Cownose rays just arrived!

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
From what I've been researching, there are a great many species of guitarfish, that have a bunch of names (guitarfish, shark ray, ray shark, shovelnose fish, sharpnose fish, etc), and these names are used rather indiscriminately across the whole species.

Interesting note, the skin feels like shark skin, not ray.

Those pics were taken about 2 min after being added to the tank after acclimation, and he went right under the sand - but after a few hours, he got out of the sand, and has been swimming around since. Very interesting to watch it swim, because it "lifts" using it's pectoral fins like a ray, but provides propulsion via the tail, like a shark.

I also added a couple of pilotfish that were 2-3" long. Unfortunately, my grouper (about 4.5" long) decided they looked delicious...
 
Great thread. Keep us updated. I would love to see this complete.
 
Nice guitarfish!

I hate that so many names get tosses around for them. Guitars are actually considered rays from a biology/science stand point. Tossing the name 'shark' on there is to sell them. Kind of like how sawfish and sawshark are crossed - even though they are different animals. You're lucky those aren't the true Aussie Shovelnose Guitars.... they get well over 10' long as adults. Well, that and there are only like 5 in the US right now.

And Deano, here's a Fiddler pic for ya... I love those guys as well.


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When I mentioned to the guide person about bluedot rays not doing well in home aquariums she couldnt understand that since they are very succsessful breeding and raising them there. They also are the first to discover that baby rays actually nurse from the mom after they break out of their yoke sack on the inside before they are born. From an ultrasound or xray (not sure which she said) they saw 4 or 5 finger like thing that were being sucked on. Is that wild or what?!?!
 
I love fiddler rays - soooo cool looking with that pattern. I've had a standing order for one with a few suppliers since before I ordered my tank. Pretty rare - so when I saw this guitarfish at the LFS, I jumped at it.
 
Yeah, but they're not in stock, ever (I have a standing order there too)
 
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