Teacup Stingray

[dr.diggler]

I purchased a stingray on saturday... Tried to feed it silver sides on sunday and it wouldnt eat those. Monday tried Krill, Clams, Black Worms. The black worms were eaten by all my fish before the stingray could get them. Does anyone have any experience with stingrays??? He looks great and his tail is fat so he has food stored but this is killing me. I have heard shrimp???? any ideas

 

[TankGirl]

I think you are going to need live food to get him acclimated - but I am certainly not experienced with these. If you could get your own crop of fry going that would be ideal, like mollies or guppies or something. Maybe divide the tank so he can have a chance at the black worms, or use a turkey baster to aim the worms his way.

 

[madasafish]

The stingray will need his own tank. Period.

Stingrays are not often very competitive for food and this guy will really need to have his own space. He will also grow a lot! They do not stay teacup-sized--they grow to about a diameter of 30 cm. You're going to need a 125 gallon+ tank for this guy eventually. What sized tank is he in right now?

My recommendation:
Get a tank divider for now. Get sinking wafers and live blood worms to feed him. Divide him off from the rest of the fish in the tank, at least at feeding time, so that he can claim food. Then start up another tank for just him with filter media from your existing tank. Stingrays are sensitive creatures and need to have their own species-only tank. When the tank is fully cycled, add him to it. I'd recommend a longer tank, such as a 40 breeder, for now. Eventually, a 125+.

 

[westward13]

Congratulations on your ray!!! They're awesome creatures! I've done a bit of research on them myself. From what I've read, you might have to try to feed him with really large tweasers for the time being to ensure he eats the food. As far as what to feed him at this stage, I'm not entirely sure.

 

[madasafish]

Ooh, and smallish, 1/2 inch, snails might also be a good food source.

 

[dr.diggler]

he is already in the 125... I am going to make a divider for him tommrow. Tonight i went to the super market and got fresh clams and shrimp. i will give that a shot... thanks for the help, if you have any more advice let me know.

 

[madasafish]

Wonderful to hear. I'm glad you've got him a good-sized tank. I think a lot of ppl don't know that teacups really require large tanks until they've started to grow.

Def. try the tank divider. Hope everything works. Keep us updated on how he's/she's doing!

 

[AtodaJ]

dr.diggler - Just a thought here... why don't you ask the person you bought the stingray from what this stingray likes to eat. They must have fed it something right?

 

[bungle]

Maybe using a skewer to hold the food right in front of him will help?

 

[Lance M.]

I know absolutely nothing about freshwater rays. However, I was at my lfs today and noticed thye had three rays in a tank from a recent shipment. I don't know what type they were but they were $100 each. They were all eating live tubifex worms. One of them looked like he was attacking them. Maybe you can try that?

 

[dr.diggler]

he is a male found that out today.... made the divider tonight, he has almost half the tank. turned the powerhead off on his side, so the black worms will just fall to the bottom... this morning i found him at the top of the tank swimmin like a mad man.. I am praying that he has been eating the black worms. Manny who is the guy at the LFS i got him at was feeding him silversides. He wont eat them for me.. He told me black worms are the way to go to. I have tried everything... I am hoping the divider will do the trick... I am dreading i am going to come down to find him curled up. My water is straight all tests tonight showed a ph of a 6.9 no ammonia,nitrates,nitrites and salinity is straight to... From what i have read the first feeding is the hardest.

 

[dr.diggler]

- Ok this morning i came down and saw the RAY swimming again at the top of the tank before i put the lights on. I noticed he was trailing pardon my language but poop, which i thought was a good sign.. The other morning to he had some poop trailing to. That leads me to believe that he has been eating the black worms... I dont know if i am out of the woods yet though..

 

[TankGirl]

Sometimes carrying poop around (stringy) is a sign of parasites, but I don't know if this is the case for your ray. Also, I don't know how hard it will be to tell if it is fat or skinny, in terms of its abdomen. If it is eating that is a very good sign - I know you are watching him carefully and we are all pulling for him

 

[Menagerie]

Can you post a pic for us?

 

[JimmyJam]

I purchased a stingray on saturday... Tried to feed it silver sides on sunday and it wouldnt eat those. Monday tried Krill, Clams, Black Worms. The black worms were eaten by all my fish before the stingray could get them. Does anyone have any experience with stingrays??? He looks great and his tail is fat so he has food stored but this is killing me. I have heard shrimp???? any ideas

Go and buy a syringe. That is what I do for mine and I feed him directly with no problems. He does not need to be in a tank by himself. It takes a little more time to feed him that way but I don't mind. He likes to eat from the syringe. And that way I garutnee he gets all of the food.

 

[megos1]

I read that they can eat feeder fish when they get older, but they mainly eat bloodworms, and earthworms. I also read that they can go through periods of not eating. For the first few days he prob. won't eat. Don't worry, he'll do fine eventually.
I don't think that he needs his own tank, as long as there are not other large agressive fish in there that would compete with him for food or nip at him he should be fine. They are a trouble making kind of fish and like to explore.
I recommend getting a syringe for him too. They will swim right up to the syringe when they see it and eat bloodworms directly out of it.
Good luck.