When Are You Ready to Own a Ray?

[xRage10]

Alright I've always been curious to ask about this topic. I've considered owning rays, but websites such as Live Aquaria state that they are for "experts only". Now I really don't claim myself to be an expert, I still think there's plenty I could learn about fish, rays, aquatics, etc., but I don't consider myself much of a novice anymore, either. Sure, I still occasionally ask a question or two about fish keeping and such, but my knowledge has grown a lot since I've started keeping fish.

The question is, how do you know when you're truly ready to own a ray? I'm sure the "expert only" tag is really there to ensure people that it's not easy to care for rays, but exactly how much truth is there to the tag? I don't plan on buying a ray soon, but it'd be nice to know when I may be able to consider myself ready to own a ray.

 

[BlackShark11k]

Check out this here thread-
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2402

If you can commit the time and do the research and have a good amount of experience your probably fine. GL.

BTW: Motoros are probably one of the easier species to start with if you can afford the housing requirements.

 

[Just Toby]

I think that a lot of people keep fish for years and merely "get away with it" in that they do not know much about water chemistry...rays do not let you get away with anything, if you do not have a well cycled filter that is up to a massive and sudden bio load then you need e experience to be able to deal with it.

That said, if you have a big tank, big sump and stable parameters plus an easy route to large and weekly water changes then they are no harder than a guppy. I honestly feel that we are just water keepers.

If you can change 25 % water per week without fail then you are more than half way there. Make sure that the ph isn't crashing. If you have to ask about ammonia or nitrite then you are not ready but you need to keep an eye on nitrate.

I have my tank drilled to waste so a water change is a turn of a nob away and then plumbed for top up water and I use an automated drip system that adds 30 gals per day of dechlorinated water, the excess flows to waste too. I then manually change 10-25% per weekend. The rest is good varied food and lots of it. My tank is 300gals uk but my pair will need an upgrade within 12-18 months IMO.

 

[PeteLockwood]

What he said. But also, you're not going to be ready for a freshwater ray until you move out of Florida. Which kinda brings up what I'd add, which is: when you've spent a few months poring over the stingray forum and any other source of information you can find on rays so you already know the answers to the first three dozen questions novice ray keepers ask.

Questions like:

Are rays legal in my state?
Is my tank big enough?
How big do they really grow?
What filters should I use?
How often do I need to change water?
What do you feed them?
How do I get my ray to eat <insert your preferred food>?
They eat how much??
What tankmates can I put with them?
What substrate should I use?
Who is the best source for <insert species of choice>?
What's the big deal with heater guards?
Should I try to change my pH?

etc.


If people spent a little more time up front, their introduction to keeping rays would likely be a lot better - both for them and for the rays they're hoping to keep. The answers are all out there and easy to find.

The aquarist that's ready to keep rays gets the answers before the fish, the aquarist that isn't ready for rays gets one then comes and asks all the basic questions.

 

[DavidW]

Pete nailed it.

 

[Tor-Eriik]

3x on pete! Seriosly its pretty easy, large tank, big filter, and a hole lot of waterchanging Ive had rays for 1,5 year, took the time, read up, havent had a issue to days date! And i point out, i READ up, i didnt ASK up.

 

[bbenjamin21]

Pete nailed it.

 

[remo1997]

i read alot online about keeping rays and there was alot of mixed info,mfk help me with finding alot of answers to my questions by searching forms.Seems like when you ask a question on here you,ll always get someone giving you a smart-ass comment back.Good luck

 

[ajsmith235]

hmmmmm I read this whole thread, and never saw a smart ass comment... they were just being honest buddy. soooo if you can't take the honest hard truth, then don't ask the questions.... you ask a simple qustion that coulda been answered by reading the stickies and researching, but you said you did/are searching the forum for answers, BUT you still ask this question... thats fine.... you asked a question, no problem. my fellow mfk ray hobbyists IMO gave you very very very good answers! they coulda easily said... research the forum for 5mins and you'll find your answer, but they took the time and wrote a few good posts about trying to help you out...

end of thread

 

[lincolngoh]

Ray keeping can be boiled down to 4 things for a normal fish keeper to switch to

1. A big tank, preferably at least 2.5 feet width and 5 feet length

2. Doubling whatever current filtration & aeration you have

3. Seafood preparation for the ray

4. Frequent water changes