Stingray en Route! Help Required?

[Doogle]

My Retic is on order and is arriving on June 30th, I've added a couple large plec's to increase the bio load on the tank, have I done the right thing?

My next question I have is acclimating the ray, my plan is to leave the ray in the box on the floor and use airline tubing with knots in to siphon drip into the box, does this sound good? How long is a good time to drip for? Around an hour is good I have read?

The ray will have been in a local fish place for a few day's so I can view it eating so it should hopefully be well adjusted to local water, now when I'm dripping should I place an airstone in the box? I've heard that doing this could alter the PH drastically but I don't want the ray to be oxygen deprived?

I have no idea where to purchase blackworms etc in the UK so what would be a good food to try and start the ray on? Should I go straight for chopped up frozen prawns?

Thanks for the help!

 

[Zoodiver]

Personally, I'd pull the plecos out. They tend to chew up rays.

How long of an acclimation depends on the water and the ray when they get in. Run a sample of your tank and the shipping bag. Match temp and pH. If they are a BIG diffence, take longer. Also keep an eye on ammonia in the shipping bag. If it gets bad, you might look at just pulling the ray and moving it straight away. Also make sure to get an airstone in the bag once you open it up and during the acclimation process. Adding an airstone doesn't effect pH at all.

 

[bcfd144]

If you can not get blackworms, you can try the prawns, but I would also get earthworms and cut them up and feed. You will have better luck at first feeding worms than anything else in my opinion.
When you get the ray home, like said above, try and have the water temps the same. but as you are adding tank water, the temp will come up in the bag also.
You can use airline to drip the bag. That is what I do for all my fish when I dring them home and it works well.
Acclimate for at least an hour. No less. But you can even go to an hour and a half just to be safe.

How long has your tank been set up?
As also said before, I would not keep pleco's and rays together. Pleco's will suck the slime coat off the ray. Not a good idea.

 

[andysmith]

if you want worms then go to your local fish tackle shopand they normally carry worms for anglers
or try somewhere like http://www.ukwormsandbaitfarm.com/store/product.php?id=48
i allways get mine from my local bait shop i get a large amount for £5

 

[I_got_no_idea]

Plecos are not really good with rays. Acclimate i think is good. If you can't find any types of worms try prawn.

 

[Undertheradar]

I have never fed my ray black worms etc started on blood worm then chopped up prawn dilli fish and even cockle. I suppose it all depends on how fussy your ray is. I syphoned some water slowly in over 15 mins but I personally more worried about the ever increasing temp dif between the bucket/ container as dropping a large tank temp down with other fish isn't practical . Keep water clean a couple of20 % water changes a week seems to keep her happy and active. Hope this was useful enjoy

 

[Doogle]

Yeah guy's sorry to confuse you lot! The pleco's will be going the day before the ray arrives, this is to increase the bio load so the filter is somewhat adjusted! Thanks for all the great advice sounds like everything is sorted, will have to check out my local angling store for worms, I used to fish a bit, do lug worms have any value for a ray?

 

[JohnG]

If you can't get blackworms then red worms and chopped night crawlers would be your best bet. Acclimation sounds good. Would definitely use an airstone, i usually used one when transporting rays back from the airport and never have a problem.

 

[Doogle]

Okay guy's thanks for the help! When the stingray arrives I plan on doing small 25% water changes every day as the tank is not as big as I would like and want to be on the safe side! However when I do this the temperature drops by around 3-4C is this a problem? I heard it could simulate rain fall but I want to be safe rather than sorry, will this quick temp change harm the ray?

 

[rogan josh]

temp drop shouldnt be a problem as long as its no more than stated just try and keep the ph as stable as possible and as near to what comes out of your tap as the ray will aclimatize and it makes it easier for you
hope this helps