Need tips on moving rays

[sunvalley aquarist]

I was stressed for a couple of weeks before moving my ray. Had a friend scheduled to come over to help and everything.
Well, the day of the move arrived, and my friend forgot. So I went into my 55 gallon aquarium with 2 nets, one large, almost the width of the tank, and one considerably smaller. I calmly (my adrenaline flying) herded the ray with the smaller net into the larger net. The ray took it all in stride without any sort of fuss, not like any other fish that I've ever netted, surprised the hell outta me. My ray just allowed himself to be herded into the larger net and lifted un-ceremoniously out of the water and released into the 5 gallon bucket I had waiting, he barley even did any flapping.
I then took the 5 gallon bucket and lowered it into my new 240 gallon tank and tried to get him to swim out, (I suppose I could have just laid the buckrt on its side on the bottom of the tank and waited, but I didn't think of that) when he became unwilling to swim out on his own, I mostly submerged the bucket, and then while holding it with the open end lower than the closed end, I gently lifted the bucket out of the water, and voila, Ray in new home. He showed no signs of stress.

Sorry for the long post, but I was so excited that the procedure went so well that I didn't want to leave out any details!

 

[Zoodiver]

I love the rubber landing nets Cabela's sells. I use them to move everything from Motoros to large Southern rays.

 

[FishDog]

I have a 5 gallon bucket cut down to about 8 " tall that I use on rays 9 inches or under. The biggest ray I moved was a 14" one that I used a clear rubbermaid container that measured 16 wide by 20" long. I laid it over, herded the ray in and then picked it up. I always drain about half the water off before pulling them out. Doing anything bigger will just be a new learning experience. If you use the rubber net, just be ready for water to go everywhere. A large ray can soak a wall down in one splash.

 

[softturtle]

I love the rubber landing nets Cabela's sells. I use them to move everything from Motoros to large Southern rays.

I can second that. Anything over 12" I grab the rubber landing net.

 

[ShadowStryder]

Like everyone else small rays, small rubbermaids or buckets, Haven't had to move a 24" yet so
I leave that to the pros. But I thought it was best to not expose their skin to the air. At least I
thought I read that somewhere.

 

[hbluehunter]

Personally I use a rubber coated net, the biggest Ray I've moved with my net was around 14" or so.

 

[vamptrev]

here some new nets i picked up at cabelas