If I am uncomfortable with how they handle fish at a lfs.. I ask if I can do it.. worst they can say is no... depending on the size of the ray... I've used large specimin containers to catch smaller retics at work to xfer... but double bag and in a fish box at worst.. ideally a handy cooler at best. smaller cooler is nice since you can just pop the lid and start the drip as soon as you get home. a squirt of amquel if the ride was fairly long ( imo an hour or more, and a dose if I've noticed the fish pooped)
at home I have larger white netted pond nets I use and won't hesitate to use on my rays, but I also have all the time in the world and are very careful when moving fish. when fish thrash around is when they get hurt the most.. or when being chased... I've found chaseing them into the net with a smaller net or even just a stick works best, opposed to chaseing them around. I try to Guide them where I want them not get them to madly dash around.
at the LFS stress that you are in no rush and you're concerned about the fish more then the time. and go when they are not at a peak hour. when they are busy you feel rushed to help customers, when your dead you can take more time. ime this is thuesday, fish are ordered that day, wednesday maitenece is done on the tanks for fish to arrive thursday, and thursday/fri is crawling with customers checking out whats new. obviosuely if fish day is different, your'de account for that, or simply ask them when would be the best time to come pick it up w/out them being busy.
But after all of that imo the BEST time to pick up a fish, is when they come in, and it's still in the bag... it doens't hit their water at all and comes straight home with you. the fewer tanks it hits the less stress imo is incured. but it can be hard to see a fish in a distributor bag, particularly if it was bagged well.
