How much does it all cost?

[loconorc]

I've wanted a stingray for a long time now, and a good opprotunity to get one has come up. StingrayJK started the thread about Dark Rivers hatchery and said he should have motoro pups for sale around March. Being 16 and already having 6 reptiles, it'll be pretty hard to convince my parents to let me get one (and pitch in some money for Christmas or something...), but they know I do my research. I could probably scrounge up enough money in the next 5 months, but how much exactly am I looking at? Motoros run for about 100-150 correct? I could probably dig up an old tank from craigslist or something for a decent price, but how much would I expect to pay for filtration, whatever kind of fancy pool filter sand you guys talk about, monthly food payments, and whatever else I may need? I've heard they're expensive, but I don't really know the specifics.
I'll be starting from scratch since I recently spent all my savings on an iPhone (I'm not a spoiled brat, I promise Spent over a year saving up for that thing!). I'm trying to get a job at the pet shop as well, but its gonna be a few months before they are hiring again. If all else fails, I could end up just paying back my parents, who are luckily redicously generous.

I promise I'm not just a stupid teenager who wants a cool pet to brag about, I've done my research on how to care for them, I just want to know how much lighter my wallets going to be. Thanks for any input!

 

[turkeyboy85]

to keep one for life you are going to need a 8'x3'x2' LxwxH (300+ gallon tank) if you get a pup you can keep it in a 180gallon for a while, tank is going to run you upwards of $1000 unless u get a really good deal... filtration for it will run you 200-500 depeneding on what you decide to do. a single young ray should run about $5-$15 a week in food depeneding on what you use for food. and you have the price about right for a motoro

 

[loconorc]

I'd have to start out with a 180-ish, definately. Money doesnt grow on trees... I do know a lot of people in the reptile biz, I'm sure I can track down a cheap tank, or build a cheap pond, or something. If I went for a pond though, it would definately be built for an adult from the start.

Is filtration really that expensive?... I can't stand to read about it, it all sounds the same to me, its the one thing one fish that I know NOTHING about, although do I know its importance. I wouldn't cut corners on it, but it certainly wont be the greatest filtration you've ever seen. Can you give me a quick rundown of what I'd be buying in terms of filters, just in general? Whatever I end up using would be exactly what you guys tell me, I'd take your word for it.

Oh, are there any significantly cheaper rays than motoros? If so, are they smaller/easier to care for? I love the coloring of motoros, but they are quite big...

Man this is starting to sound harder than I anticipated... I better just drop the idea of an arownana too before I get too excited, lol!

 

[turkeyboy85]

well aros and ponds dont mix to well unless u have a top.... they love to jump, filtration would be determined on which way you go, the more filtration the better, motoros are one of the hardiest rays you can keep, keep in mind they get 24'+ disk size even up to 30", look through the stickies up top ray care and ray profile sticky then come back asking specific questions, stickies are up there for a reason

 

[FishDog]

Just don't skimp on filtration. It is better to keep a ray in a smaller tank with top notch filtration than to keep one in a massive tank with a $50 hang on filter. If I was going to start with a 180 I would buy an acrylic tank which will run about $600 and have it drilled for overflows. Then put the largest sump filter you can buy inside your stand to add to the water volume. I built my tank, stand, and sump. It is a 200 gallon with a 80 gallon sump. Even at this size it is a starter slash intermediate tank. I have about $1500 wrapped up in it. If you can find a good deal on a used 125 gallon slap a couple of magnum 350's on it and put a couple motoros in it. A couple years down the road when you have more money then upgrade to a 300.

 

[loconorc]

As a general estimate, whats the cheapest possible range I could spend on filtration without cutting corners? I love all my pets way too much to skimp on anything, but I'm not made of money either.

Not to bug you guys with too many questions, but is there a relatively cheap ray that grows to be significantly smaller than motoros? Ideally, I'd have a motoro, but a 2 foot wide ray is pretty darn big... Is there a size difference between the sexes?

 

[stingray94]

As a general estimate, whats the cheapest possible range I could spend on filtration without cutting corners? I love all my pets way too much to skimp on anything, but I'm not made of money either.

Not to bug you guys with too many questions, but is there a relatively cheap ray that grows to be significantly smaller than motoros? Ideally, I'd have a motoro, but a 2 foot wide ray is pretty darn big... Is there a size difference between the sexes?

males tend to be a bit smaller than females.

 

[crowconor]

agreed

 

[loconorc]

males tend to be a bit smaller than females.

Lol, then a male it is! I know how to tell the difference, but can they be sexed as babies, or do they need to mature more?

Its harder to come up with a female ray name anyway!

 

[Nic]

males have claspers and females dont.... and just sum it up rays are expensive to maintain..