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Found Live Electric Ray on Display at North Oregon Coast Facility

Photos by Tiffany Boothe, Seaside Aquarium

(Seaside, Oregon) – Another stroke of luck for the crew at the Seaside Aquarium has resulted in the facility boasting a Pacific Electric Ray in its possession.

On the morning of June 20, a fisherman from the north Oregon coast town of Warrenton brought in an electric ray in excellent condition, said aquarium manager Keith Chandler. The man had accidentally caught it in a fishing net, but had obviously paid close attention to its care and immediate rescue.

“It was in really good shape,” Chandler said. “Which is unusual for a net dragger. He was really on top of it, and threw it in water right away, which kept it in good condition. I was impressed with his efforts.”

The Pacific Electric Ray is about 30 inches wide, three feet long and is a full grown female. Chandler described it as looking an awful lot like one of the “Star Trek: The Next Generation” movies, where the saucer section of the starship Enterprise gets separated from the main ship.

It was a bit of a thrill to come across it, Chandler said, because it’s rather uncommon these fish come to the aquarium or are kept alive when found – and it’s rare that they’re found. “They’re a common fish,” Chandler said. “It’s just uncommon that they come to us. I haven’t seen one in twelve years.”

The creature had no visible ailments or injuries, but it is still uncertain whether or not it will make it. Chandler said fish like these – which have been taken from one environment to another – undergo harsh physical adjustments. They have problems eating and often don’t survive such changes.

For now, it’s in a large tank and visible to the public.

“If it’s alive after this week, we’ll see what happens with it,” Chandler said. “We’re doing what we can. Until it’s stabilized and eating again, we won’t know. It’s a stressful situation when they’re moved like this and can easily die.”

The aquarium may not be equipped to keep the electric ray, as even the biggest tank they have – where the fish now resides – may not be big enough. If she lives, they may give her to another facility.

“We don’t have her in there with any other fish,” Chandler said. “Any other fish we want kept alive, anyway. We threw in some little fish, hoping she starts eating again. Then we can start feeding her on herring and stuff.”

Its chances of living are still about 50 - 50.

The scientific name of the electric ray is Torpedo Californica and it is related to other skates and stingrays. They can emit up to 50 volts, enough to knock down a full grown adult.

That’s something Chandler has never tested.

“I’ve never been shocked by one, but then I’ve never tried,” he said. “I’ve always used nets to grab them and never touched any two points on them.”

Another recent find - a ratfish - was adorable and intriguing, but died shortly after washing up on a Seaside beach

The Torpedo Californica resides in waters off the Oregon coast, in a range from Baja, California to British Columbia. The Pacific Electric ray is one of 14 species of electric rays, though it is the only one limited to the west coast. They are usually found at depths of 10 feet to 1,400 feet, maybe even deeper. Their usual habitats are sand or mud bottoms, and around kelp forests, where they live approximately 16 years.

They can get up to four feet in length and weigh up to 90 pounds.

Their prey is primarily herring, anchovies, halibut, dogfish and even salmon. They feed by stunning their pry using electric discharges from an electric organ. They have two kidney shaped organs, located one on each side of the ray.

Electric rays have been used as model organisms for molecular biology research because of the high, natural abundance of some proteins in its electrical organs.

The public can still view the Pacific Electric Ray at the Seaside Aquarium, on the Promenade in Seaside. 503-738-6211.

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