Ray barb trimming - A "how to".
- Thread starter Zoodiver
- Start date
It will vary with a few factors: Species, diet, temp and a little bit by animal (I've had the same species in the same tank on the same diet with different growth rates). Barbs are slow growing, so you have plenty of time to see it coming.
Thanks!
Very helpful thread. Thanks a lot for the picture references and proper method. Much appreciated.
hello; Yes you should disinfect all equipment before de-barbing a ray...I use a towel and snips, it is very simple...I have a video of how to on my web-site / the temp and amount of food will determine the rate of spike growth/ in 6 months my ray's spike will grow approx. 1/4 in. or a little less / their should not be any avenue for the intro of foreign bacteria, fungus, etc. / stingrays are hardy fishes, yet their weak point is " you must keep it very clean " keep nitrates under control ! clean tank of any left-over food stuff after feeding / Do not cut the barb too close to the skin; <"Do Not Break Skin"> leave a little stub>> do not break the skin / if you get scratched or spiked immediately apply a heat pac / I have a lot of fla. freshwater rays(Dasyatis sabina) and they are truly freshwater rays, yet I add 3ppt solar salt to keep fungus/bacteria in check...rmkoonaquaticpets
D. sabina are not true FW rays. They are in fact marine. If kept in FW, they will die over time. There are a few populations that will move in and out of FW, but ammonia production is increased a LOT. That type of waste production is almost impossible to keep up with in an aquarium.
You don't use chain-mail gloves??? You're more courageous than I am, Sir. I got impaled by a massive N. Atlantic stingray about 12 years ago - barely missed a main artery in my wrist and put me in the hospital for 4 days where they proceeded to reassure me it was "no big deal" and "stingrays aren't dangerous"DISCLAIMER: Stingrays are venomous animals. This is only to be used as a guideline. Interaction with a venomous fish is your choice. MFK is not responsible if you get hurt while trying to trim your stingray's barb.
I found a few more old pics showing the trimming of a young Southern stingray, so you can see how I hold the tail for a mid-barb type ray. Most benthic rays are equipped this way (Yellow, Round, Cortez, Atlantic etc...) This would be similar to FW rays as well. You can see I've got a neoprene dive glove wrapped around the tail. These rays (and many others like them) have small spines (not venomous, just sharp) all the way down the length of the tail. The glove is to protect my holding hand from being poked. I've learned over time to not actually wear the gloves. If a barb does go through, then you either have a glove nailed to your hand, or you have to struggle to get a bloody glove off with a barb stuck in it and you.
.......5 months later Steve Irwin dies from a stingray. How's that for irony, right? I'll never touch another stingray out of water again without chain-mail or Kevlar gloves!!! I did get to keep my hand btw. I'm glad, it's kinda grown on me after all these years. lol It totally sucked, man..they had me on steroids and antbiotics and stuff. I guess it was a neurotoxin (?) because my sensory system was all screwed up for like 3 weeks after; everything I ate and drank "tasted" like venom. Any idea why, Bro? I mean I literally had a gourmet grilled Swordfish steak the night I got out of the hospital and I just couldn't eat more than a few bites because of the reaction the venom had to my tastebuds. Is that normal in envenomations?
I'm curious, having never kept rays; in the wild do they have problems with their barbs overgrowing etc?
I'm assuming in the same way that a dog in the wild would likely have reduced life expectancy from injuries or afflictions that are easily treated by vets?
I'm assuming in the same way that a dog in the wild would likely have reduced life expectancy from injuries or afflictions that are easily treated by vets?
