Stingray Pups Care - Tips & Tricks

Nic

Peacock Bass
MFK Member
Oct 8, 2005
15,790
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outside philly
Zoodiver;2648929; said:
I try to run pup holdings as a loop off the main tank. That eliminates all the stress of chaning to a different body of water right at birth. Usually, I have my females apart anyway to pup.
I always try to run sand in my ray tanks. Disturbing the sand won't do anything unless you already have a baccteria issue to start with (if that is the case, then you should be fixing it ASAP). In a healthy tank, there should be no pockets of anaerobic baccteria growing. and having a female in the tank will keep the bottom turned over on it's own.

Also might want to put a little note in there not to feed pups right away. They may take several days to fully absorb the rest of the yolk sac - like with all elasmobranch species. I do like the comment about small feeding repeatedly through out the day - though I do that for all rays - it's closer to what you would find them doing in the wild.

my thoughts exactly :) but i stick with bare bottom tanks kept dark...
 

Tom32

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Sep 12, 2008
27
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Singapore
Personally i would not advise to having sand bed in tank for pups.
My reasons are:

1. Not easy to clean and remove unconsumed feeds
2. Bacteria issue

My survival rate of pups with no sand so far so good = 100%
I have not tested pups with sand?

Although sand bed is good way to enable pup to release stress by digging itselt into the bed when they are frightened. But I still prefer to having driftwood and locate the tank at a darker location. Driftwood should not have sharp edges. Choose those with curves/bends that enable rooms for the pups to hide underneath. Also you will notice that pups tend to stay together when resting or after feeding. Rays tend to look for food during the night or when it is dark. So, a darker place is good to keep them calm.

Regards
 

carcrazy

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Aug 11, 2007
764
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Fisher Branch, Manitoba, Canada
I didn't find my pups until I got back from work (16 hours? after their birth), so luckily the male didn't attack the pup. The second pup was found in the overflow the next day, still healthy. I had removed the egg crate on top of the overflow as it was mostly above the level of the water (and kept falling off as I hadn't siliconed it properly). Somehow the pup found its way into the overflow.

I took 40 gallons from the main tank to add to a spare 50g and added a sponge filter with Maxijet 1200 for aeration. They didn't eat for a few days and then I started feeding them black worms (live tubifex). They really liked these and I have lately been adding mysis shrimp that they have also started to eat. I will cut back on the black worms and continue with the shrimp.

I have added a red aro (6") to the grow out tank that has been in the tank for about 2 weeks. There has been no problems except that the aro sometimes steals the black worms from the bottom of the bare bottom tank. He has never harmed the rays though.

Tonight I added 2 4" florida gars and a 4" ornate bichir to the grow out tank. They will all be in the big tank (270g) when they get larger so I thought that it would be a good idea to grow them out together. My only concern is whether the bichir will bite my rays or not. I will have to keep an eye on them.
 

Just Toby

Fire Eel
MFK Member
Apr 22, 2010
2,434
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Guildford UK
carcrazy;2823424; said:
I have added a red aro (6") to the grow out tank that has been in the tank for about 2 weeks. There has been no problems except that the aro sometimes steals the black worms from the bottom of the bare bottom tank. He has never harmed the rays though.

Tonight I added 2 4" florida gars and a 4" ornate bichir to the grow out tank. They will all be in the big tank (270g) when they get larger so I thought that it would be a good idea to grow them out together. My only concern is whether the bichir will bite my rays or not. I will have to keep an eye on them.
I would not advise adding any fish that could potentially attack the young rays OR spoil the water quality
 

J.Lake

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Feb 4, 2011
1,693
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Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
great info, i hope to use it soon. My laticeps are still only around a year old so i have a while to go still. I would love to see some lil pups moving around inside of one of my females. "Cant wait"
 

dan brown

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
May 30, 2008
18
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essex
ho can i change the food i have been feeding live river shrimp and bloodworm which the shop was feeding her but i was hoping to feed prawn and hikari massivor but she wont touch them how can i change her mind
 
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