Video of Stingrays at Calgary Zoo

Der_Iron_Chef · #1 03-10-2008, 06:43 AM

Visited the Zoo today and got a video of the new Cow Nose Stingray tank....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jiw-8tg4iKQ

Pan · #2 03-10-2008, 06:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Der_Iron_Chef

Visited the Zoo today and got a video of the new Cow Nose Stingray tank....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jiw-8tg4iKQ

Good video, though it looks like he/she is in a plain old cement tank...(obviously not plain old cement, but you get my drift). Whats their habitat like?

Der_Iron_Chef · #3 03-10-2008, 02:04 PM

I actually wasn't very impressed with the tank itself. I guess it's a good design for the rays to swim in circles, with a centre area where they can go if they feel threatened, etc. But it's fairly plain, like you mentioned, and the few "rock like" decorations they have to hide drains are kind of bad.

But...it was pretty cool to see the 20-30 or so rays swimming round and round.

Delphinus · #4 03-10-2008, 04:54 PM

I find it sort of troubling that for years (and years) one constant criticism we aquarists have had about the zoo is their lack of an aquatics display (and previously, that their aquatics display was terrible. Now, to be fair, the GBR display they had years ago was terrible, and "no aquatics display" was better than having the one they did have. Retiring that one was the right call.)

But honestly? I don't see anything bad about their implementation of this tank so far. It's a circular tank with about a, what, a 20 foot diameter and I would guess about a 30" depth inside of that outside lip .... You can't run a tank like this "behind the scenes" until it's time to unveil it ... it's right out in the open, and it just opened. Let's give them a chance.

I've been to several top-rated aquarium facilities around the world and of the few ray tanks that I've seen (Long Beach and London come to mind), this display easily sits as a peer with those.

I for one am not unhappy with the display.

TRIX · #5 03-10-2008, 06:25 PM

I haven't seen this display yet and can't wait till I do, also I don't know much about Ray's, So this is a uneducated rant. My biggest problem is when I see any animal enclosure is "Do I think it is asthetically pleasing" not does it reproduce the habitat that this animal would live in in the wild. When I see Ray's on TV they are alway's either under the sand or swimmiing in wide open water. Although having a really beautiful rock display would look pretty, would it be the best replication of their environment in the wild. The elephant display doesn't look amazing. A beautiful mountain background would look nice but elephants don't climb mountains. When I set up my tanks I try to make it look nice but sometimes forget about flow and dead spots. I don't mean to attack anyone's opinion I just know that sometimes I need to reasses my thoughts from pretty to practical. So enough of me talking out my arse. I better go see this display.

Der_Iron_Chef · #6 03-10-2008, 10:41 PM

Well, well, well!

Let's not misunderstand what I was saying. True, I wasn't impressed with the tank itself...and I did think some of the tank "decor" wasn't that great. But I wasn't there to see the tank, I was there to see the rays....and I was duly impressed with them....which I did express.

I don't think I'd post a video of something that I thought was inherently lame, either. Obviously I thought it was pretty neat.

Delphinus · #7 03-10-2008, 10:48 PM

Sorry, I'm not trying to pick a fight.

I'm just saying ... I think the tank is fairly well done, all things considered. The rays, from what I can tell, don't seem stressed to me. There is a lot of open swimming room and ultimately the more reef like structures they had in there would take away from being able to see the rays.

The outside rim of the tank is concrete but it's only for about 2 feet or so. It's like a hot tub where you sit on the outside perimeter of the tank. They swim up to this part and then you can see the rays up close.

But inside of this, the 18' diameter or whatever it is left of the circle, is a white sandy bottom.

There's apparently a banded catshark in there but odds are nobody will ever see it because it'll just hide under the rockwork that is already there.

It's just I've heard already several criticisms of the tank, and .. well .. I dunno. I guess one can't make everyone happy but I was thinking that this is a decent first foray into the saltwater domain for the zoo.

Der_Iron_Chef · #8 03-10-2008, 10:51 PM

Ok...let me reconsider here. I think the tank was FINE! I just didn't like the paper mache-looking rocks covering the drains, lol.

It was cool...everyone should go see it. And I mean EVERYONE. Even if you live in Nova Scotia. Buy a plane ticket today!

Delphinus · #9 03-10-2008, 11:51 PM

Oh.. sorry, haha. I should have just said "nice video" (I wish I would think to take a video, argh).

Ok admittedly the tank itself is about as exciting as a swimming pool that you're not allowed to swim in. But the rays are really, really cool. I love how they "fly" through the water as opposed to "swim." I also love how they poke their faces out of the water to check you out. Who's looking at who?