Swimming into their hearts ...
Lynda Hong Ee Lyn Today Online 28 Dec 10;
SINGAPORE - It may be the Year of the Rabbit soon but it is another creature that is getting lots of attention.
The exotic stingray is swimming its way into the hearts of pet owners.
Those in the pet business say the economic recovery has boosted sales of pet stingrays by as much as 10 per cent compared to one to two years ago.
Enthusiasts are willing to shell out anywhere between $50 and $5,000 for these freshwater beauties.
Exotic stingray breeder Dennis Phua said enthusiasts get to know of these fishes through friends, fish shops and the Internet. "They are very rare, these stingrays. They are pretty exotic, not everybody is able to get his hands on this exotic fish and this heightens interest," he said. Many of the exotic rays come from Brazil and they cost more than those bred on farms in Singapore.
A 20-gallon glass-walled fish tank, with aeration, would keep a couple of stingrays quite happy. Rays tend to burrow into sandy bottom tanks and only show up during feeding time. So most enthusiasts opt for a plain glass-bottomed tank. Evelyn Lam and Lynda Hong
