From the article you will learn how to choose the right stingray, where to keep it and how to feed it. For whatever reason, it is impossible to give stingrays peeled industrial shrimp and much more useful in terms of the content of these unique fish. Stingrays are amazing natural creatures. They belong to lamellar cartilaginous fish.
A little about stingrays
The photo shows a blue spotted stingray. Many of you have probably heard about the unique representatives of the cartilaginous order. These are electric rays. They have powerful weapons of defense and attack, with the help of which they paralyze their defense or the enemy with a discharge of electricity (according to Wikipedia, the power of an electric charge ranges from 8 to 220 volts).
The electrogenic properties of electric rays have been used for a long time. The ancient Greeks used them for pain relief during operations and childbirth. Information from Wikipedia. Stingrays are easily recognizable by their flattened body and pectoral fins, which are fused with the head. Most of the representatives of this family live in seawater, but there are also subspecies that prefer freshwater. Stingrays live not only in the warm waters of the oceans and seas, but also in the cold ones - Antarctica and the Arctic. They can be found both in shallow water and at depth.
Their sizes are also very diverse. The giants grow up to seven meters, while their small representatives reach only a few centimeters in length. So, the rays of the bracken family can grow up to 5 meters, the span of their fins sometimes reaches 2.5 meters. This stingray lives in the Azov and Black Seas. Representatives of the stinging family can grow up to 5.5 meters.
Choosing a stingray for home content
Pictured by Paratrygon
Pictured Plesiotrygon If you want to keep a stingray at home, you must choose a freshwater one. They are divided into 3 subspecies:
- Paratrygon;
- Plesiotrygon;
- Potamotrygon (reticulated ray, comes in different colors).
In the photo, the stingray Potamotrygon leopoldi Potamotrygon is more suitable for home keeping. Representatives of this subspecies are called big-eyed rays. They are relatively small in size, which allows them to be kept in home aquariums. Adults grow up to 30-50 cm in length.
These freshwater rays are brightly colored, which makes them very decorative. Here are some representatives of this subspecies can be kept at home:
- hystrich;
- motoro;
- reticulate;
- garrap;
- leopoldi;
- henley;
- magdalene;
- orbiting;
- epezi;
- workshops, etc.
Buying a stingray for the home
The photo shows a variety of Potamotrygon. If you decide to buy a stingray, pay attention that it is healthy. To do this, examine him, he should not be too thin. The base of the tail should be 3 times thicker than the tip. The reserve of fat and nutrients is present in rays in the form of so-called tubercles. So pay attention to them. These tubercles are found in the upper body, closer to the tail. The tail of the stingray should be solid and long, without signs of fungal diseases.
Consider the contrast of the pattern, pattern. There should be no colorless white areas here.
A healthy stingray can eat in half an hour after you put it in your aquarium. If he does not take food during the day, this should alert. In this case, you should consult a specialist or a seller. You do not need to buy small fish, the size of which is less than 12 cm. These are either sick fish or newborn babies. An important point is the transportation of the stingray to the new habitat. Take with you a piece of silicone hose of a suitable diameter, or protective caps to be put on the fish's tail.
Then your hands will be protected. Such cambric is not removed, because then you can injure the stingray. Its needle is arranged like a harpoon, the serrations are located from the point backwards. Therefore, it is easy to put on the transparent soft silicone cap, but it will be difficult to remove it. Therefore, the cambric is left on the tail of the animal. After some time, they will disappear by themselves along with the needle, which itself periodically changes in stingrays - a new one grows in its place.
It is better to purchase more than one stingray, since these aquatic animals have group behavior; in the company, adaptation to new conditions will be better.
Keeping a stingray in a home aquarium
The stingray aquarium should be spacious so that this type of fish can swim there freely. The recommended volume of the aquarium is 400 liters or more (preferably 1000 liters). For a small specimen, you can use a 140 liter (but not less). In any case, counting on one individual, it needs a place that is 2 times larger than its body.
The temperature in the aquarium should be kept at 28–31 ° C. Heaters will help this.
Note
It is not uncommon for stingrays, especially young ones, to burn on the heaters. Therefore, it is necessary to install protection on conventional tubular devices or use flow-through heaters that are built into the filtration water system.
It is also necessary to equip aquariums for stingrays with uninterruptible power supplies, a filtration system, and ultraviolet sterilizers.
Once or twice a week, part of the water in the amount of 20–25% of the total volume is changed to a new one. The frequency of its renewal depends on the intensity of feeding, the number of individuals in the aquarium.
Stingrays can be housed with other aquarium fish. Those should not be too aggressive and large. Suitable:
- armored pikes;
- discus;
- uaru;
- shark catfish;
- tiger perches;
- barbs;
- battles and many other types of fish.
In the photo there are plants for an aquarium with stingrays: Echinodorus, Anubias, Cryptocorynes (from left to right) Live plants can be placed in the aquarium, as long as they are powerful and large, such as Echinodorus, Anubias, Cryptocorynes. To prevent curious waterfowl from digging them up, it is better to place the plants directly in the pots.
Contrary to popular belief, there may be no soil in an aquarium with stingrays. Yes, stingrays love to bury themselves in it, but they have no greater need for this.
If you nevertheless decide to fill in the soil, it is better to take one that would have natural shades. It is important that its particles are smooth, do not have sharp edges, in order to avoid injury to the fish.
How to feed the stingray
In the photo Potamotrygon sp pearl At home, the stingray should receive a balanced diet. The basis of its diet here is a large lake bloodworm. Experts advise in no case to use the estuary bloodworm! Bloodworms must be previously frozen and disinfected. Freezing is necessary as it helps to get rid of diseases if they are present in the feed. Therefore, never use a live bloodworm. The second course for stingrays is regular boiled and frozen shrimp, which is sold in grocery stores.
You don't need to boil shrimp at home. Defrost them first, and then peel them, so you only need to give krill meat - no other husks. It is not necessary to feed stingrays with industrial-peeled shrimps, as this is done with the help of chemicals that are harmful to these fish.
When feeding the little stingrays, rip or cut the krill meat into small pieces for the waterfowl to swallow.
It is also recommended for stingrays to sometimes give Peruvian squid, which can be purchased at the supermarket. Far Easterners should not feed them, as it is too tough for stingrays.
You can use pollock or cod fillets as a supplement. It would be good to periodically give them a scallop, which is rich in silicon. This substance is especially necessary for stingrays, from which you want to breed. After all, silicon helps to increase sexual functions not only in these, but also in other fish.
Experienced aquarists strongly advise against feeding pellets intended for domestic fish to stingrays, even when soaked. Such food disrupts the metabolism of these cartilaginous.
Here are some basic stingray keeping tips to help budding aquarists breed these interesting and amazing fish at home.
Video about freshwater rays (personal experience and advice):
Other photos:
