Rays
All rays have a poisonous spine near the base of the tail. Care must be taken to avoid this animal when performing tank maintenance and during capture.
Some adult stingrays may be no larger than a human palm, while other species, like the short-tail stingray, may have a body of six feet in diameter and an overall length, including their tail, of fourteen feet. Stingrays range from shades of gray to being brightly colored, and can be plain or patterned. Perhaps the largest stingray ever found weighed almost 1500 kilograms (3300 pounds) and measured over 5 metres (16.5 feet) in width . It was caught by fishermen near Hainan Sanya in China.
The Fiddler Stingray originates from the Coral Sea, and is brown in coloration with geometric black or dark brown markings. This is a very beautiful stingray that is not overly aggressive, but does require a very large aquarium. The tail spine is venomous, but is only used for protection. Caution should be taken when netting it, or when it is not visible and maintenance is performed in the aquarium.
Due to its lack of hardiness, the Fiddler Stingray should only be kept by an experienced hobbyist in a large aquarium. A 360 gallon aquarium with at least a three foot width from front to back is necessary for an adult. It likes to cover itself in soft substrate as camouflage. A coarser substrate will scratch its abdomen and could cause an infection. It should never be exposed to copper-based medications. It will eat any crustacean or mollusk in the aquarium.
When first introduced into the aquarium, small pieces of cleaned squid or live saltwater feeder shrimp should be used to entice this fish to eat. Then it may be fed shrimp, scallops or pieces of fresh marine fish.
The California Spotted Stingray is also known as the Spotted Stingray or Spotted Caribbean Stingray. It is a bottom-dwelling fish, with a dark brown body with tan spots and rings. The tail spine is venomous, but is only used for protection. Caution should be taken when netting it, or when it is not visible and maintenance is performed in the aquarium.
The California Spotted Stingray is grayish brown either plain, mottled, or spotted with dark blotches, on the dorsal surface, fading to a pale yellow, orange, or white underside.
The California Spotted Stingray has a nearly circular disc-shaped body with a tail that is shorter than the length of the disc. The snout of this ray terminates in a rounded point. The prominent pectoral fins of the California Spotted Stingray are rounded. The dorsal fins are absent, however the rounded caudal fin is present in contrast to many other rays that lack this feature. A long venomous spine is located approximately halfway down the length of the tail.
The round stingray or Haller's round ray, Urobatis halleri, is a species of round ray, family Urolophidae, found in the coastal waters of the eastern Pacific Ocean. It is a small, common ray that feeds mostly on benthic invertebrates. On the beaches of southern California, it is responsible for numerous injuries to bathers, who are stung when they accidentally step on the fish. The wound caused by its venomous spine can be painful, but is non-fatal.