony Calfo (2005)] best regards, Anthony> - Stingray Problems - Hi we have a stingray who is light
brown in color... the last 24 hours from about 1 centimeter above the
stinger down to the tip is turning black, including his stinger.
We've only had him for about 3 months so we're not sure if this
is normal or not. Any feedback would be appreciated. Lori <Would
like to know more about the system you are housing this ray in. Most
often responses like this are due to environment, so to better answer
you question I need to know more about the environment the ray is in.
Cheers, J -- > California Stingray Hi I am quarantining two healthy baby 4 inch California stingrays. Urolophus halleri. Since its a q-tank there is no sand in there. I would like to know if my rays need sand to survive? Or is glass bottom ok? Thanks Dinesh Patolia <They should, for a/the short-term of a quarantine... but should be provided with a soft, fine substrate for their permanent housing. Bob Fenner> "Death Curl" in a coldwater ray Bob, I have a 4 inch California ray that has been in my 90 gallon for about 3 months. Just recently he started swimming up and down the walls of the tank restlessly, and popping up out of the water. Is this common? <Yes, very> More importantly he is now curling the side fins every time he lays on the substrate. water quality is excellent, but I have not been adding iodine. Is this the cause of his behavior, or is there something else I can do to save my favorite aquatic companion. Thank you, Dan Getten Salt Lake City, Utah <Mmm, is the tank chilled? Is the substrate fine, soft/rounded? I do encourage the periodic use/supplementation of cartilaginous fishes diets with vitamins, iodine/ide... Please see WWM re shark and ray nutrition, disease. Bob Fenner> Re: "Death Curl" ray systems, health Thanks for your fast reply Bob...no the tank isn't chilled but it is set at about 75 degrees. is this too warm? <Yes... the water this species is found in is never this warm... more like 55-65 F.> Are trace elements not enough as far as supplements? <No... please read on WWM... Please. Bob Fenner> Thanks again for your info. Dan Re: California Ray spots, ignorance Hey Guys, Just another
quick question about California Rays. Mine just developed two small
brown spots on the other side of his disc. Ever heard of this? If so,
and remedies. Also what is the best temperature for this species?
Thanks. Dan Salt Lake City <Don't write, read... on WWM.
The questions you've been asking, need to know, are all posted
there. Bob Fenner>
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