Freshwater Stingrays

[proud2bcanadian]

I'm going to get a 120-gallon (US) aquarium.

What is the maximum number of freshwater stingrays that I can put in there?

How much does it cost (in US $) to feed 1 stingray per month?

What equipment am I going to need? (I'm thinking just a Eheim Canister Filter, two Aquaclear Powerheads, Rena Air Pump 400, and a 300-watt heater)

What substrate do you use, that doesn't hurt/wound your stingray?

Is there anything else I should know?
Is there any other equipment that I'll need?
Do I need a UV Sterilizer?

Thanks,

 

[nejsux]

I assume the tank is 48 x 24 x 24? The number of breeds of stingrays you can put depends on the type of stingrays and how big they get. Remember that they are bottom dwellers, so its really the bottom dimensions of the tank that you're interested in. The depth is pretty much useless for stingrays. Near me, I ofter see motoro stingrays for sale, which get to be about 18" across, so a 24" tank bottom doesn't give them much room to swim.

There are quite a few different breeds of freshwater stingrays, and though they may be sold as juveniles in the local pet store, they can grow to be 3 foot wide, if given proper care. Stingrays are very delicate fish and require a lot of care, attention, and expertise. They are EXTREMELY sensitive to water parameters. How long have you been keeping fish? what kind do you keep? Only an expert aquariest should try to keep them in captivity. They can also be very dangerous, since they DO sting and have poisonous stingers.

I would strongly suggest getting a good BOOK (check amazon.com) on keeping stingrays and reading it carefully to make sure you are ready to commit that much time, effort, and money to them. There doesn't seem to be much info about them on the web, but you acn try looking at :http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Meadows/5590/care.html
http://www.seremban.net/fishcorner/fc310799.htm

As for food cost, it depends what you feed them. They prefer fresh food, such as small fish, and seem to love store bought shrimp. Variety seems key to health. Some rays cannot catch their own food, and need to be fed dead food. I read somewhere about a breeder that says he feeds his rays 2X a day, but as for an exact dollar amount, it would greatly depend on the species, size of the ray, and what you are feeding it.

As for equipment, make sure your heater is out of the ray's reach or has a shield on it, rays get easily burned. What are the capacities of the canister filter and the powerheads?

Substrate: rays need substrate that cannot injure them, so sand is most highly recommended, but is also harded to clean than gravel. Many people keep rays in barebottom tanks, the only setback to this is that it isn't so pretty. People also keep rays with very fine, (so they can burrow) round (so they don't get injured) gravel.

You should know A LOT more befor eyou try to keep rays. It would be a big waste of money and a disappointment to go out and buy these expensive and beautiful creatures just to bring it home and have it die quickly. I am only giving you info I read online or happen to know from my lfs. I am in no means an expert, but I strongly suggest you find a LOT more info before trying to keep rays.

 

[Allivymar]

Also check out this link: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwstingrays.htm

 

[RogerMcAllen]

When looking for a tank, remember a long low tank with more surface area will be the best.

 

[proud2bcanadian]

okay, i think that i'll be getting two small motoro rays and two florida gars.

Equipment :

***TETRA TEC PF 500 FILTER***
FOR A HEALTHIER AQUARIUM, TRY TETRATEC POWER FILTERS. THE LIVING FILTER CHAMBER ALTERNATELY FILLS AND DRAINS, COMPLETELY SUBMERGING THE THREE-DIMENSIONAL BIO FOAM MEDIA AND THEN EXPOSING IT TO OXYGEN-RICH AIR. AS THE WATER FILLS THE CHAMBER, 100% OF THE AQUARIUM WATER IS FORCED THROUGH THE MEDIA, RESULTING IN AN INCREASED CONTACT TIME BETWEEN THE BENEFICIAL BACTERIA AND ANY TOXINS. WHEN THE WATER LEAVES THE CHAMBER, THE FILTER EXPOSES MORE BIOLOGICAL SURFACE AREA TO THE AIR THAN ANY OTHER POWER FILTER. THE RESULT IS HEALTHY, BIOLOGICALLY BALANCED WATER.

***2 AQUACLEAR POWERHEADS #402 W/REVERSE FLOW***
OUTPUT WITHOUT AIR: 270 U.S. GAL. (1022 L) / HOUR- OUTPUT WITH AIR: 250 U.S. GAL (946 L) / HOUR- REVERSE FLOW: 125 U.S. GAL. (662 L) / HOUR- RECOMMENDED AQUARIUM (1 PH) 50 U.S. GAL. - (2 PH) 100 U.S. GAL.- ADDING A POWERHEAD TO AN UNDERGRAVEL SYSTEM INC

***Rena Air Pump 400***
POWERFUL, YET SO SILENT THAT THEY CAN BE USED IN ANY ROOM OF THE HOUSE, EVEN BEDROOMS! * POWERFUL - RENA AIR'S POWERFUL MOTOR MAINTAINS OPTIMUM AIR FLOW, EVEN IN THE DEEPEST AQUARIUMS! * SILENT - CAN BE USED EVEN IN THE MOST SOUND-SENSITIVE ENVIRONMENTS. * MODERN SLEEK DESIGN - FITS IN WITH ANY ROOM DECOR. * AIR FLOW FEATURE - RATE CAN BE EASILY ADJUSTED. * ELECTRICAL STANDARDS - UL AND CUL APPROVED

is there anything elso that i need?

thanks,

 

[Guest]

okay, i think that i'll be getting two small motoro rays and two florida gars.

I've never kept rays, but gars are, In my not so humble opinion,... boring! Interesting looking fish, very prehistoric you might say, and the long snout is pretty unique in aquaria. However, they don't do much, just sit there most of the time. My friend kept them for a couple years, and I hung out there a lot. The Gars would just find a corner and hover in one spot, almost all the time. That didn't do a thing for me.

Maybe give this some more thought, that's 125 gallons of water, and nothing swimming around much. Is that really what your goal is?

is there anything elso that i need?

Well you said heater earlier so I guess you have that covered.

Test kit. minimum tests you can get by with:
PH test
Ammonia test,
Nitrite test,
Nitrate test.

All needed tests, so you know what's going on in your water, and when you need to make water changes.

Now, why are you getting the powerheads and air pump? Extra circualtion? OK if you want it, but not neccesary. If you use a sand bottom for the rays, the sand will be blowing all over the place.

I'm truly sorry if this post seems blunt, but I'm not telling you anything you wouldn't have discovered for yourself in time.

 

[nejsux]

What are the dimensions of your tank?

If I was right about it being 48x24 surface area, you can only fit 1 grown ray in that, IF THAT, there will be NO WAY to keep 2 rays and 2 gars (which often reach more than 24" in captivity comfortably.

PLEASE DO MORE RESEARCH before you go out and buy a bunch of expensive fish just to bring them home and KILL them.

 

[proud2bcanadian]

the store that id be getting the rays from say that they will replace a ray if it becomes too large for ones tank (well, any fish)

thanks,

 

[danielcp]

Personally I don't think thats much of an excuse to get an animal just to give it away or swap it out when it gets bigger. They tend to have personalities as they grow, so if I were you i'd re-think why you want one, if its just because of the "cool" factor then please don't kill the fish.

 

[oscarbreeder]

You REALLY need to get a bigger tank to keep rays.
Maybe get a custom made tank.
24" just isnt enuff room for a ray to turn around.
When planning something like this you really need to take the fish/ray into consideration dont just think hey it would be cool to own a ray.
I'm sure you wouldnt like it if someone stuffed you in a closet till you died.

Not trying to seem b!tchy here but fish/rays have feelings too.

 

[mgkaelen]

in my opinion, i would keep a ray in NO less than a 250 gallon tank !!! who wants to see such a nice animal crunched and miserable in a tiny tank =[