Freshwater stingrays
Stingray
Stingrays are a group of sea rays, which are cartilaginous fish related to sharks. Many species are endangered. They are classified in the suborder Myliobatoidei of the order Myliobatiformes and consist of eight families: Hexatrygonidae, Plesiobatidae, Urolophidae, Urot…
What do freshwater stingrays eat?
Whole fish and worms will also make up a good portion of Freshwater Stingray diet, not mentioned above, since they are generally a less, crunchy hard food category, yet are readily taken and accepted by Stingrays.
Where can I buy freshwater stingrays?
In the list below are a few species of freshwater stingrays that have become popular in the aquarium trade in recent years. Most of these species can be found at your local fish store or from a breeder. 1. Potamotrygon Motoro (Ocellate river stingray, Motoro)
Do Stingrays eat their babies?
Mothers very rarely eat their pups. However, if other stingrays are present, cannibalism is a significant danger. Once born, we separate the pups and place them in a blacked-out floating container in the mother’s tank for the first two days to let them settle down.
How often should you feed a Stingray fish?
Stingrays should be fed at least twice, and usually three times, daily. In spite of these frequent feedings, rays will still constantly look for food between feedings! When feeding significant quantities of live feeder goldfish, it is wise to add vitamin B1 to the feeder supply.
What do newborn stingrays eat?
Stingray Birth During development, pups are nourished with their yolk sacks. Just before being born, they are nourished with special uterine fluids.
What do you feed freshwater stingrays?
Feeding Freshwater Stingrays All freshwater stingrays are carnivores. In the wild, the fish eat mainly crustaceans and other fish. In captivity, most keepers find that their rays accept live blackworms and earthworms as an introduction to frozen foods, including bloodworms and mysis shrimp.
Do baby stingrays drink milk?
Stingrays give birth to live young, which absorb nutrients from a yolk sac and then a special uterine 'milk' before birth. Born fully developed, the babies are immediately able to swim and feed, requiring no parental care.
How long can stingrays go without food?
Stingrays typically eat 2-3 times a day. However, they can go without food for up to two weeks. This is likely because stingrays can store fat in their bodies.
How do you take care of a freshwater stingray?
Most freshwater rays can be kept at a pH between 6.8 and 7.6, alkalinity between 1° and 4° (18ppm to 70 ppm) and temperature between 75° and 82° F. Ammonia and nitrite levels should always be zero and nitrates below 10 ppm. Many stingray owners use RO/DI water with a trace element restorer.
Why is my freshwater stingray not eating?
If they're not eating, it usually means there's a problem. It's very rarely the food itself that's wrong, but something else. Could be water quality or chemistry, could be the lighting (Stingrays hate bright light), could be the tankmates, if any (Stingrays are best kept alone).
How fast do freshwater stingrays grow?
Even those sold as “teacup rays” will reach at least 18 inches in diameter when mature (2-3 years), and will require a tank measuring 4′ x 2′ x 2′ if they are to thrive. Adults of several trade species approach 3 feet in diameter.
How long can stingrays stay out of water?
Never hold a ray out of the water longer than 4 minutes. A longer timespan can damage the ray. It's important not to hold the ray out of the water longer than necessary.
Do stingrays need water to breathe?
Stingrays need water to survive. They breathe using gills on the underside of their body to collect oxygen from the water. Without water, a stingray will suffocate.
How do I get my stingray to eat?
so a stingray refusing to eat = on its way out. you can do a couple of 35% water changes, and feed him a piece of atlantic shrimp [frozen thawed] daily. make sure he eats it all. if he doesnt, or if he is not happy about being fed, he is not healthy and you need to do more water changes.
Do stingrays like to be pet?
“We think we have pretty strong evidence that they don't get anything negative out of it,” Van Bonn said. “In fact, there's evidence that they do get something out of it and they seem to enjoy it.”
How big of a tank do you need for a freshwater stingray?
Bigger is always better for freshwater rays, but your looking at nothing less than a 225 gallon (72" x 30" x 24") glass tank. Juveniles or pups can be kept in an 80 gallon tank but will quickly outgrow their tank. The best approach will be to acquire a tank large enough to house them permanently.
What can I feed stingrays?
Stingrays are purely carnivorous and, like most carnivores, they like to eat animals smaller than themselves. In particular, they like to eat animals that live on or beneath the sand like worms, clams, oysters, snails and shrimp . A la carte for stingrays are small fish and squid.
How often do you feed stingrays?
A stingray's diet is very simple. These creatures only need to eat once every two weeks to stay healthy. It is in large part because they have evolved into their current position as hunters. Stingrays eat very little, usually only a few grams of food per day.
How do you keep a stingray as a pet?
6:4113:34Freshwater Stingray, The Best Pet Fish? - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipMake sure to use good filters and maintain good aeration and flow as stagnant water quickly becomesMoreMake sure to use good filters and maintain good aeration and flow as stagnant water quickly becomes anoxic.
How big of a tank does a stingray need?
Bigger is always better for freshwater rays, but your looking at nothing less than a 225 gallon (72" x 30" x 24") glass tank. Juveniles or pups can be kept in an 80 gallon tank but will quickly outgrow their tank. The best approach will be to acquire a tank large enough to house them permanently.
Relatives of Sharks
Stingrays are relatives of sharks, sawfish, skates and guitarfish, having cartilaginous skeletons rather than true bones. As their name suggests, stingrays have a venomous barb – actually a modified scale – on their tails, which they use as a defense mechanism.
A Stingray's Natural Habitat
Freshwater stingrays are found in river systems in Southeast Asia, Australia, Africa and South America. Aquarium shops in North America typically offer members of the genus Potamotrygon (Family Potamotrygonidae), which are native to South America.
Water Requirements for Stingrays
Stingrays are very sensitive to ammonia, nitrite and nitrate, so it's vitally important to understand the Nitrogen Cycle and maintain pristine water quality. To complicate matters, they produce high amounts of ammonia relative to their size.
Housing Requirements for Stingrays
Simply put, when it comes to the proper sized aquarium for freshwater stingrays, the bigger the better. Height is not critical, but a length of at least 72" to 84" and depth (width) of 24" to 36" should be considered the minimum for long term housing.
What Do Stingrays Eat?
Freshwater stingrays are carnivores, feeding mostly on fish and crustaceans in the wild. Many hobbyists feed live blackworms to get new rays eating as soon as possible, but frozen bloodworms, mysis shrimp, raw shrimp or white fish (tilapia) and live earthworms are better choices once rays are acclimated to their new surroundings.
Buying Stingrays
As of 2017, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Georgia, Hawaii, Mississippi, Nevada, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah prohibit private individuals from owning Potamotrygon species, and Colorado and Florida require a permit. Always check local and state regulations before purchasing any animal.
Stingray Breeding Level – Difficult
A number of hobbyists have had success breeding freshwater stingrays, but it takes time, space and dedication. Females are larger than males and have two uteruses, meaning they can have litters of pups from two different males at the same time. Males have modified pelvic fins called claspers, which they use to inseminate the females.
How do stingrays breed?
Freshwater stingrays breed through internal fertilization. When sexually mature, the male specimen will hold onto the female by biting her, and he will impregnate her with the help of his modified pelvic fin. Next, the female is to produce the eggs which will hatch internally, to finally give birth to live babies.
Where do stingrays live?
Indeed, the freshwater stingray loves inhabiting the Amazon River, but some versions can easily be found around Southeast Asia, Australia, and Africa.
What plants can grow on driftwood?
However, plants that are able of growing onto driftwood and smooth rocks, such as anubias or java ferns, or even some sorts of floating plants such as duckweed, are all more than welcome. When it comes to decorations, the golden rule here is to avoid sharp objects.
Is a stingray an aquatic pet?
Freshwater Stingray – Care, Facts, Profile & More. Stingrays are certainly one of the most wanted aquatic pets among enthusiasts today and, as a surprise to some, they can be freshwater as well. These amazing creatures are highly intelligent and can learn to interact with their humans in an amazing way. Also, they are surrounded by ...
Do stingrays have venom?
As all stingrays, freshwater versions of the species also feature a venomous barb. However, this is only used when their wellbeing is seriously compromised. These spectacular creatures are really peaceful pets, and you should either aggressively bother your pet or to step on it in order for it to sting you.
Do stingrays eat fish?
Freshwater stingrays are carnivorous. They enjoy live food portions containing white fish, but they actually seem to prefer invertebrates, so including these into their regular diet will certainly make them happy.
Can stingrays get aggressive?
Male stingrays, as an exception, can get quite aggressive during the mating process, as they will start biting on the bodies of their female partners and strongly taking them over. Other than that, your stingray pet will be a rather peaceful one, and will often try interacting with you and your family members.
What is the best stingray for aquariums?
4. Potamotrygon Leopoldi (Black Diamond, P13, Leo) Usually considered the ultimate aquarium stingray, the Potamotrygon Leopoldi is even more majestic than its P12 counterparts. While not all Potamotrygon Leopoldi are black diamonds, they are still considered variations of the same species.
What is the best stingray to keep?
The Motoro is a good first stingray because it is the most forgiving of all the species on this list. It is a dark brown color with yellow or orange spots. However, the Motoro is a large species and can grow up to 36 inches in diameter. If you intend to keep a Motoro , make sure you have adequate tank space. 2.
How many pups do stingrays have?
Female stingrays are capable of giving birth to 1 -- 12 pups with each pregnancy. Some species can give birth to more pups than others, and larger females tend to have larger litters. The gestation period usually lasts about three months, with different species differing by a few days each.
How much space do stingrays need?
Floorspace. Stingrays appreciate lots of floorspace. As they grow large, they’ll need NO LESS than three by five feet worth of floorspace available to them. A tank with these dimensions will be able to house a maximum of two freshwater stingrays comfortably into adulthood.
How tall should a stingray tank be?
Stingrays usually find security in the substrate at the bottom of the tank. Hence, a height of two feet will be more than sufficient for them. Having a shorter tank will also aid with the weekly aquarium maintenance.
What color is a pearl stingray?
It has a light brown base with mottled circular orange patterns. As the Pearl stingray ages, its light brown coloration generally becomes darker while its mottled patterns become less obvious. This species is also a good choice for hobbyists looking to start keeping stingrays. 3.
Where do pearl stingrays live?
The Pearl stingray is a beautiful stingray that is endemic to the Tapajos river system in the Amazon. Most of the species on this list are endemic to a particular Amazonian river system. This species grows slightly smaller than the Motoro and can reach sizes of up to 30 inches in diameter.
What are freshwater aquarium stingrays?
You probably already have a pretty good idea of what a stingray looks like. With a wide, floppy disc shape, the stingray has sometimes been referred to as the ‘sea pancake’. Freshwater stingrays tend to be smaller than their marine counterparts.
Where do freshwater stingrays come from?
Many species of stingray are marine, meaning they live at sea. They tend to prefer shallow waters, and like to move with the tide.
The basics of freshwater stingray
Some species of wild freshwater stingray have been rumored to achieve sizes several feet wide. These are obviously not suitable for any home aquariums. Even the smallest of freshwater aquarium stingrays can still get pretty big.
Choosing the right stingray
There are several types of stingray that are found in the aquarium trade. The most common species are from South America, and are known as Potamotrygon. When choosing a stingray, there are several things to look out for, and things to avoid. Always use a trusted breeder, to ensure the health of your stingray.
What to avoid when choosing a stingray
When choosing a stingray, you want a healthy and happy companion. They should look well-fed, with none of the cartilage showing through the skin. If you can, ask to observe the stingrays as they feed. A healthy stingray has a voracious appetite. The only time it’s normal for them to eat less is when they’re introduced to a new environment.
Caring for your freshwater stingray
Although they may be rewarding, freshwater stingrays aren’t the easiest of fish to care for. If you intend to keep them, you have to be prepared for the financial sacrifice, as well as the space a stingray needs.
Final Thoughts
Stingrays are curious, playful, and endless fun to watch. While they may have some very specific needs, the reward is more than worth the effort.
