Future of the Ray Keeping Hobby?

[Damascus]

I'm pretty much stuck in the middle on this topic... Pure blood are definitely needed.

But I tend to like hybrids as well. Simply because some of them are absolutely gorgeous and their patterns are one of a kind.

In a perfect world I would love to have enough space to keep several different pureblood species and also a tankful of hybrids.

As far as the aquarium hobby goes for stingrays in particular... I believe there will always be hobbyists wanting to keep stingrays. There's a new generation of people born every year.

I think the key is making sure experienced hobbyists are willing to help and give them the direction they need.

... And my negative thoughts toward hybrids mostly comes from Asia. With the exception of the high-end breeders I would say there are a lot of breeders overseas who create hybrids calling them pure blood and definitely messing up the gene pool.

With imported wild caught stingrays slowly declining there is a strong possibility the pure bloods will eventually disappear from The hobby.

It is also extremely cost prohibitive to have wild pure bloods. I have a pair of wild leopoldi, (yes leopoldi and I will call them for what they are), and for those now days to bring in, you need an importer who has an allotment from the country they are being exported from, and the knowledge to collect them safely. Now a days wild leopoldi are well over 1000 each, money upfront before they will even go look for them.

But I wouldn't give up my pair for very much because I don't think I could realistically ever replace them.

I remember the work it took to get mine when I did and it's not a process I want to do again soon

 

[DB junkie]

What’s up DB junkie ! Been years since we spoken haha. Still at it with Rays, ay? You still got that pond?
I’ve been out of freshwater for many years now, been into reefing for a good 8-10yrs now.
Any pics of your stuff?

Been a long time for sure man!

How sad is it that I almost feel ashamed to say "yes - I'm still at it"?!??! The amount of money it takes to keep it together year after year is pathetic. I should feel proud but it's the exact opposite.

I'd post pics IF I could. Haven't had a camera for months. I don't know how to post pics of a phone so as much as I'd love to share I can't. I think Stacy has been messing around a little on Tik Tok but she doesn't frequent the lower basement so prolly just has vids of the bigger systems. All my pride is in the lower basement. My little Marbles amaze me daily. Never thought I'd get to the point of being out of room - tanks full of pups and can't get rid of them. I thought demand would always exceed supply - jokes on me! Glad they don't take up much room. I see "true usa bred minis" going for $1200 a pair yet I had mine listed for a hundreds less and here I am working on filling up a forth tank with pups. I think there's 29 rays in house right now - down to a single Falkneri, a single adult BD/SW, there's a CB Boes from Craig, and a male mini Marble of Hulons, also a Marble from Don's female and 1 of my males - the rest are all captive bred Marbles born here.

 

[West1]

Been a long time for sure man!

How sad is it that I almost feel ashamed to say "yes - I'm still at it"?!??! The amount of money it takes to keep it together year after year is pathetic. I should feel proud but it's the exact opposite.

I'd post pics IF I could. Haven't had a camera for months. I don't know how to post pics of a phone so as much as I'd love to share I can't. I think Stacy has been messing around a little on Tik Tok but she doesn't frequent the lower basement so prolly just has vids of the bigger systems. All my pride is in the lower basement. My little Marbles amaze me daily. Never thought I'd get to the point of being out of room - tanks full of pups and can't get rid of them. I thought demand would always exceed supply - jokes on me! Glad they don't take up much room. I see "true usa bred minis" going for $1200 a pair yet I had mine listed for a hundreds less and here I am working on filling up a forth tank with pups. I think there's 29 rays in house right now - down to a single Falkneri, a single adult BD/SW, there's a CB Boes from Craig, and a male mini Marble of Hulons, also a Marble from Don's female and 1 of my males - the rest are all captive bred Marbles born here.

That’s awesome bro!
I bet it looks dope af tho!
I do hear you with the money pit hobby, I’m just a few hands of salt away from you Lol. I buy a 100-150.00 frag and when it dies it breaks my heart haha. Best way to solve that is buying frag packs so you still have something out of the shipping box. The start was brutal as I lost lots of frags, now I’m doing pretty good w/it. It’s absurd how much I’ve put in reefing vs. freshwater so I completely understand what your saying Lolol.