beginner ray!

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
DariusAmurdarja said:
I did not want insult you. As expert you sure agree that 95% of turtles sold die in first year. Its a desaster. But back to topic.
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sadly the same can be said for most rays, as people generally don't provide them proper care and most die. it's very tragic and anyone selling should be required to inform buyers before purchase by law.

DariusAmurdarja said:
Thats what i worry about...+ i don´t know how their poison works. How do they do it? Is it a more passive thing or do they active attack you?
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their poison is a protein based venom contained in a sheath that covers the barb. it causes extreme pain in the target area, and combined with bacteria, caused infections and necrosis to the region of insertion. if stung, place area in the hottest, non scalding water you can handle. the heat will break down the protein in the venom. upon arriving to the hospital, get an xray to make sure no pieces of the barb have broken off and are still in your body. you must be treated with antibiotics to stop infection.

most of the nasty pics on google and such are from people who did not seek medical attention immediately or were far from a hospital and required a long trip to get to one.

MonsterMinis said:
from what i understand the rays sting isnt far off from a bees and if you are allergic to bees you are liekly to react the same to a rays sting.... ive had my retics a few monthes now and find them a delight to own, maybe im just lucky but mine take both blackworms and chopped up nightcrawlers now and my female will beg for food when she sees me. i dont treat them anymore or less carefully then i would other larger predetory fish ( i also own a few gar, and an aba aba knife, and recently sold my fahaka puffer). you dont blindly stick your hand in the tank ... just use common sense... im more worried a visitor will do something dumb and get stung or bitten.
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i think you are slightly off the mark there. a lionfish sting is more like a bee sting.
a freshwater ray sting is much more potent. even more so than its saltwater descendant.
someone (Miles i believe) once stated it was the equivalent of having a rusty nail jammed into you and felt like molten lava being pumped through your veins.
also, unless allergic, a bee sting will not require medical attention. a ray sting will always require medical attention.
i would not categorize that as a mere bee sting.
 
i would also like to point out that rays will sting as a last resort.
they would rather flee than sting. when they feel they cannot flee is when they strike. they are not malicious and out just to shank others.
you can have a ray near you and it will flee, or you could step on it, in which case it feels it cannot flee and will then strike. it is just like any cornered/trapped creature.
never once have my rays even showed any use of their barbs or intent. if i startle them while in the tank, and mind you, i have been very close to them when it has happened, they jet off to the opposite side of the tank, and don't whip their tails.

there will be close calls, or while cleaning something in the tank might dislodge and spook them, it happens. but always be cautious, respect them and the danger they can represent and give them no reason to sting you.

they are a great creature to keep.
 
thanks guys. as said i love rays from the beginning. They are wonderful i just fear their poison. I know they are very calm and friendly animals and i guess thats the danger i see. My big fear is that some visiotor does something stupid when i don't notice because their friendly nature. What you say, is it more save to wear thick leather gloves while working in the tank?

About the species...i looked at my lfs. They have all kind of rays. retics, hystrix and so on. But all wild caught. They have motoro which were breed here in germany. But motoro get sooooo big. Do you think a male motoro could stay in a 500 litre tank?
 
DariusAmurdarja said:
thanks guys. as said i love rays from the beginning. They are wonderful i just fear their poison. I know they are very calm and friendly animals and i guess thats the danger i see. My big fear is that some visiotor does something stupid when i don't notice because their friendly nature. What you say, is it more save to wear thick leather gloves while working in the tank?

About the species...i looked at my lfs. They have all kind of rays. retics, hystrix and so on. But all wild caught. They have motoro which were breed here in germany. But motoro get sooooo big. Do you think a male motoro could stay in a 500 litre tank?
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you dont need gloves man, If you scare them they will hide under the sand or gravle. really the only way youll get stung is if your dicking around with them like pulling on there tail or trying to harm them and you wont leave them alown. I hand feed mine eveyday with bloodworms and the only thing that is in there head is food food food. if your working on the tank and he comes up to you, set your hand on the grown to show him you dont have food and hill swim away. as long as you show them respect they show you the same. and getting stung is rare, its not like those wild ones that have the 7inch barb like on river monsters that can kill people, its like a bee sting, hold it under hot water and clean it good. you can fined info on google.
 
The reason they are so poisoned in the wild is probably becouse they have alot of bacteria from the rivers, that human beings dont handle to well.. In captivity i dont think these bacterias are common, and therefor not as lethal\hurting as the once stinged by a wild ray.
 
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