What Ray For A 6X2X2?

[Wills]

Hi I might have the go ahead for a 6x2x2 now just wondering if it is suitable for any kind of ray? Not really keen on breeding so would I be okay to keep a single specimen? Should I go for male or females could I do 2 in one tank?

Also do I need to use RO water or a HMA filter etc? Or can I use tap water?

If anyone has any good resources that I can have a browse through pictures that would be fantastic as well

thanks Wills

 

[nmonks]

Hi I might have the go ahead for a 6x2x2 now just wondering if it is suitable for any kind of ray?

None of them.

Also do I need to use RO water or a HMA filter etc? Or can I use tap water?

Sure, you can use tap water provided your tap water contains near-zero levels of nitrate.

If anyone has any good resources that I can have a browse through pictures that would be fantastic as well

Buy Richard Ross' excellent book on stingrays published by Barrons. It costs under $10 on Amazon. If you can't afford that, or aren't prepared to buy a book, then you should not be keeping a stingray. Simple as that. These are very expensive fish that die quickly given less than perfect conditions.

If you want a "flat fish" for a small tank, look at the brackish water flounders instead. They're pretty hardy animals provided they don't starve to death.

Cheers, Neale

 

[Wills]

Thanks Neale Ill make sure to get that book in a sec. What would you consider the minimum size for a small ray species? And which are the smaller growing species?

Wills

is it this one? http/www.amazon.co.uk/Freshwater-Stingrays-Complete-Owners-Manual/dp/0764108972/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1279700601&sr=1-2 ? also would it be worth me getting the aqualog ray book do you think? http/www.amazon.co.uk/Aqualog-Special-Freshwater-Stingrays-America/dp/3931702871/ref=pd_sim_b_2

Wills

 

[nmonks]

A good rule of thumb is that the aquarium needs to be at least twice as wide as the disc width of the species being kept, and four times as long as the disc width of the species being kept. Since most Potamotrygon species get to about 45 cm/18 inches in width, that means a tank around 6 feet long and 3 feet wide. Depth is relatively unimportant except in providing sufficient water volume to dilute nitrate and buffer against pH changes. If your budget stretches to a sump, by all means add one.

Potamotrygon reticulatus is a bit smaller than the average Potamotrygon, maybe 30 cm/12 inches in width, but I'd still be leery of keeping this species in a tank less than 2.5 feet wide.

Cheers, Neale

PS. Yes, "Freshwater Stingrays (Complete Pet Owner's Manual)" is a good, cheap book to start with. If you're anywhere near Maidenhead Aquatics in Windsor, I picked up a hardback copy of "AquaGuide to Freshwater Stingrays" by Hans Gonella and Herbert Axelrod for one whole pound a couple of weeks ago! It's a good book too. The Aqualog book is mostly an identification book, and while very good in that regard, as a primer on keeping stingrays it's a bit expensive.

Thanks Neale Ill make sure to get that book in a sec. What would you consider the minimum size for a small ray species? And which are the smaller growing species?

 

[Wills]

Cool Ill grab that one of amazon and have a route around my maidenhead I know they have a book sale on at the moment. I might skip the ray for now but one day!!

 

[nmonks]

Indeed. I've never tried to keep stingrays at home precisely because they're expensive and require a big aquarium I couldn't possibly fit in my home. You do need to be able to buy a big tank, and a big filter, and then operate an RO filter of sufficient capacity to produce [and safely store] large quantities of nitrate-free water. Since tap water in this part of England often has 40-50 mg/l nitrate right out of the tap, using tap water isn't an option. There are many, much easier oddball fish out there: bichirs, butterflyfish, puffers, flounders, etc. I'd sooner keep.

Cheers, Neale

I might skip the ray for now but one day!!

 

[Wills]

Yeah without doubt Ill have a ray tank one day it was just off a passing comment by someone at a fish shop about a 6x2 tank for rays but as ever haha I should know better by now but when someone tells you what you want to hear I hope to have a fish house in a shed or garage pretty soon (yes I have an addiction) and plan to do a rack of small cubes a few 5 foots and a big tank for the rays maybe like a 7x3 or 3.5 something like that. But I suspect the ray tank will be last to sort out... lots of time to get reading though

thanks again Neale

Wills

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

LOL, so from a failed 4x4x2 purchase, to having a home crisis with associated where to home current fish crisis, to room for a 6x2x2 and thoughts of a garage conversion for multiple huge tanks?

Oh what it must be like to live the life of Wills!

 

[Wills]

LOL, so from a failed 4x4x2 purchase, to having a home crisis with associated where to home current fish crisis, to room for a 6x2x2 and thoughts of a garage conversion for multiple huge tanks?

Oh what it must be like to live the life of Wills!

Well after the insurance made their mind up we are getting a full refit of the flat, so if things go to plan I can maybe have this 6 foot tank - the garage thing comes when we move to a house haha

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

That's great news on the flat, after the cowboy efforts of your upstairs neighbours!

 

[always4lora]

you could get away with keeping one of the smaller species in a 6x2x2 for quite a wile. Retic, scobina or Hystix . Scobina and Hystix are the better of the two as they're pretty hardy species. Expect to pay £120+ for a pup if you can find them. Those 3 species are rarely found larger than 12inch disc specially if you get a male as they go smaller. Females get larger and are over many years likely to hit 15" or so. you'd get a good few years out of the ray before an upgrade to a 30>36" wide upgrade would be needed.

Water conditions i would use HMA all the way and if possible setup a 24/7 water change system so you dont have to wurry too much about water changes. i checked my nitrate's about 2 weeks ago and it was running at less than 5ppm when changing about 30%water daily.

For filteration get a sump and an external to help with the filteration. I have a 200-250litre sump plus a fluval fx5 and an internal fluval u4 or sommet like that. Cover your heaters up and your're go.

 

[cane76]

i have kept and bred rays in london tap water for years and so have many people i know
yes they are sensative and will die fast in nitrite or ammonia but nitrate is not so important ime
mine is usually 60-80

i would go for a male retic or hystrix he will be ok in a 6x2x2 for many years maybe even forever