common stingrays

Hi guys,

I decided to start the site by posting some information on some of the more common available stingrays. In previous posts you can read about the 2 most common stingrays-motoros and retics. Most fish stores do not carry freshwater stingrays. If you would like to purchase a freshwater stingray and are unable to find one locally, please contact me through this blog and I can recommend an online store for you to purchase from.



Potamotrygon hystrix

The hystrix stingray can be a difficult species to understand. This is because there are 2 different kinds of hystrix-the "true" hystrix and the "fake" hystrix. The true hystrix is from Brazil. As I stated in previous posts-there is a ban from exporting stingrays from Brazil. This makes it very difficult to find true hystrix stingrays. The fake hystrix stingrays are usually other common available stingrays with some-what similar patterns such as-orbinyi,humerosa and sometimes yepezi stingrays. Fake or false hystrix are from Peru. The true hystrix gets to be around 14", making it one of the smaller species of stingrays. A young hystrix stingray can be kept in a standard 125 gallon tank but as it gets older a tank with a minimum footprint of 6'x30' will be required.
The following picture is of a true hystrix stingray:



Potamotrygon Humerosa
The humerosa stingray is a common stingray. It is not one of the smaller rays and can reach an adult size between 20"-25". A pond would be much better for these stingrays. The minimum size grow out tank for these stingrays would be a standard 180 gallon(6'x2'x2'). A tank for an adult humerosa should have a footprint of at least 8'x6' with a good filtration system. A humerosa's pattern gets more intensified as it gets older.


Potamotrygon Orbinyi
The orbinyi stingrays get to be around the same same as humerosa stingrays. They are often falsely sold as hystrix stingrays. Obrinyis get a lot larger than hystrix.
Below is a picture of one of my orbinyi stingrays that I no longer have: