Freshwater stingray

JMReptiles · #1 (**permalink**) 03-19-2006, 10:28 PM

I was at a exotic fish store and they actaully had two small teacup stingrays that are freshwater. The guy told me i would have to feed them earthworms like 2-4 times daily and they dont nee much else...besides the proper ph levels.....very fine sand and clean clean water. Ive always wanted one and am wandering if anyone else had these before that could give me some advice or reccommedations for me to think about before i buy one. He told me they stay pretty small..this one was about 4 inches across..he said wont get much bigger then that.

Ratsicles · #2 (**permalink**) 03-20-2006, 07:03 PM

I have never owned one but have seen them in a few fish stores. They seem to have a high mortality rate and need very specific conditions. They also have freshwater flounders ... they seem to be touted as algae eaters though.

Bryan

JMReptiles · #3 (**permalink**) 03-20-2006, 10:47 PM

yeah i talked to the guy and he explained careful about tank mates if i choose that option...ph rate..which is normal to other freshwater actually so thats easy...clean water...uumm...who doesnt want there tank to look clean and clear...and fine sand for the bottom and then just food. ive googled the species and others for research..and find that guy was right on it all. just want to hear something from someone that has actually owned one or has one for pointers..or just anything that you dont get told but you find out after you buy it of course and all.

tmfleo1 · #4 (**permalink**) 03-20-2006, 10:58 PM

I've also seen baby sturgeon being sold in fish store as well and the freshwater flounder and sting rays among several others which some are just the young of species that come into fresh water to spawn .

mpgt · #5 (**permalink**) 03-23-2006, 12:00 AM

They live in the South American rivers. The locals have a real healthy respect for the stinging tails. I had one. I paid $120 for it. I fed it ghost shrimp. I didn't know it, but the fish shop had kept the shrimp in a copper solution to kill parasites. It seems scaleless critters are sensitive to copper, so the ray died. A shop here in town bought a few, but they died soon after so they quit carrying them. It's good you're asking the right question before buying.

telefrag · #6 (**permalink**) 03-24-2006, 06:52 PM

We had one at a fish store I worked at for many years, it ate ghost shrimp as well.
He was in a cage with some other south american cichlids (some firemouths, a jack dempsy, and some green terrors)

as far as tank care, we just trated it like a fish... (weekly water changes, good filtration, etc)

sweet allyson · #7 (**permalink**) 03-24-2006, 08:49 PM

I've seen them before. I've always wanted a few. But tanks seem to be more work then I'm ready for. I'll just stick to my lil Robbie ( my ball ).

brownsfan222 · #8 (**permalink**) 03-24-2006, 11:10 PM

i dont know what kind of sting ray the one i seen at the local pet store was but it appeared to be in a freshwater tank (i didnt pay to much attention) and it was about a foot and a half in diameter and it looked pretty neat, it didnt seem too agressive towards other fish either so im guessing they eat smaller aquatic species

JMReptiles · #9 (**permalink**) 03-25-2006, 02:04 AM

yeah i have one tank with a breeding pair of jack demseys...there large tank all to themselves...there babies are getting big and there so cute! my other tank has a mix of two breeding pairs of convicts and a trio of firemouths and some other unrelated non-breeding pairs of convicts..and the usual sucker fish. i was gonna get another 55 gal just for the ray to be in...dont want to take a chance of any other fish nipping at him or anything.

Lfsabch · #10 (**permalink**) 03-26-2006, 05:01 AM

stingrays are really meant for expert keepers, they are very sensitive, the trick is to get htem eating and eating strong. watch for any types of lesions or scrapes, they can become infected very easy. you said it was a "teacup" stingray, was it called that because of the size or were the edges of the stingray curled upwards?? if its cause the flaps curl upwads, well that means its gonna die soon, its called teacupping or curl of death, as for tank mates you must be careful the fish dont nip at the ray remember they have a skin and infections kill fast, aslo if a fish bite their tail it can kill them

Ratsicles · #11 (**permalink**) 03-26-2006, 10:21 AM

I came across a few webpages that mentioned size on these ... a good one is Here.

Anyhow size on these ranges from 8" at full size to 48" full size. A 48" would require at least a 6'wX6'DX12'L (a 3200 gallon) tank. If only 8 inches across it qould require at minimum a 2'wX2'dX4'l (90 gal) tank). In any situation a 55gal isnt going to cut it. Theres not alot of point in buying a tank that you are going to have to move the fish from, especially with it being quite sensitive. My 90's with stand and full of water, gravel,and decorations weigh about 1500 lbs.

Bryan

JMReptiles · #12 (**permalink**) 03-28-2006, 01:15 AM

Alright i see that the 55 gal just wont cut it. Yeah only makes sense to get the right tank the first time around so i wouldnt have to move it and all. im not really sure about if the edges were curling or not..i know one had a couple small nips on the edge because they said it had some convicts in with it at first then they moved them. i didnt want to get one at the spur of the moment and i really didnt want one that was all nipped up...i would want one in perfect health like all of us would. i see if i get serious about this that i need to make sure i get a small one and get it from a reputable breeder and not just some aquatic store...dont want to take any chances on this deal for sure. thanks again for the site..helped out alot too.

AKbluedawg · #13 (**permalink**) 09-26-2006, 03:08 AM

Teacups are, like allready stated, either juveniles or Humerosa rays.

Rays in general arent that hard to keep if you can keep clean water, lots of water changes and major filtration, and the rays are allready eating. Leos, Motoros and Humerosas are fairly hardy rays, others are definitly for more experienced keepers.

I fed my Motoros nightcrawlers but their primary diet was seafood, they didnt like whitefish though. I was even able to handfeed them. Never leave uneaten food in the tank after they have eaten their fill, or you will be doing a waterchange first thing in the morning.

I had a pair of motoros in a 125g tank. With rays the footprint of the tank is the important part, the large the area they have on the bottom of the tank to swim in the better as it isnt good for them to have to bend their tails to turn around, there are people who build their own tanks because of this.

I know this is an old thread and this is my first post.

Hi there. Im looking at getting a snake rather than getting another set of rays.

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