Monster sting ray help

**Bowhunterking** · 01-06-2013, 1:32 PM

Hello all,
I would like to make a big sting ray touch pond in my pet store that i will be building. I would like to have bat/ or cownose rays, and also leopard rays. I would like some information on the amazing animals, tank reqirements, decor, subestrate etc. I would like to make a pond out of concrete in the corner of my fish warehouse. I know it would have to be extremely smooth, i have a freind who is a mason who is very good, is there a special kind of concrete required for this.
Thank You
Ron

**DIDYSIS** · 01-06-2013, 2:02 PM

Well rays need lots and lots of open space, no decor or just something in the middle is best, substrate would be best with nothing, don't want people getting sand on hands then pulling it out of the tank, bare bottom would be best, your going to have to clip the stingers on them. Concrete all by its self will not be water proof, sounds like you need to read allot and do allot of research, best thought go to local aquarium and take a look around

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**FishDog** · 01-06-2013, 2:02 PM

No special concrete required but the magic is in the coating you use to seal it. I would recommend sweet water epoxy which you can get through aquatic eco systems. Pond armour works as well but it is more expensive. Just make sure you let the concrete cure for a couple of weeks maybe even a month before you coat. Since you are wanting saltwater rays I cannot help you much since I am a freshwater ray guy. I assume care is the same just with salt water being use instead. Big filtrating and lots of water turn over is key. I would install filter pots that hold sock filters 100-150 micron or even a sand filter for mechanical then install a large bead filter like a ultima II or a sand filter converted to a bead. Then finally add a UV and you should be set. Substrate can be anything you want really, I would use coarse sand.

**jeffers** · 01-06-2013, 2:15 PM

St. Louis and Chicago zoos do this in the summer check zoos around you in the summer and talk with them. That might be your best bet to find out how they clip stingers and what kind of turnover they use.

If its in your shop you will want an employee to man it because everyone needs to wash hands before they put it in the water and not all customers are nice to begin with.

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**DIDYSIS** · 01-06-2013, 5:13 PM

agreed the risk in a store is personally too great, I would not be wanting to do it, plus the overall cost, your talking $10K worth of building plus rays just to have a stingray petting zoo, I would think the money spent on advertisement would be much better for your store. What store is this by the way

Originally Posted by jeffers

St. Louis and Chicago zoos do this in the summer check zoos around you in the summer and talk with them. That might be your best bet to find out how they clip stingers and what kind of turnover they use.

If its in your shop you will want an employee to man it because everyone needs to wash hands before they put it in the water and not all customers are nice to begin with.

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**Bowhunterking** · 01-11-2013, 3:09 PM

The store is not built yet. I wil have a locked gate cage sort of Thing to block people from putting there hands in the water when I am not around. It will be my personal pond, and only certain people will be able to pet the rays, for safety reasons, and I will have them debarbed. I'm not building it for plablicity for the store I'm building it as a personal thing I have always wanted, but I want to be able to share it with people in my area (there isn't anything like that around me. The zoo has nothing like it). I have been doing alot of research I just want to get people's experiences, and thoughts. Everyone in this hobby has a different opinion.

**jeffers** · 01-11-2013, 7:06 PM

i personally love the idea but the only thing that concerns me then is just the stress that you will put on the rays to debarb them every few months. i feel this is not needed to keep these fine creatures. hand feeding is nice but to debarb them just so you and friends can pet something that is not really ment to be petted to enjoy them is just not my cup of tea. but these are just my own opinions.

if you are going to go ahead with this anyway i would suggest going to a zoo or place that does this first so you can get the best information possible on how this is done by the pros. i would say call them but something like this i would really advise seeing first hand so it can keep the most stress down while also being safe yourself.

good luck

**turkeyboy85** · 01-14-2013, 11:35 AM

get ahold of zoodiver on here, he should be able to help you out. He use to be in charge of the water exhibits at the mall of america ones. he is now down in Florida but should be able to give you an idea of what you will need to do, and how they debarb them.