RISC- Can my tank support a ray?

jim27

jim27

Member
As you know I have a 180g with a berlin skimmer, hand on the back magnum canister, regular magnum canister, and I'm getting a fluidized bed filter this weekend. All thats in my tank now is my 8in bamboo, two small tangs and two small damsels. I was thinking of giving the tangs to my moms friend(who has a 75g thats almost done cycling) and purchasing a cortez round ray. According to Scott W. Michaels book Aquarium Shakrs & Rays adult cortez round rays need a 180 and bamboos need 170 to live comfortably. Do you think I can get one? <img src="graemlins//confused.gif" border="0" alt="[confused]" />
 
risc

risc

Member
Those tank stats are pretty good. The only problem with Scott Michaels books is that he talks about gallons/liters and not dimensions. When talking about sharks and rays it is usually a better idea to deal with dimension.
If you have a standard 180 long being 72x24x24 you may have some trouble with a ray. Ray's love to circle tanks and being that your ray in particular gets about 15-18 inches his home may be too small. It needs to be wider. If you had a tank 48x36x24 it would probably be a more suitable home. You can try it however. But once the rays body is wider than his area to turn around he could suffer stress death.
Jim
 
jim27

jim27

Member
[sarcasm]Wow, thanks for all your help fish boy!!!!![/sarcasm]
risc- I really, REALLY want this ray but I do have a 72x24x24 180 gallon. If I were to get it would it have a very good chance of dieing once it gets full grown? And whats the disc width on them?
 
risc

risc

Member
It's hard to say... it could obviously die anytime. The disc gets about 8". You also have to be very careful about salinity fluctuations with rays if it gets too low too quickly they will die. If you want it that bad then just go get it. Just understand that you could potentially have a problem someday. You may not. You never know. Everything is a risk when you pull ocean born life into a small home aquarium. If you do decide to get the ray don't get any more tankmates in there. You will have quite a load for that tank already.
Jim
 
jim27

jim27

Member
Thanks for the replies risc. :) As for if I'm getting the ray or not, I'm not sure. Maybe I'll flip a coin or something.....
 
galina

galina

Member
Rays are neat but since you have such a great tank, I would invest in some other cool fish, just as neat. You could get an eel.. or a lionfish.. rays are unusual and interesting, but I think it would be too much trouble.. but that's jus' me. Good luck :)
 
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