Intelligence (and some other questions)

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loconorc

Feeder Fish
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Sep 11, 2007
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Rays are smart, and some people say theyre playful. Any stories, pics, or videos of stingray playfulness or intelligence? Im very curious to read about it, its just another of the 23523525 reasons I want one.

Also, how does one go about breeding them? And is hand feeding safe if yuore familiar with the ray? What about tongs?
 
Don't have any personal stories, don't even have rays but you are correct that they are quite intelligent as fish go. Elasmobrachs (sharks and ray) are actually thought to be the most intelligent of all fishes.
 
I have no experience with breeding rays, I do however find that ray's are very intellegent. They defenitly have personalities. For example, there are some occasions in which the food I've fed him escapes his graspe and seems to almost sit on his face, he puts all his effort into getting this food, and eventually does, but the determination of this ray! Another on is that my ray with throw a fit (much like a kid in a candy store) if he doesnt get food right away when I'm feeding the other mates in his tank. He'll toss the gravel up and throw rocks around his tank. He'll do this until I reach my hand into the tank and slip him a nice piece of food. This gets me on the next subject. I've read a lot of literature on rays before my first purchase and there is a lot of contreversy about hand feeding rays. I DO hand feed my ray but don't think that I would have had he not had tank mates such as parrots and severums who eat aggressively. When feeding things like night crawlers, I find that the fish would eat all the nightcrawlers before they even had a chance to get close to the ray. I take big precautions as to not startle or disturb the ray. From what I've read, Rays will sting you only as a defense mechanism, so it is best they do not feel threatened at all. This is why I am ever-co-careful to feed him and know where his tail is at all times incase he is startled. But on another note. It is a cool thing to show guests, they awe in the thought that you have such an "exotic" fish, and I don't know how many people asked me if my tank was salt water. Such a common misconception that people have is that stingrays are only saltwater.

Anyways. My suggestion to you is that if you are considering a stingray, opt for a large tank that the stingray will live comfortably in for his life. I would not buy a 75,.. then have the stingray outgrown that, so move up to a 125, then have the stingray grow some more, so you then need to get a wider tank.. and on and on. It is cheaper in the long run if you just make the move to a tank the stingray's full grown body will be comfortable in for life. He/she will thank you in the end :)

Another thing is that rays are very sensitive to nitrites and ammonia. And nitrates, water has to be very very good quality at all times. I do lots of water changes and test the water continuously but it becomes easier as it becomes routine after a while :)

Rays are a very rewarding fish to keep, very rewarding :) Remember, the time and effort you put into your ray will show in his health and beauty.

Good luck with your ray search.
 
Thanks for the info, thats really intriguing and helpful! What species do you keep?

Im going all or nothing. Since I cant build an amazing 1000+ gallon pond with viewing windows, a waterfall, and who knows what else, I'm taking my time. :) I'm only 15, and I have my other interests to attend to, including my reptiles. I was trying to get ackies for the past year, but Im about to give up. Im starting to lean toward a motoro pair and a 300 gallon for my next birthday... I just want a pair to start, then Id like to go all out, full-blown DISPLAY. Thats pretty much my principle for anything i keep. I think an American desert lizard display would be awesome, but experience with each species individually would help. I hope that all came across...

Believe me, I know the importance of husbandry and research, you can count on that. One question though, since I'm not really getting in-depth into husbandry right now. Can they be kept with Silver arowanas? That would be my main choice as a tank mate, and I wouldnt go over 4 or 5 fish in total.

I DO want to breed rays before I go anywhere past the first step. To me, its the ultimate sign of TRUE sucess. For example, I wouldnt dream of getting green tree pythons if I havent bred carpet pythons first. Plus, if people are going to keep animals in captivity, the least we can do is let them have sex! :D I might even get a little $$$ to help pay back for care costs.

You know, if Steve Irwin had never been killed, this would be a lot easier to accomplish. I cant tell you the fuss my parents are going to make when I bring this up. Sorry, I know thats not something anyone likes to talk about, but have you ever had to deal with that reaction? I wish people could see animals as they really are... Its gonna make this a whole lot rougher.
 
I keep a humerosa. I'm not sure about the arrowana compatibility. I do know of one that was kept with an arrowana fine for a while but the arrowana was picking on the other fish in the tank.
 
Ya they are very compatible, most stingray owners choose them as tank mates with there rays. Also ya I deal with that reaction every day! Im also 15 and all I hear all day is "darcy your tank is running up our electricity bill," or "what the **** your going to spend that much on a fish!" My parents dont really understand, actually no one in my family realy understands, dude your lucky, I have a 150g and I want to upgrade so I can get more rays, my parents just about had a hart attack, atleast your parents will let you get big tanks. I mean I love my parents so much but they just dont understand, now lol my boss at the fish store I work at, has 2 sons and they hate fish lol and there dad has like 50 tanks and 3 hudge ponds running, if only my parents understood that these animals aren't objects that they're part of my family lol, but atleast I get sick deals on all my stuff bec. i work at a fish store. If i wanted i could get a adult leo for $180!!! but i just want the ray to be happy and my tanks to small for it. But hopfuly in the future.
 
LOL i doubt u could get an adult leo for that price... unless the store owner has one that he is just gonna give you but other then that.... no way.......
 
Well thats what my boss told me, Idn if it was some of his or not? and I wouldn't say "adult", more like juvenile lol but still thats what he told me
 
i still dont believe it ... most newborn pups of leo's are being sold for at least $1500 that is the cheepest I have ever seen them for... so once again... something is not right...
 
really that much! wow, well is there any other species just like the leo's that would be sold at a around that price? He told me that he gets all this stuff really cheap bec he gets it at a wholesaler and that you cant get anything from the wholesaler unless you have a liscense to sell it or something. But like i said this is what he told me. He said the last time he was there (he goes like every 2 months or so) that there was a leopoldi and that he could get it for me for $180 if i wanted it, also that it was already eating like mad. So i told him in the future that i would. But just understand im not saying that this is 100% true this is what my boss told me, and he knows more than anybody ive ever met about fish.
 
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