I just recently got a male California bat ray that is about 12 inches in width (max length is 24 inches) and he is in a marine land 300 gallon Deep Dimension tank. I had just gotten him yesterday and he was extremely stressed, in fact he went belly up at one point, but then he starting coming back. today I saw him swimming around and exploring the tank, and freaking out the chromis, until they got used to him. I kind of know that stingrays wont eat for a week or two in a new tank, but how have you guys gotten them to eat and what should I avoid trying to do?
New Stingray wont eat!
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Aww. I love stingrays. I wish I had the time to set up saltwater and the size tank to get them! What are you trying to feed him? I have never dealt with them in captivity but I have in the wild(not petting pools but actual wild). They beg for squid like puppys petting your legs . Maybe he is just a bit shocked with new tank mates and will come around. They are very docile so if you haven't yet I'd try fresh food like squid or shrimp to tempt him enough maybe even hand fed if he is nice enough.
What I have done is gotten frozen shrimp and dug it in the sand a littlebit so its sticking out, then I leave it there for a few hours. Yesterday I put a shrimp in there and today its gone.... Not sure if my hermit crabs got to it or if the stingray got it, so I tried another today, hopefully he will actually eat this one
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I'd bet he did eat it. Maybe a shy eater right now. However if you're still worried you could ask the person or place you got him from his previous diet. What else is in the tank? (still very envious ;-) ) They are shy around more aggressive fish. If you have one of those food feeding clamps(for lack of better words... where you can hold the food at the bottom of a deep tank) wave the shrimp around wherever he is hiding assuming he hides under the sand or in decor..?? With some patience and time he probably will come get it.
he seems to be doing much better now, and I have never seen him hide in the sand, but probably because it is a small eagle ray, its tank mates are 2 ocellaris clownfish and 4 blue/green chromis, so I don't think its the fish scaring him lol, and the person I got it from was the petstore's distributor, so I have no idea what it ate before hand. He was constantly swimming today, I only saw him rest for like 5 minutes throughout the day, and as I am typing this he is still swimming around the glass, acting like he wants food but wont accept it.
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Oh OK... same thing as a bat ray , right? They do bury in the sand it's so funny looking. Maybe just to busy playing and getting to know hs new home to calm down for food. From what I understand thats a pretty quick turn around for him to finally feel comfortable...but as you said the tank mates he has probably are nice enough for him to be himself a little quicker. Aww you should take video or pics. Well glad he is out. Enjoy him!
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