Stingray care

[amalick]

Hi Guys

I'm feeling tempted to buy a blue spotted sting ray from perkys pets superstore for my new FOWLR system.

1) Any advice on care level (i.e. Difficult to keep or moderate) ?

2) Do these guys carry or get white spot since I wont be able to QT it because my QT's have all had copper in one time or another.

3) My substrate is Aquamedic aregonite mixed with play sand - Is this a problem since ive read that they require only sand due to there sensitive underbelly ?

 

[FransSny]

Amalik they are awesome creatures and I would also love one but have always erred on caution due to their requirements. Most research I have done rates them as extrmely difficult. As for your substrate , IMO you would have to change to sand only due to the coarseness of aragonite.

As for WS... they do carry the parasite (good article in Sharks & Rays by Scott Micheal)


Good luck on your decision

 

[Nemos Janitor]

Bud which Blue spotted stingray do you refer to? Is it the Neotrygon kuhlii or the Taeniura lymma?

Yes rays do Carry many parasites. It is best to keep a few blue streak wrasses with the ray to clean the underbelly.

Blue spot rays (lymma) are difficult to get to eat. The Kuhlii is easier to get to feed and is hardier. Sometimes one has to resort to force feeding. They also require large sandy areas to swim and caves to rest under. The size of the tank required will depend on which species you get. It is best to get the lymma as they do not get that big. Disc size it about 30cm. The Khulii disc gets to about 70-90mm in diameter. The Kuhlii is also easier to get to feed and is hardier.

You must also choose other tank mates with caution. Triggers and angelfish are out as they bite the top of the rays and the risk of infection is great.

@sumeshan has had his ray, lymma, for about 18 months now and it is in a reef tank. It was in a FOWLR tank but we had to move him because the other fish kept attacking him.

Will post a video of the ray later for you. But here is a PIC of a Lymma i took last month.

 

[amalick]

Bud which Blue spotted stingray do you refer to? Is it the Neotrygon kuhlii or the Taeniura lymma?

Yes rays do Carry many parasites. It is best to keep a few blue streak wrasses with the ray to clean the underbelly.

Blue spot rays (lymma) are difficult to get to eat. The Kuhlii is easier to get to feed and is hardier. Sometimes one has to resort to force feeding. They also require large sandy areas to swim and caves to rest under. The size of the tank required will depend on which species you get. It is best to get the lymma as they do not get that big. Disc size it about 30cm. The Khulii disc gets to about 70-90mm in diameter. The Kuhlii is also easier to get to feed and is hardier.

You must also choose other tank mates with caution. Triggers and angelfish are out as they bite the top of the rays and the risk of infection is great.

@sumeshan has had his ray, lymma, for about 18 months now and it is in a reef tank. It was in a FOWLR tank but we had to move him because the other fish kept attacking him.

Will post a video of the ray later for you. But here is a PIC of a Lymma i took last month.

Thanks guys, after doing some extensive research on my own ive come to the conclusion that its best left alone for many reasons. THe most complelling one is that the tank I planned to keep it in is going to be dominated by large angels.

 

[Achilles]

The longest i was able to keep the blue spotted ray pictured in this thread was 11 months , they need an aquarium dedicated for them , large fine sand bed is important or their undersides get scratched and infected.

The most important thing is to get it eating try clams in a half shell and calamari pieces but make sure it swallows them, they are fascinating creatures and well worth the effort but are not easy and do need extra care and excellent water quality.

Do not keep Ray's with the following fish: cleaner wrasses will bug it no end and strip its skin of slime ,angels will often nip rays so stay clear, cowfish and box fish will also harrass the ray.

They are best kept with other sand sharks, groupers and fish large enough not to be swallowed especially at night when it is active , During the day the ray will often bury itself another reason for the finest aragonite sand you can get to be used.

I would class this specific Ray as a difficult to keep one but not impossible if you give it the right surrounds and tankmates, and if you can get it to feed properly.

 

[Nemos Janitor]

Sumeshan still has his blue spot ray. Doing very well and has eaten a whole school of chromis.

Will post some picks of it later in the week..