Smallest FW Stingrays?

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
First of all, thank you again for all the assistance and encouragement - I don't know if this a good idea, but here's my tentative plan...

I was thinking of a wooden-sided pond with a good heavy pond liner, with dimensions of about 3' X 4' with a ten or twelve inch water depth and about six inches of freeboard...? I'd have a flourescent light hanging overhead, and a removeable plexi-glass cover.

I was envisioning something that would simulate a shallow sand-flat instead of a deeper-style pond...does that make any sense at all...? It will be only for a ray or two - no other fishes.

For heating and filtration, I'm not quite sure what I'd go with yet. I assume some type of canister - I want something fairly simple.

Let me hear your thoughts and suggestions...

Cheers!

Simon
 
If you're planning rays, the 3' width is quite satisfactory, but I would make it a bit longer, maybe 6' long. 4' is a bit too short IMO. In order to cut quite a big fraction of expenses out, I'd suggest you look into making your own sump instead of buying canisters.
 
x 2 on both length and sump. also with a sump you can place your heaters inside. also maybe make the water deeper than 12 maybe use up your space cause they like to climb the sides. just around the top of it all bring the top edges in like an upside down L so they cant jump out. also a side viewing glass would be nice and you will be very glad you did it in the future. good luck with whatever you decide though.
 
I guess I should really find out if the smaller species I want are available to me here in Ontario before I even consider proceeding with the project...?

Can I find captive-bred reticulata, scobinae, hystrix, etc, here in Canada?
I do not want wild-caught, imported animals - I would much rather purchase a good ray, captive-bred by an experienced keeper. I'm not looking for cheap - I just want a quality animal.

...and what are the prices like in Canada, by the way...?

Thanks everyone,

Simon
 
you can get boesemani in canada but they will be wc. also ive heard of plenty of retics. but i think you will be alot happier with a hystrix as different rays have different personalities. and you should start seeing some hystrix soon but they will be wc also.
 
thesnakeguy;4232158; said:
I guess I should really find out if the smaller species I want are available to me here in Ontario before I even consider proceeding with the project...?

Can I find captive-bred reticulata, scobinae, hystrix, etc, here in Canada?
I do not want wild-caught, imported animals - I would much rather purchase a good ray, captive-bred by an experienced keeper. I'm not looking for cheap - I just want a quality animal.

...and what are the prices like in Canada, by the way...?

Thanks everyone,

Simon
Click to expand...

hi simon, i'm also from ontario. i purchased 2 reticulated stingrays in brantford at the tropical fish room. they cost 90$ each. they were very well taken care of in the store and i watched them at the store for 4 months to be sure before purchasing.

i have not seen any small rays in any other stores, but i believe big al's in stoney creek sometimes gets some in.

i have never personally seen or heard of any scobina or hysterix in ontario, but i'm sure if you looked hard enough you could find them as well.
 
Reticulata
 
I do not mean to be rude but it worries me when people ask about size and cost of Rays. They get big, need a lot of room and are not cheap to filter, water change or feed.

Do not underestimate this, I have kept fish for years and I cannot believe ow much food the rays eat and it is expensive food in comparison to what a normal fish eats.

Think big on every aspect and it will work out ok. If you do get them you will love them but buy decent Rays, many Retics die and you end up buying the more expensive rays second time around.
 
I agree with Toby. The initial purchase of the ray is not an issue, within a few months, you would probably have fed the ray more than its cost. Plus its housing and everything else for that matter.

Personally, I haven't encountered scobina, and well, hystrix (also often termed as reticulated), are small, but hard to keep. I would never advice a hystrix for someone getting into rays. But that's just my 2 cents.

If i were you, i would probably start of with a motoro, and well, try to get the pond a foot or 2 bigger then u shud be set for a few years.

I think one note for people entering the ray world is this, when you buy a stingray, the feeling of owning a stingray is often reversed.
 
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