Information on smaller rays?

[LaudateSolis]

Hey all,
So I basically made an acc on this site specifically for this post. I've been keeping aquariums for a few years and decided I'd like to take the plunge into rays. I've been scouring the internet for at least a year now soaking up as much info as I possibly can but still figured some direct feedback would do me good. I've been looking into a couple species of rays due to my relatively limited space however when it comes to some of the "smaller" species info is a bit hard to come by. I have a tank that measures 72"×18"×20" roughly 120g. I've seen most recommend a tank that is at least 30" wide however this seems to be the given standard for the more popular species like p. motoro and p. leopoldi. After researching for the past umpteen months I've found scobina, hystrix, and magdalenae stingrays to be much more appealing options but again, information is hard to come by. Another issue I see alot is incorrect identification, how can one tell these rays from say, a motoro, if I were to stumble on one in a LFS? If anyone has experience with these species in particular, I'd like to know if my tank could reasonably accommodate any of these species either for their lifetime, or for at least a couple years until a larger tank is feasible. If not, what are your recommendations for housing these smaller rays? If the tank is suitable, where could I go to find any of these for sale, as I've had absolutely no luck. Any useful information is greatly appreciated

 

[mareshow]

Welcome!

Unfortunately (or fortunately) rays are all about the foot print of your tank. 24" wide is a MINIMUM, even for scobina, hystrix or reticulated. If you would want to house one of the smaller ray species I'd say you'd need a min of a 180 gallon tank for life. at 2 ft wide it'll be a little tight but with a decent sump it'll be manageable.

Now if you want to squeeze a ray into a smaller tank that is completely up to you, though not recommended. the biggest advantage of a larger footprint is more water. Rays don't really follow the "1 inch per gallon" rule. they are HEAVY waste producers and require clean water. I had two Leos in a 180 gallon till they were about 16" round. That tank used 4 FX5s, and I still had to do heavier than normal weekly water changes.

IF you can find one of the smaller species (I had to import mine from Europe), you're going to be spending some money. may as well spend some money on a larger tank

 

[Matteus]

this is my 6-8 yr old male hystrix. He is in my 72x32” footprint 300g. This tank is much bigger than the tank you are talking about. He is only 13.5” disc but this tank doesn’t seem very big for him tbh. I wouldn’t imagine this being a forever home for him. This is just a cute little “bedroom” for him to meet up with a few ladies while we are getting a real home made up for him after I move.

the short and skinny of this is I think your tank is still to small for a smaller sized ray.

I agree 100% with M mareshow on this one.