All fish / Rhinopteridae

Cownose Ray

Rhinoptera bonasus

Also known as cownose ray, atlantic cownose ray, cow nose ray, cownosed ray, no, ウシバナトビエイ, 牛鼻鲼

A brown, diamond-shaped eagle ray with a notched, lobed snout that looks like a cow's nose, and a long whip-like tail. It is a staple of public aquarium touch pools and large exhibits because it swims gracefully in schools and adapts well to large systems.

Care at a glance

Care level

Hard

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

90 cm

Temperature

18 to 28 °C

pH

8 to 8.4

Smallest tank

100000 litres

Keep as

Groups of 3 or more; a schooling species

Diet

Carnivore: clams, mussels, shrimp, squid and other shellfish, fed several times a day

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

15 to 20 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Western Atlantic, from New England to southern Brazil, including the Gulf of Mexico

Breeding

Livebearing, with females usually giving birth to a single large pup after a gestation of about 11 to 12 months. It has been bred in public aquariums, but this is not realistic for home keepers.

Good to know

Disc widths approach 1 m and it needs huge, round, open systems, so it is only suitable for public aquariums. The tail carries a venomous spine; handle with great care.