what ray is recommended

[Kung]

FIrst of all, I want to say that I will by no means base a decision solely on what is said here.

I am in the stages of planning a larger tank/system. I want to do a double in wall, with a 125 (I already have) at at leat 265. The 265 is going to be an aggressive reef, with minimal rock and a lot of open sand.

I want a ray, but I have no idea which to choose or where to start looking. He willl be housed with angels (a regal, probably) and a few tba tangs and a maybe a wrasse or two. The idea is to confine the little guys (clowns, dottybacks, etc) to the 125.

Any suggestions for a good ray to keep in a tank that size?

 

[spazz]

because of the size of rays and the space the need to move around i wouldnt recomend a tank smaller than 500 gallons. they need alot of sandy space to run around in and a 265 is way too small for even a baby ray. most rays get to be 18+ inches long. so please ro the sake of the ray either dont get a ray right now or make alot buigger tank to house him in.
once you have a tank big enough to house a ray dont choose the blue spot ray. there death rate is extreamly high. they only live for 6 months or less. if you wantto talk to a guy who has housed rays in his reef and has alot of experience withtem pm energy here on reef central. he knows alot about there needs.

 

[TheSaltwaterGuy]

First off, Angels are very bad tank-mates for rays. They have been known to enjoy the taste of the ray's slime coat, causing either lethal bacterial infections or even death.

Secondly, you would want to choose a ray species that stays relatively small and is fairly hardy. Don't, and I mean DON'T, choose the Bluespotted Ribbontail Ray (Taeniura lymma), just as spazz said, they have a very low survival rate and rarely see their 2nd year in captivity. 265g may sound big, but its pretty small in the shark/ray world. I wouldn't do anything bigger than a Cortez Ray in that small of a tank.

Pretty much, gallonage doesn't matter. Surface area does. If the 265g is 2' long and 10' high (just an example) then you definitely wouldn't be able to keep a ray, but if it was 10' and say 3' wide, then you surely could. (I know those measurements don't equal 265g. I just used them as examples )

HTH

 

[Kung]

That, my friends, is why I always start my research here.

Interestingly enough, a Cortez ray is what started this. We saw one at the LFS, and Mrs. Kung wanted it.

"No, tanks to small, et" I told her. She told me we could get a bigger tank if we got a ray.

500 or larger it is!

 

[TheSaltwaterGuy]

Nice! Can't wait to see the build of this project.

Good luck!

 

[spazz]

a special designd tank for a ray would be something like 8' x 6 ' x 2' high. this would give the ray some great surface area to roam around in.
this would be a good tank and not as expensive to build as taller tanks would. just as thesaltwaterguy says you dont need hight but you do need floor space. that size tank would be about 650 gallons in size but it would be easy to light and you could house corlas wiht the ray in there.
then you need to choose some proper tanks mates for him. other fish to consider are fish that are large enough that the ray wont suprise attack and eat them. also no fish that would attack the ray.
sting rays are awesome to see in a tank. there rare im most reef clubs because of the size of most tanks. bill wann plans to house 5-6 sting rays in his tank but he also has the floor space of 22 feet by 8.5 feet for them to roam around in. so he can house muitiple rays in his system. i hope you do find the tank to house a sting ray in. and if you do there is a very easy way to train them to eat with out other fish getting there food.

 

[stdreb27]

i'd be careful with wrasses and rays, Most reef safe wrasses burry themselves in the sand at night to sleep, and a ray likes to look for food in the sand. Probably not a good combo.

 

[spazz]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11120537#post11120537 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by stdreb27
i'd be careful with wrasses and rays, Most reef safe wrasses burry themselves in the sand at night to sleep, and a ray likes to look for food in the sand. Probably not a good combo.

i had asked energy about that and he said as long as you keep the ray fed well he does not go after the sand burrowing fish like gobys and wrasses. he had about 30 wrasses in his display tank when his ray was in there. it can be done if you use common sence and prepare for it. you make spaces befind the rock work with small sand bed areas that the ray cant get into but the wrasses can. this would remove the predatory problem while there sleeping.

 

[stdreb27]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11120560#post11120560 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by spazz
i had asked energy about that and he said as long as you keep the ray fed well he does not go after the sand burrowing fish like gobys and wrasses. he had about 30 wrasses in his display tank when his ray was in there. it can be done if you use common sence and prepare for it. you make spaces befind the rock work with small sand bed areas that the ray cant get into but the wrasses can. this would remove the predatory problem while there sleeping.

I still would be nervous.

 

[TheSaltwaterGuy]

Actually, the minimum tank size (in my eyes) is around 6' x 3' x 2'. Of course, in this tank, you could keep only the smallest species of rays.

 

[Charger21_SD]

You'd probably be limited to a cortez ray since they are one of the smaller warm water rays (the other one is the yellow ray but would get too big if planning on housing these rays for life). Cali Rays AKA Round Rays are colder water. And if this tank is going to be a reef then it'd need be a warmer tank. I'd say a 7'or8' by 3'x2' would be a good sized tank.

 

[krj-1168]

Yes the Cortez ray is one of smaller, but better rays for someone considering a Stingray.

 

[Kung]

Cool, guys (and gals), thanks.

It will probably be a while before I begin the project. When I do, I want to be able to hit the ground running.

Meanwhile, I have to find a way to break it to the Mrs. that we can't put a Manta ray in her 20 gallon long that she has in the garage.

 

[JJ21]

while bringing it in from the garage, drop it, break it, and then say, "Aww man!!! I knew how much you wanted to put a ray in there hunny. I guess we'll just have to go out and get a bigger tank. "

 

[TheSaltwaterGuy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11128407#post11128407 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by JJ21
while bringing it in from the garage, drop it, break it, and then say, "Aww man!!! I knew how much you wanted to put a ray in there hunny. I guess we'll just have to go out and get a bigger tank. "

Very nice! Maybe I should try that! :lol:

Kung, before you add the ray, just be sure water quality is good, temperature is right, etc. and you should be fine!

Good Luck!!!