Ray Tank

At Hastings Aquarium, we’re proud to house over 3,500 animals and have perfectly replicated the environments in which you’d find our animals if they were in the wild.

Our Ray Tank is one of our most magical exhibits, all thanks to the wonderful animals within it. Let’s delve beneath the water and explore our incredible Ray Tank.

What is the Ray Tank like?

The Ray Tank is a saltwater tank exhibit that houses over 40 animals. Despite the name, though, it’s home to more than just rays. Rays might be the focal point of the exhibit, but in the wild, they’re surrounded by a whole host of colourful, personality-filled creatures.

You can see all these creatures up close with our open-top tank, allowing you to get as close as possible to the sea animals within. We must emphasise that guests mustn’t touch the animals, because this can cause unnecessary distress.

What animals will you find in the Ray Tank?

In the Ray Tank, you will find a host of animals, not just rays, so let’s take a look at who you can expect to meet in the Ray Tank at Hastings Aquarium.

Thornback ray (Raja clavata)

Thornback rays might sound scary, but they’re wonderfully unique animals with adorable faces on the underside of their delicate white and pink body. Adult females can grow up to 140cm, with adult males being slightly smaller at approximately a metre long. They’re brilliantly adapted to camouflaging themselves on the seabed of the British coast.

Seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax)

The seabass is a staple of the seas, oceans, and rivers across Europe, but you might not be aware of what they look like. They’re a fairly small fish compared to their Giant cousins (Stereolepis gigas), measuring in at about a metre and weighing around 10kg on average. You’ll be able to spot them from their silvery-grey colouration and spiny front dorsal fin that they can erect when threatened.

Nursehound (Scyliorhinus stellaris)

The nursehound is a cute fish that’s a member of the shark family. They’re easily identified by their dark spots across their pale, slender body. Despite being quite an adorable animal, they can get quite large in adulthood, growing up to 1.6m, making them capable predators of cephalopods and crustaceans.

Painted rays (Raja microocellata)

The painted ray is named after the colourful blotches dotted along its body, giving the impression that someone has painted it. They’re native to the coastal waters around Britain, where they feed on crustaceans and small fish. With an average length of just under a metre and a weight of around 2.5kg, they’re a wonderful addition to our tanks, and we love to see their wide bodies gliding through the water.

Who would enjoy our Ray Tank?

Our Ray Tank is ideal for anyone who wants to appreciate the amazing sea life we have in the coastal waters around Britain. The tank is tranquil and peaceful, and so it makes a great day for all, including neurodivergent people who might struggle with noisy areas, particularly during our quiet time after 3 pm.

If you’d like to visit the wonderful world of rays in our Ray Tank and explore other areas of Hastings Aquarium, book your tickets now!