# "teacup stingray"



## InIndiana (Nov 6, 2003)

Well , My LFS has a "teacup stingray" as they call it for sale. I think it looked like a reticulated one but I wasn't sure.. Can i have some basic info on it such as tank size, pH, and such? They have it for 30$ which I don't know if its a good deal or not..


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## piranha45 (Apr 8, 2003)

if it was called a teacup stingray, then its a reticulata


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## BLOCKA (Nov 28, 2003)

TEA CUPS ARE EITHER RETIC OR HYSTRIX......AND $30 IS A GOOD PRICE ID PICK IT UP..GOOD LUCK WITH IT JUST NEED LOTS OF CARE WATER CHANGES OFTEN..AND AT LEAST A 50 GALLON TANK..THAT WILL DO FOR A LONG TIME TO COME AS THEY ARE SLOW GROWERS


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## dracofish (Jul 13, 2003)

Don't get it unless you see it eat in the store. Also, make sure there are no protruding hip bones on either side of the base of the tail and no dent in the forehead. A healthy Reticulata will look like this:


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## InIndiana (Nov 6, 2003)

It is a bit darker, about 5" and they said a regular size 20-30 G tank would be fine for it... I didn't know if that was the case. I am really interested in it, its very active and if I buy it, i get a gold nugget pleco half off


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## sweet lu (Oct 3, 2003)

where are you located. do they have a lot or just one


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## InIndiana (Nov 6, 2003)

See User name for location. Well I'm really conflicted with ideas right now. I am getting a 50G long no matter what but I don't know what to get either a shoal or a ray now. I was giong to get denticulata but i heard they kill themselves literally by stress cause they won't eat and their bodies cant take that. What do you suggest sweet


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## piranha45 (Apr 8, 2003)

someone asking sweet lu for advice... Armageddon must be approaching


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## Mbuna Your Self (Jul 9, 2003)

Teacup is just used to refer to ANY ray under 6". However, they usually are Retics or Hystrix most of the time. The PH should be low, they love soft and acidic water. They prefer a sandy substrate, prefferably Estes Reef sand. Make sure you ask them to see it eat before you buy it, if it won't eat...don't buy it.


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## Lahot (May 20, 2003)

$30 isn't bad at all. But out of the few people I've known who have bought "teacups" not one is still alive or lasted more than 3 months including myself. A small ray is like any other small fish, it's harder to take care of. I know a lot more than I did then but I still think I'd spend more to get a bigger and hopefully more hardier ray.

If you decide to get it good luck and buy the little stingray book that most stores carry that tell all about how to take care of it.


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## crazyklown89 (Aug 28, 2003)

piranha45 said:


> someone asking sweet lu for advice... Armageddon must be approaching










I'm sorry but p45's right. The thought of Sweet being asked for advice is just too scary and unbearable.


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## piranha45 (Apr 8, 2003)

crazyklown89 said:


> piranha45 said:
> 
> 
> > someone asking sweet lu for advice... Armageddon must be approaching
> ...


 ...so said the pot to the kettle


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## crazyklown89 (Aug 28, 2003)

I hate you


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## dracofish (Jul 13, 2003)

InIndiana said:


> It is a bit darker, about 5" and they said a regular size 20-30 G tank would be fine for it... I didn't know if that was the case. I am really interested in it, its very active and if I buy it, i get a gold nugget pleco half off


Retics grow slowly, but they max out at around 10" in disc diameter. The largest thing, however, is the tail. The total length of a full grown Retic, inlcuding tail, can push 18" or more! It takes a very long time to get there...


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## dracofish (Jul 13, 2003)

Lahot said:


> $30 isn't bad at all. But out of the few people I've known who have bought "teacups" not one is still alive or lasted more than 3 months including myself. A small ray is like any other small fish, it's harder to take care of. I know a lot more than I did then but I still think I'd spend more to get a bigger and hopefully more hardier ray.


 My little Retic lasted quite a while. I lost him a couple months back when I took his buddy, a 6" Motoro Morph, away. It was like separating siamese twins. The little guy got depressed, and it was too late by the time we put his buddy back in with him.


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## piranha45 (Apr 8, 2003)

dracofish said:


> Lahot said:
> 
> 
> > $30 isn't bad at all. But out of the few people I've known who have bought "teacups" not one is still alive or lasted more than 3 months including myself. A small ray is like any other small fish, it's harder to take care of. I know a lot more than I did then but I still think I'd spend more to get a bigger and hopefully more hardier ray.
> ...


 awwwww :sad:


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## sweet lu (Oct 3, 2003)

i wouldnt get nether fish. to hard to care for both. and most likly both are gonna die very fast after you get them. just to hard.the ray requirs lots of attenion and care and the pygo is not greatly well known.

i would go with a small rhom or a small shoal or pygos. that is if you want piranhas though.

get a fire or tiretrark eel and maybe assorted puffers. like figure 8's and drawfs. also the green spotted puffer is nice to.

see p45 i can give out good info


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## crazyklown89 (Aug 28, 2003)

sweet lu said:


> see p45 i can give out good info


 Yeah but no one listens to it


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## sweet lu (Oct 3, 2003)

crazyklown89 said:


> sweet lu said:
> 
> 
> > see p45 i can give out good info
> ...


 true


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## dracofish (Jul 13, 2003)

sweet lu said:


> i wouldnt get nether fish. to hard to care for both. and most likly both are gonna die very fast after you get them. just to hard.


Have you ever kept a Ray? Do you know how hard they are to keep from personal experience? If not, then please don't make assumptions. Don't scare someone away from Rays if you don't know yourself. The only difficult thing about them is the amount of care they require. Most Rays die from improper care (whether it be from dirty water, stress, bad tankmates, or poor acclimation). If you are willing to keep your water quality at optimum all the time and look out for their well-being, then they aren't hard to keep at all. In fact, some of my settled Rays are "hardier" than my other fish...


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## sweet lu (Oct 3, 2003)

dracofish said:


> sweet lu said:
> 
> 
> > i wouldnt get nether fish. to hard to care for both. and most likly both are gonna die very fast after you get them. just to hard.
> ...


 your right i have never kept a ray but i have just heard from like my lfs and other people that they are hard to keep. but you are right.

are they hard to keep?


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## piranha45 (Apr 8, 2003)

sweet lu said:


> your right i have never kept a ray but i have just heard from like my lfs and other people that they are hard to keep. but you are right.
> 
> are they hard to keep?


 read her post again


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## InIndiana (Nov 6, 2003)

Thanks for the info guys. And the price was 60$, the guy told me wrong . So the length of the tank is most important or width?


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## dracofish (Jul 13, 2003)

InIndiana said:


> Thanks for the info guys. And the price was 60$, the guy told me wrong . So the length of the tank is most important or width?


 Width is also important. You really want the tank to be at least as wide as the Stingray is long, including tail. Therefore, an 18" long Retic (with tail) would require a tank at least 18" wide...


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## sweet lu (Oct 3, 2003)

i think as wide and as long as you can have it is best.
but have some height because they like to rub up against the side of the tank
and stuff.


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## Lahot (May 20, 2003)

Spend some time looking at it in the store before you buy it. Make sure it eats in front of you and has either a light pink or white belly (is that right Draco? I thought I remembered that a reddish belly means that it's in bad health).


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## dracofish (Jul 13, 2003)

Young Rays tend to have pinkish bellies anyways. Anything that's overly red, blotchy red, or extremely veiny looking should be avoided.

Make sure you see it eat in the store. If it won't, don't buy it. If the've only been offering it feeders, don't buy it. If it's just laying there listlessly, don't buy it. Avoid anything that has a curling disk while at rest. Don't buy anything that appears to be breathing overly hard.


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## sweet lu (Oct 3, 2003)

how many tanks and fish do you have Draco. you seem to have eery pred fish


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## piranha45 (Apr 8, 2003)

sweet lu said:


> how many tanks and fish do you have Draco. you seem to have eery pred fish


 check out her Kings Of The Aquarium link in her signature and that will answer your questions


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## o snap its eric (Feb 19, 2003)

Draco is a very cool hobbyist. Her and rich are full of knowledge on the fish game. Sometimes i wonder how you guys can do all the tank maintance! Even with a few tanks i got i get tired sometimes.


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## dracofish (Jul 13, 2003)

Gee thanks guys...


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