**Important note: There are now available additives that can be used instead of live fish to cycle a tank. It will still take time, but this is a better and more humane method that we would definitely recommend.
Because you aren't exposing live fish (perhaps even fish that you don't really want to keep) to an uncycled environment. Also, you are not exposing your future inhabitants to diseases that the fish you used to cycle the tank might have been carrying.
Ever since my dad has been recovering from cancer, we've been watching your channel. Neither of us are reptile keepers, but we're both hardcore fish keepers both freshwater and saltwater. However, your enthusiasm and information is infectious and we've been both saying how awesome it would be if someone did something similar to you but for fish. So we're both delighted to see this. Hopefully this means even more fish content in the future!
We have a few more lined up already, and given the response to this video, it probably won't end there :) I'm so glad that you guys found us at this time. Thanks for watching even before we got into your true passion. Keep going strong with that recovery! We'll keep the videos coming :)
Yeah, hearing Clint talk about Bala Sharks, recommending a Hillstream Loach instead of a stingray, and discussing the nitrogen cycle made me appreciate the fact that this guy knows all the animals, not just the reptiles, and I hope that he continues including the fishes along with all the other rad creatures he does species profiles for. The added bonus being this channel's not gonna run out of material anytime soon if he does decide to venture farther into the watery depths.
Hey Clint, stingrays don't drop their tails, but they do shed their stingers. Kinda like a cat's claw or a shark's tooth, they will fall off after so long and be replaced by the next in line. That shed stinger can potentially injure you or another fish, so you need to keep an eye out for those.
Clint’s catfish impression was adorable! It honestly never occurred to me that some fish had lungs to breathe air. I mean, we’ve all heard about mudskippers and things like that, but I didn’t realize other fish had that ability.
Catfish are the toughest fish on the planet. Not that this is a good thing but growing up on the river i fished a fair amount of cats. I changed my method of cleaning after I opened up the cooler a good 24 hours after I harvested to clean it out and just the head and organs ( they were still attached to the head due to cleaning method) was still breathing in the bloody water. I had always figured that with the body removed death was a sure and quick thing. It wasn't. I shifted to destroying the brain before cleaning not removing the head and organs first.
Betta fish are one of the most commonly kept species of fish that can breath air. They adapted a labyrinth organ to survive in low oxygen water. They swim up to the surface of their tanks and take little gulps of air all the time.
Seriously I think every video I’ve watched he says that. I ain’t badmouthing tho because they’re all pretty damn awesome. I’m due for a penguin. Cant do monkeys resembles too much of me.
From this video I learned that bullsharks can live in freshwater and suddenly the shark filled moat of my childhood dreams feels possible. Laserbeams optional of course
There's something I enjoy so much about these sorta videos that are very much reality checks for a lot of people. It's too often on the internet, when animals species of any type are just hyped up no matter, how difficult or sometimes illegal they might be to keep. These videos just add to the respect I have for you guys and the work you do.
Notes from a stingray keeper: 1) The tank is the biggest challenge. Standard aquariums tend to emphasize height moreso than width, and stingrays care about the latter far more than the former. I have never seen a standard off-the-shelf aquarium that I would be comfortable housing an adult ray in. Be aware that you're looking at something custom. You can DIY it for relatively cheap, but if you want something built by a pro, you're looking at big money. I would consider 72"/180cm× 36"/90cm the bare minimum floor footprint for a single adult ray, and I wouldn't want it any shallower than 24"/60cm. For those curious, that's a minimum volume of 270 US gallons/1020L, and the same footprint as a reasonably-sized dinner table. That same tank is going to weigh about 2500lbs/1135kg. The flooring under it may well need some structural reinforcement, and once it's full of water, it's going to be essentially impossible to move. 2) Once you actually have a tank, you're about a year and a half away from getting a ray. You need to cycle that aquarium for the first year, either using a fishless ammonia-dosing method or with really hardy fish(large, messy, South American cichlids are the best for this). After that year, get yourself some more delicate species to switch the big messy guys out with. I like earth-eater cichlid species for this: they'll generally accept a ray as a tankmate, they're attractive, and they're more sensitive to uncycled tanks, so they'll let you know if your tank isn't set up right. After you've gone 4 months without losing ANY of your second round of fish, you could start looking for a ray. 3) Decorating a ray tank can be boring. Jagged rocks can do some damage to soft ray undersides, and they'll uproot anything nestled in the bottom. I've started growing tropical plants above the back side of my ray ponds, which make them more appealing to look at. Sand looks really nice and is not awful to clean, but very deep sand beds can, over time, build up pockets of anaerobic bacteria in the depths that can be extremely toxic. Sand is also EXCELLENT at plugging up filters and suction hoses. Ceramic tile is easier to keep clean and can look really nice. 4) Rays are not aggressive, but anything that fits in their mouth counts as a snack. I wouldn't house any fish with a body length under 4"/10cm with a ray, lest it end up on the menu. When choosing tankmates, look for fish that dwell in the upper and middle strata of the water column, because rays are highly active and will constantly be disrupting other bottom-dwellers. I could(and have) write an entire article on keeping freshwater rays, but this covers some basics.
As a former ray owner AND pet store employee I HIGHLY approve this message!! Thank you to both you and Clint for trying to keep ppl informed on making the best choices for their pets BEFORE THEY GET THEM!! This channel should have WAY more subs and be WAY more noticed in the algorithim!! The number of times I tried to explain the proper way to care for reptiles and esp FISH ( esp set up) only to fall on deaf ears and then have a dead animal returned and be boldly lied to "you never told me that" is maddening. Im so glad we didnt sell rays or saltwater....just fresh. I felt bad for the saltwater stores cuz it was bad enough having kids and parents walking in everyday asking for a "nemo tank" and when they couldnt get it they would want a "goldfish in a bowl" which i still wasnt going to sell them!
As someone who also cares for stingrays, aros, and other "monster fish", this is crazy. It does not take over a year to cycle an appropriately sized tank. You can easily cycle a 400g+ without any seeded bio media, completely from scratch in a month or two. I have no idea why you think it takes a year and a half, but that's honestly ridiculous and none of the main methods of cycling a new rank require anywhere close to that amount of time. Even fish-in methods, which are generally slower, only take a few months. And this is assuming you are being as careful and prudent as possible. Also, stingrays come in all shapes and sizes. There are teacup motoros which are proven to get no larger than 12 to 14 inches and can easily be contained in a tank that is not the size of a dining table. Even for the regular species this is an overstatement. Almost any 300g+ tank will have an appropriate footprint for at least one adult, unless you're buying a really weird tank. It's a shame that everyone will see your misinformation comment, and not the replies.
Oh my goodness a ray! Of all fish thats amazing for two reasons. Reason 1: its a weird flat pancake alien Reason 2: they are very closely related to sharks so clint effectively just dipped his toes into giving us shark husbandry tips Love ya loads man keep throwing us these stinkin rad curveballs!
I love sting rays so much. I got to pet one recently at an aquarium, and I was so charmed by the enthusiasm on its little face when it came up to me. Then I saw another video where a sting Ray used its wings to slap the side of a pool in excitement for food. I’ve been sold. Stingrays are my new spirit animal.
When he said ''Fill my heart with joy'' It just warmed my heart so much to know there are people so passionate about animals, spreading knowledge about them and that are so dedicate on what they do, all best wishes from Mexico
I love these guys. When I was a kid (around 35 years ago) my family had a massive salt water tank and we had a little blue spotted stingray. I learned a lot about nitrogenous waste because my dad and older brother were really into chemistry. We also had live coral and anemones. I loved that guy.
".. and everyone will be like; well you're a weirdo!" As far as I'm concerned, there can be no greater praise! 😂👍 Once again, I've learnt a very interesting scientific fact about animals whilst watching Clint's reptiles👍
Growing up in Key West I always knew rays were the puppies of the ocean. They are so amazingly friendly. My dad dove for and sold tropical fish so our entire downstairs was a giant Aquarium and I never wanted an aquarium until now! I never thought of keeping a ray but it would be so worth it
This was a great video, and I would love to see more fish (And other aquatic animals like Shrimp, Corals, etc!) from you! Some fish make amazing pets, even if most of the time you can only watch them. A few things that I thought I would bring up. I really liked your explanation on cycling, though it's a bit out of date, as the fish-keeping community has come up with better, more humane ways of cycling that don't involve subjecting any fish to toxic ammonia or nitrite. The current standard method is to get a "Bacteria in a Bottle" solution, some are better than others, Safestart I've found is best for Freshwater, but Fritz TurboStart is pretty good as well. Dose the tank with that solution, then dose the tank to 2-4ppm of ammonia, under 2 is fine, but never go over 4. Test daily, making sure to add ammonia when it starts going away as the bacteria colonizes your filter. If the Ammonia doesn't go away, unfortunately your bacteria probably died on the store shelves so you will need another bottle. Ammonia will go up, then will start falling as nitrites will go up. Ammonia falls off completely and nitrites peak, then nitrites will go down and nitrates will show up. When you have nitrates, your tank is established and safe for fish. Also a secondary comment. The reason why Freshwater Rays produce so much waste, is that they are still a saltwater fish, but with a special adaptation that allows them to live only in freshwater. Basically, they produce urea to maintain a higher salt level in their body than the surrounding water. Since they will always lose salt to diffusion, they produce a lot of urea, constantly. This means they put out a lot more waste than a fish their size. I normally like to think of them as being equivalent to a fish 3x their mass, and that is a conservative estimate. Anyways, some fish/shellfish I would love to see- Goldfish (cause care for goldfish is a lot harder than people think), Bettas (cause most people don't understand a proper habitat for them), Clownfish (most common saltwater fish, and very much a good intro to salt), and to list a few more off, Oscars, Common vs Bristlenose Plecos, Cherry Shrimp, Pistol Shrimp, Tangs, and benthic Saltwater Rays.
Stingrays are fantastic adorable animals! I always wished I was a mega rich person so I could have one. And an octopus, oh I love those too, they are incredible.
As a fish keeper, I think you should do a guppy video. They’re like the mourning geckoes of the fish world since they’re so hardy and easy to breed. One of my favorite and most beginner friendly fish out there
I truly hope your page has reached many people and helped prevent them from making commitments for animals they weren't ready for. I LOVE your channel and LOVE you enthusiasm!
So. I've been around some sting ray tanks and I'm always amazed at their personality. Whether it be food motivation or what (even though they don't show disinterest when they figure out you don't have food), I don't know, but when I put a hand in these tanks some just either slide under the hand and almost excited when they pass by a person. I was in an aquarium and a very large group of loud kids came in. I was talking to the keeper from that area and asked if the all the noise of the kids (and the motion and hands in the water) freaks them out, she said they actually seem to like all the attention. On a side note, one animal that was surprisingly friendly in this tank was a horseshoe crab. It never ate the food from me, but it just came and settle under my hand as I pet it.
Hey Clint and Team! I absolutely adore your videos and am so happy to see you all grow. One thing that I am requesting that you include is mention the size of each full grown creature maybe even with an hand gesture approximation to get a better understanding. Several of the creature you talk about are young and look to be a reasonable size only to grow much larger than in the videos. I believe it would be really helpful to know the full extent of what it means to care for these amazing animals. Ps this wasn't aimed at the stingray itself but at all creatures. Great video btw
I was looking up whip scorpions. I was shown this channel’s pet vinegaroon video. I am now hooked, because this guy’s joy and barely contained excitement for animals is what everyone needs in their life.
@@nathanielleack4842 Why thank you for noticing! As you can probably guess Team Galactic is my favorite evil team (followed by Magma and Skull, respectively).
@@commandermercury6654 i recently finished ultra sun (3 weeks ago) Guzma and team skull were very compelling. I love how they were just regular people who didnt complete the kahuna island challenge. They were really sympathetic
Ah Team Galactic! My favorite team if only because of nostalgia! Though I agree Team Skull’s not half bad, either. Their self-referential/self-deprecating humor always makes me laugh (though Galactic arguably did that kind of humor before it was cool. Seriously, I’m playing through Platinum and some of the lines from the grunts are hilarious!) So, who’s y’all’s favorite Galactic Commander? Everybody seems to have at least one.
it’s a coincidence that you’ve made this video recently as i’m always searching up stingray stuff since they’re my all time favorite animal and despite the setbacks, you really make me so hopeful to one day have my own pet one! thank you for the lovely, entertaining and informative video and i’ll definitely stick around to see whatever more you come out with! who knows, you might help me finally make a decision on which pet reptile to start with 💜
Love these guys!!!! Iv kept and bred them and they are so special. Thank you so much for being the amazing team you guys are, and for rekindling my love for reptiles, because of you iv just this last week got a pair of 2 month old captive bred indian star tortoises.
I didn't realize you could keep stingray as pets! I got to feed some once at the Denver Zoo and it was one of the coolest experiences of my life. I didn't stop gushing to everyone about it for weeks! The idea of having one in my home is amazing! But I need to learn to keep a regular aquarium thriving first 😅
Thumbs up Clint! Nice breakdown of husbandry.. hopefully people won’t rush out to buy one just for the cute factor without having the years of experience needed with more demanding tropical species before attempting these.. far more complex and less forgiving to mistakes than most reptiles ..
So, I posted a video with a manatee yesterday on Instagram ( instagram.com/clintsreptiles ) and nobody commented on Emily from Snake Discovery's voice twin!
Hey Clint I have been watching your videos for a long time now and for a while you have only done reptiles sense you are expanding your horizon I am in love with there animals I have done my research and have the time and money can you please do a cheetah I’m begging and would love to see it
Really enjoyed this one! My niece and I had a virtual tour yesterday and it was wonderful! Her mom will be incorporating this channel into their homeschooling! Keep up the good work, Clint and family!!!
Tough to get a stingray blooper. That might be its only down side. They are beautiful! You did not disappoint when you said all videos to the end of the year would be AMAZING! So cool! Thank you, thank you!
I just discovered this channel yesterday. I'm about 4 videos in. Clint reminds me of Gabe from the Office. I love his enthusiasm for these animals. Great channel
Stingrays are probably my wife’s favorite fish! I love them too...so we may keep them someday...when we have the considerable space, time, and money required. Great video as always, Clint! More bodacious fish videos would be welcome!
You know the mention of them producing a lot of ammonia reminds me of goldfish. Cute but messy. Speaking of, a video on goldfish would be really cool! A lot of people don’t realize how much care they truly need! Wonderful video as always!
I remember when I was 10 I wanted a shark for Christmas and my parents got me a bala shark and I thought it was a real shark and I was bragging to all my friends lol
@@ClintsReptiles in the past I said I'd never have kids. At sunset today I confused my nephew while on call via a head set. While grabbing mealworms, red wrigglers, and a mouse I'd just warmed with water I said time for breakfast kids and then began swearing like id stubbed my toe. I'd just reminded his mom an hour earlier I had no plans for kids cause I can't parent and she said you'll see. Is my despair at being wrong warranted? Does it still count as parenting if it's a pig frog, Texas toad, and a ball python?
Clint, since you asked so nicely, I would enjoy watching more fish vids. I have been keeping herps, birds, fish and inverts and bred many species of each as a hobby for over 40 years and really enjoy your videos.
Stingrays are super fun to visit at aquariums, and are very intelligent, friendly creatures. My local aquarium has a bunch of smaller stingrays and then a big southern stingray named Priscilla, who constantly goes up to people for attention and pets. She has various moves she does. Unfortunately she is not allowed to be hand fed like the smaller ones cause her mouth is so big, but trust me, she gets plenty of food throughout the day!
hey clint have you ever considered doing a video on varanus glauerti (kimberly rock monitors)? they're a swarf monitor that come from australia and resemble miniature water monitors in appearance as opposed to the ackie's more unique look. ive heard that they make pretty good pets due to them being docile and about on equal terms with ackies when it comes to care. would love to see your take on them!!!!!
As always, a delightful video from Clint and the team. Cartilaginous fish, really are the coolest fish. Also, I think I speak for everyone when I say, we will happily watch more videos of you talking about fish... any animal really.
YESSSSS FINALLLYY FISHHHHH, I am a huge fish guy and I hope to see more of this content Clint! We all know how humble you are :). Even if the animal just breathes it is "stinkin' rad!" for you so what is your actual favourite animal???
1:13 Fun fact! Buffalo wings actually were invented in Buffalo, NY! (My best friend is a Buffalonian and makes it a point to remind me of this fact every few days 😂)
Yeah my stingray was so cool!! Definitely recommend them!! They are not for any keeper. They are for experienced keepers. The reason mine passed away after 6 months was because I did a water change and and my sink broke and filled the tank with warm water. 😢 worst day ever. I had a pearl. They need a big tank! There bath is pretty serious too! If it gets stuck in you you have to push it threw your skin. Yeah that hurts. Also I have an electric eel!! They are sick!! You should do a video on them!! Price is going cost you from 300-1200 depending on the species. Some can go for over 12,000 easily.
Matt and his family are great people. Back when he lived in the midwest, he helped me with a project I was doing on amphibians. I loved his tiger salamanders, along with the other cool creatures he and his family kept. I always wanted to go with him to find salamanders, but never got a chance to.
@@kcmattp If you make a trip back out to the midwest for the first rains of the year and go searching for them, let me know! (Or at least give me some pointers on where to go :) )
I'd love to see this channel cover more aquatic species, especially aquatic invertibrates! I've actually been thinking about that for a while because I recently started my first aquarium. While I could keep fish, I've found that black devil spike snails (Faunus ater) are the best aquatic pet invertibrate for me!
Great to see you dipping your toes into the wet world! One note on keeping rays on substrate I hear from ray keepers is when they shed their barbs, if left in the enclosure it’s very possible for them to injure themselves on a discarded barb if it’s not removed, a bare bottom tank simply makes it easier to find the barb :) Really hope to see more fish highlights! Maybe some of the more accessible but very unique and specialist species such as snakeheads, gars or ctenopoma perhaps, all fish that share a lot of husbandry to reptiles honestly. You’ve opened a big book that is the world of fish 😂 keep it up! ❤️
Hi Clint! This is an awesome stingray which has wowed me! I was wondering if you could do a video on 5 best freshwater animals and a plan for a giant's reptiles enclosure? Your videos always make me happy!
Awe man. I feel like the scores should go up. It's not the animal, it's the people. If you wanna keep anything, you godda be obsessed with it😌... As a marine biologist, I love your appreciation for the great white.
I know. But🧐... There's a but. Even so I appreciate your work and the fact that this encourages people to really consider getting any particular animal. But, the but is, any animal that you want to take care of, you godda know and be prepared. Difficult things come with trial and error, but if you research, communicate with others who are taking care of said animal and your obsession is good enough, then it's not hard. But you are correct in everything you say.I guess it's just my love for aquatic life. 😞 They're really good pets and even more beautiful in the wild.
I am down for more fish videos! Rays are my favourite type of animal but I will never have one as a pet because they are far too difficult to care for. Wonderful video!
I've been stung by one roughly that size... saltwater florida species of some kind. I was messing with it...didn't fully grasp how it would use the sting. They bat you with it. Like swinging a venomous knife on a rope. Fun times. Hand swole up from the venom.
Definitely interested in more aquatic videos. I have two male motoro rays and theyre amazing! A good bit of info to add is that the heater needs to be covered, because its like a magnet to them and they will burn themselves over and over if they can get to the heater
For those interested in freshwater stingrays, I recommend watching StingrayBiology, the guy whose channel it is, specializes in breeding and selling freshwater stingrays. Both Predatory Fins and King of DYI both feature freshwater stingrays in their videos from time to time as well. One thing Clint didn't mention in this video is that there actually different morphs of freshwater stingrays (don't know which species), much like some snakes. Which makes watching videos with them pretty cool since they come in different colors and patterns.
If you are new to fish keeping, stay away from these. Get something reasonable like Guppies. If those won't do since they won't impress anyone: Stay away from pet keeping.
Despite what Clint mentioned in the video, sharks of the genus Glyphis are actually present in captivity. Melbourne Aquarium keeps a single Speartooth Shark, (Glyphis glyphis) (although it is not kept in freshwater - like Bull Sharks they can live in both fresh and salt water). No Glyphis sharks are available in the aquarium trade though, so the point still stands. Great video!