Ok, so I work for a large-scale LFS, and for the most part, we kick serious butt, we know our stuff and deliver excellent care and information. But we still succomb to the ordeals of general retail pet industry at times, and sadly, for the past month some stingrays and baby sharks have been at the mercy of this misfortune. We received about 6 or 7 small (4 in.,) cortez/carribean and blue spot stingrays, and about 3 baby cat sharks...and they were all confined to the same 70 gallon tank, which already had some other inhabitants. The stingrays eat from your hand, so no problem there...
After a few weeks, I noticed only the cortez stingrays were left. I immediatly began the conversion of my 20 gal. into an emergency holding tank for a stingray, considering it was already set up as a holding tank for freshwater rays to be moved into a much larger system. I tested parameters, changed water as needed and waited...until today.
I bought the smallest of the cortex rays, a baby about the size of 2/3 CD disc. He was hungry, trucking about the tank the way they do to indicate they needed feeding. I suspect he wasn't getting enough, with all the other animals bigger than himself. Nonetheless he looked healthy, good condition. So now he resides in the 20 ONLY temporarily. He will move into a 30 as soon as I have the water stabilized, and a 100 + gallon lagoon is already in the works for him, and some mudskippers/mangroves.
For those concerned about the tank size, fear not: I know my stuff. I'm just worried about sudden ray death. As it stands now, he wigged out for about an hour after drip acclimation,(which had to be abandonned after 2/3 way complete due to an accident by my roommate,). But has calmed down considerably, even eating thawed squid from my hand,(he's looking for more but I don't want to over-feed the little guy, there's plenty more coming in the near future for him,).
So besides the skimmer, daily r/o water changes, and water monitoring, can anyone suggest how to make him comfortable/happy until his larger,(and much needed,) home is ready? I'm just glad I got him when I did...the blue spot got sold to a druggie who has a long list of dead sharks and rays behind him...I actually care about the lil guy, lol.
After a few weeks, I noticed only the cortez stingrays were left. I immediatly began the conversion of my 20 gal. into an emergency holding tank for a stingray, considering it was already set up as a holding tank for freshwater rays to be moved into a much larger system. I tested parameters, changed water as needed and waited...until today.
I bought the smallest of the cortex rays, a baby about the size of 2/3 CD disc. He was hungry, trucking about the tank the way they do to indicate they needed feeding. I suspect he wasn't getting enough, with all the other animals bigger than himself. Nonetheless he looked healthy, good condition. So now he resides in the 20 ONLY temporarily. He will move into a 30 as soon as I have the water stabilized, and a 100 + gallon lagoon is already in the works for him, and some mudskippers/mangroves.
For those concerned about the tank size, fear not: I know my stuff. I'm just worried about sudden ray death. As it stands now, he wigged out for about an hour after drip acclimation,(which had to be abandonned after 2/3 way complete due to an accident by my roommate,). But has calmed down considerably, even eating thawed squid from my hand,(he's looking for more but I don't want to over-feed the little guy, there's plenty more coming in the near future for him,).
So besides the skimmer, daily r/o water changes, and water monitoring, can anyone suggest how to make him comfortable/happy until his larger,(and much needed,) home is ready? I'm just glad I got him when I did...the blue spot got sold to a druggie who has a long list of dead sharks and rays behind him...I actually care about the lil guy, lol.
she also got the good camera, my digi was bought about 8 years ago, cutting edge back then not too good now.