Does anyone know if exo-terra desert sand can be used aquatically (I think it has no silicates but im not sure)? I have a freshwater ray coming tommorrow and im having a pain still trying to find proper sand. I think everything I have is too sharp and for some reason I can't find any exo riverbed sand around here. If anyone has any info that would be great...should have pics up after I get the beasty in.
"teacup" stingray
- Thread starter blazetown
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I'm not sure on the exoterra sand but have you considered using pool filter sand? That is what I believe we used at the zoo (or just straight play sand). Most of our substrate was crushed shells but we did provide a sand box 
I hope you realize how smart these guys can be. They will benefit from some enrichment which, unfortunately, many ray keepers neglect. What we used was a hamster ball with some holes cut out. We put some shrimp and smelt inside it. The southern stingrays would roll that thing all around the pool lol
I hope you realize how smart these guys can be. They will benefit from some enrichment which, unfortunately, many ray keepers neglect. What we used was a hamster ball with some holes cut out. We put some shrimp and smelt inside it. The southern stingrays would roll that thing all around the pool lolThats very cool. I just spent 3 hours sifting sand from gravel to get my preferred and already used natural beach sand...and i think im gonna add some exo-terra to it cause theres no where near enough. Once again I'll try to put pics up tommorrow. Hopefully I'll get lucky and the plants I buy tommorrow establish partially before being uprooted lol.
Lol, yeah, they're pretty bad about redecorating. Good luck with your new food monster. They sure like to eat.
:worship:
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I wouldn't use the exo-terra sand, it's usually limestone or sandstone, and they can leach carbonates and calcium into the water. Rays like soft water so an excess of carbonates is not good.
Mackenzie
Mackenzie
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It's adorable! What sort of set up is required (aside from the substrate talked about here)?
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Even though some deem rays like this as sedentary, they really are fairly active and curious creatures. In my personal opinion I would not place even the smallest ray species in anything less than the floor space of 4' by 4' but that comes from personal experience taking care of these animals. Many people just consider these guys "another fish" (not referring to you blazetown :worship: :worship: ) and will toss them in the smallest tank they can manage to live in. Also, they are escape artists. When hungry enough they will sometimes try to suck their way up the wall and out of the tank in search of food
. A secure lid is a must for these guys.check this site out. this is a great place to buy fish/plants/supplies..... and stingrays!
http://www.aquabid.com/cgi-bin/auction/auction.cgi?fwstringray
http://www.aquabid.com/cgi-bin/auction/auction.cgi?fwstringray
He/she was trying to climb up out of the water in teh styro box. It munched that mealworm about 5 minutes later. Leilanami do you know how to tell if the rays disc has been burned? I'm also having a heck of a time finding what I need to lower the pH....the ray is in more of a whitewater than blackwater setup right now because I could not find a proper sub. I need to find some peat and a way to soften water other than driving 40 mins to my dads and an RO unit.
Aside from what I don't know these guys need lots of floorspace, low pH and generally a blackwater setup....I've heard water changes are very imporant aswell because rays are sensitive to nitrates.
Aside from what I don't know these guys need lots of floorspace, low pH and generally a blackwater setup....I've heard water changes are very imporant aswell because rays are sensitive to nitrates.
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Put in a bunch of Malaysian driftwood. This will secrete high amounts of tannins and lower the pH as well. Here in Calgary our pH is 8.4-8.8. By using only driftwood I had tanks gradually decrease to 6.0-5.5 and the water was a nice brown tinge.
Abraxas was right about the driftwood and pH. Your water will be a nice tea color lol. As far as softening the water, you can see this web page for some ideas.
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/water_softeners.php
And yes they are VERY sensitive to nitrates. We lost some rays because the city put benzium nitrates into the city water supply and decided not decide to tell anyone. Because they did an initial water analysis at the beginning of the year, they had already worked out their chemicals so by the time it was figured out what was going on, we lost 2/3 of the rays.
Usually the disc edges will have a pink, irritated look to it if it's burned. You just have to make sure first that it's not a normal coloration of that particular species.
You gonna try to get it to hand-feed? lol
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That's really cool. I don't know anyone who has a stingray as a tank fish.
I think the back fins tell the sex, right? :?
I think the back fins tell the sex, right? :?
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Coooool. I've never heard of those. Is there a river around there that runs through some rocky areas? There are some rivers here in central and west tx that have sandy deposits in places. It seems like that would be perfect for it.
Yes, the males have a set of anal fins called claspers. Females don't have these.
Not to be confused with the fins just under the tail that all rays have. I know believe this ray to be Potamotrygon reticulata. I think the 'burns' I saw on the underside of the disk may be adult coloring coming in. I noticed the undersides of some of the adult rays are much whiter than the transparent undersides of juvies and some species have darkening or mottling on the undersides.
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Those aren't burns, it's just slightly irritated from transport..it'll be fine.
They need large space not only because they are active but for water quality purposes, they are very sensitive to poor h2o quality and being that they eat (and produce so much waste) a larger volume of water helps to maintain a more stable environment.
Although Malaysian driftwood would indeed condition the water I would never put anything in with them....they do not do well around sharp edges or corners as driftwood tends to have. Unless you are using a very large tank as recommended I would use nothing but a sand substrate...no worrd, coral, rocks, etc...
They need large space not only because they are active but for water quality purposes, they are very sensitive to poor h2o quality and being that they eat (and produce so much waste) a larger volume of water helps to maintain a more stable environment.
Although Malaysian driftwood would indeed condition the water I would never put anything in with them....they do not do well around sharp edges or corners as driftwood tends to have. Unless you are using a very large tank as recommended I would use nothing but a sand substrate...no worrd, coral, rocks, etc...
I was thinking more of using driftwood in some kind of sump for the tank. You are right. They can injure themselves very easily. Working in a touch exibit, it was very important that we kept visitors from scratching them. For some reason they wanted to scratch them on the head like a dog.