Teacups: Castexi vs Reticulatus

[JD7.62]

Other then size, Ive seen castexi look very similiar to retics. What are some good ways to tell the two apart? My LFS always has "teacups" and Id be interested in looking more closely for a castexi mixed in as they sell them for only $40.

I know a retic has a long tail that is flattened vertically in the middle and round the last 1/3, but are there any more ways to tell the two apart?

 

[Miles]

Most Castexi are exported out of Peru.. Retics from Colombia.. point of origin is important.

and the Fisherman know Castexi when they see them, as they are much less abundant than the retics, or are usually farmed out of special locales.. They know that a single Castexi will fetch them about 10x that of a reticulata.. Therefor, the price accumulation of the two separate species begins, and by the time a Castexi hit the states a wholesaler will ask $200-300 as opposed to $25-50..

I have gotten juvie Castexi out of Peru that look ALOT like Reticulatas when it comes to pattern variation.. but the tail structure is much different and obvious.. not to mention Reticulatas are a very compressed ray while Castexi tend to be more full-bodied, with a more powerfully built tail..

but the tell tale sign is that even the 5-6" Castexi I was bringing in still costed me WAY more than any reticulata..

Also, if the collectors are questionable about the species.. whether it is retic or castexi. Do you think they will throw them in the pool with the cheap cheap rays, or try to profit off the mis-identification or lack of clarity on the species? Of course, if they had any doubt, they would sell it as Castexi and maximize profits..

 

[JD7.62]

While I agree, but it has happened. I mean look at armatus being mixed in with scombs and sold for $30 as apposed to $300.

 

[Miles]

I would not be surprised at all either..

I got a Peruvian Flower Motoro sold to me as a $10 'Common' ray.. when they were charging $140 for the same Peruvian Flowers..

 

[PoopSmart]

I would not be surprised at all either..

I got a Peruvian Flower Motoro sold to me as a $10 'Common' ray.. when they were charging $140 for the same Peruvian Flowers..

Wow where do you live Miles? To get a ray here at any lfs it has to be special ordered from a distributer and there is no guarantee...And its 60-80 bucks for a retic.


I need to move to the coast, gas may be more expensive, but fish sure aren't, and by the way I am budgeting lately, that is what I am spending the most money on.

 

[Miles]

Wow where do you live Miles? To get a ray here at any lfs it has to be special ordered from a distributer and there is no guarantee...And its 60-80 bucks for a retic.


I need to move to the coast, gas may be more expensive, but fish sure aren't, and by the way I am budgeting lately, that is what I am spending the most money on.

The $10 price tag was what I paid for the stingray directly from the fisherman in Iquitos, Peru.. it cost me $40 to import it.. so

Castexi, any species, usually runs ya $60-100 from the fisherman, which is ALOT of money to them, especially for a single fish.. so like I said, they know which fish they can cash in on, and they usually don't let them 'slip' through the 'bulk bin' when it could feed their family for weeks..

 

[PoopSmart]

The $10 price tag was what I paid for the stingray directly from the fisherman in Iquitos, Peru.. it cost me $40 to import it.. so

Castexi, any species, usually runs ya $60-100 from the fisherman, which is ALOT of money to them, especially for a single fish.. so like I said, they know which fish they can cash in on, and they usually don't let them 'slip' through the 'bulk bin' when it could feed their family for weeks..

Hmm thats interesting. I had no idea. I wonder if they know our dollar value is pretty pathetic at the moment.

Oh and its not 60-80 for a retic, its $140, I went today to give the LFS my flowerhorn (2 year old chunky guy) and I saw one in the tank. Maybe its the dollar value thing again? By the tiem I get my ray tank retics will cost like $300.

 

[Miles]

yeah.. prices have gone up since I imported.. but $15 a ray, $40-50 a box, 3x the wholesaler, 3x the retailer.. it gets up there just make sure it's a healthy one and not a cheapie.. Unless you have a good supply of blackworms and a big tank to rescue one..

 

[PoopSmart]

yeah.. prices have gone up since I imported.. but $15 a ray, $40-50 a box, 3x the wholesaler, 3x the retailer.. it gets up there just make sure it's a healthy one and not a cheapie.. Unless you have a good supply of blackworms and a big tank to rescue one..

Maybe I am simplifying this much more than it really is, but since rays are easy to sex, can't you just captive breed them if you have the tank space? I mean I know the gestation period is long, but it seems like it would be in the best interest of the distributers or farms to supply a fish thats a little cheaper, better quality, and rank in a huge profit.

Do we just not have much info on their breeding behavior?

But yes I can see why they are so expensive, I just wanna know how wal mart was selling them a while back for $10?

 

[Miles]

Do we just not have much info on their breeding behavior?

Breeding is not too difficult, but they do cost alot to feed properly when they are large adults. Unless you have the right specimens or have a multitude of females, it's not a much of a profiteering adventure IMO..

But yes I can see why they are so expensive, I just wanna know how wal mart was selling them a while back for $10?

Sometimes exporters will offer teacups super cheap and ship them in high numbers (8 per 18x18" bag), making the cost of them go way down, and DOA rate go way up.. and then Walmart or whoever gets offered these super low prices.. but the rays obviously wouldn't be high quality then..