First Ray - Need to Fatten up FAST! Please help.

[shutterbug]

Hi,
I work in a LFS and have always wanted a Ray. My manager said that he would order one in for me but I would have to take it home as soon as it came in. He ordered me a Reticulated ("Teacup?").
It came in today and it is 4-5" in diameter but it is Skinny! Protuding pelvic bones. I drip acclimated it and kept the light off and after a couple of hours I turned the light on and dimmed it a bit. I dissolved some frozen blood worms and used a turkey baster to put them right in front of her. She was very active and chased them down so I took that as a good sign.
Then I ran out to a live bait shop and the only worms they had (out of season) were earthworms so I got a couple dozen and when I got home I chopped one up in small pieces (how small should they be? I was making 1" sections for her or do they like bigger ones?). I had some stuff around the house to do and when I got back they seemed to be gone so I chopped up another one.
Am I doing all I can do for her? How often and how much should I feed her? Is it possible to feed too much? She seems fine other than the skinnyness (no disc curling, no heavy breathing, she is kind of exploring).
Are there more fattening foods that I can give her? I know the bloodworms aren't that nutritional but my manager said that the supplier was feeding her those and frozen brine (could account for the skinnyness) and I didn't want her to eat nothing at all. I know tubifex worms are good but I'm finding it impossible to find any live and I know dried will float so that's no good.
Suggestions please!!

 

[rallysman]

Have the manager order some blackworms. Once you get her eating really well keep mixing in frozen krill. Once she starts eating the krill and the blackworms you can start mixing in shrimp. Eventually, you should be able to get her on a shrimp staple.

To fatten her up, at this point, blackworms are your best bet. I've also seen them be called trout worms on the wholesale list.

 

[freshwaterstingrays]

to his reply it is well said and good luck with that baby...to MFK

 

[turkeyboy85]

yea sounds like you are doing everything right and no, feed her as much as she will eat
stingrays stop eating when they are full so just keep on feeding her

 

[Nic]

I agree with rallysman but if she is eating earthworms they will fatten her up just as quick and are cheaper and easier to keep.... just mix the krill with them....

 

[Miles]

I picked up some skinny retics a few months ago.. Blackworms for the first few weeks, and then mixed in the krill.. after they started eating the krill, it was all downhill from there!

The sign that they are eating the other prepared foods is great.. you shouldn't have any problems.. Keep in mind more food = more waste, so change that water often !

Keep an eye out for that 'disappearing' food.. Rays push stuff around, and it can go missing in or around decoration, and ruin your water quality.. I thought for a few days my rays were eating HBH sinking soft krill pellets.. come to find out when they got soggy they floated, went in my overflow, and were clogging up my pre-filter!!

Good Luck!

 

[Nic]

do you mean uphill miles... downhill doesn't sound to reassuring ....

 

[stingray man]

Might be a little of topic but iv never seen any one buy like a fat retic iv seen fat motoros and black rays but never a retic does anyone no why that is

 

[Miles]

Might be a little of topic but iv never seen any one buy like a fat retic iv seen fat motoros and black rays but never a retic does anyone no why that is

Retic Rays, being a smaller species, tend to have smaller mouths and be finicky eaters.

Most Exporters/Importers/Wholesalers don't take the time to get retic rays eating, and they treat these 'teacups' as any other fish, fasting them and moving them out as soon as possible.. Often times the Rays are not fed in facilities because of their picky nature, and the want to ship them out quickly.

The 'teacups' also tend to be alot more juvenile in size in comparison to their counterparts, because they harvest the smallest ones possible to fit more units per box, which saves on cost.. smaller/younger rays have smaller mouths, smaller stomachs, higher metabolism, and more nutritional needs daily than an larger ray.. That is why retics are so cheap, and of lower quality.

Motoros are better eaters, and will usually eat earthworms when hungry right out of the bag.. Retics require blackworms.

If you see a skinny Leopoldi, you see a man with no brain..

 

[Miles]

do you mean uphill miles... downhill doesn't sound to reassuring ....

Nah.. Uphill would require work..

Downhill is like sledding, I just go..

If it was not assuring, I would say 'in the crapper'