can try other characins/catfish species. others can be bichirs, rays, etc...

rays are very nice and tame fishes to keep. they are not as aggressive as most people thought.

since you already have experience with catfishes i don't think rays would be a problem for you. just like catfishes, rays are very sensitive to salt and chemicals. your water must always be in perfect condition. if not you can easily kill the ray.

i've lost 2 rays in the past. 1 was due to my negligence of my water parameter and the other was due to chlorine burn. my MM is my 3rd ray now. hope that things will go smoothly for this piece now. it's also my most expensive ray and one of my most expensive fishes so far.

Depending on where you get them, yes, they can be quite expensive. At a few stores I go to, they are normally about $150-300 depending on species and size

DO NOT keep Rays with a Jardini. They tend to get extremely aggressive at around 10-12". I had to keep mine completely by himself when he was 19" because he would kill or try to kill everything kept with him, including some of the most aggressive Cichlids out there.

If you want to try your hand at rays, PLEASE set up a separate tank or get rid of the Jardini for a Silver or Black Aro. Too many Rays die in captivity as it is...

Scientific Names:
There are many different species of Freshwater Stingray. The most commonly kept types are from the family Potamotrygon. Within that family there are many species that are available to the aquarist. These names include P. reticulata, P. motoro, P. hystrix, P. leopoldi, P. henlei, P. menchacai, P. schroederi, P. orbignyi, P. humerosa, P. castexi, and P. scobinae. There are others, but these are the most commonly available...some more common than others. This profile will touch upon the above listed names, but is meant to be more of a guide to keeping Freshwater Rays in general.

Place of Origin:
All true Freshwater Rays can be found in South America. The most common species are found mainly in the Amazon, Orinico, La Plata, and Xingu River systems.

Average Cost:
Rays are on the more expensive side of fishkeeping. Young "Tea Cups" can be purchased from $40 or $70, depending on size. "Tea Cup" is just a term given to any young Ray with a disk size of under 5 inches. I have found most to be either P. reticulata or P. hystrix. Another commonly found Ray is P. humerosa, sometimes referred to as the "Guyana Ray," even though they come from more places than just Guyana. This Ray is easily confused with P. orbignyi, which sells for about the same price.

Smaller Rays, in general, are more sensitive to stress than larger individuals, so please take that into consideration when buying. The prices listed below are based on what I have seen with the most commonly sold sizes, being around 5 or 6 inches in diameter. The common, "run of the mill" Motoro, being the Orange Spotted Ray, or Peruvian Motoro, is probably the best Ray for a beginner. I have seen 5 inch individuals sell anywhere from $75 to $150. I paid $80 for mine. Leopoldis, which used to be readily available for around $250, are now banned from export from their native Brazil (as are all Black species of Ray). Because of this they're now almost impossible to find. I've seen them for sale (if you can find them) for around $2,000. It's all supply and demand. Prices can fluctuate for all species greatly because of export restrictions, etc.

Of course, there are rare color variations within each species that demands an extremely high price. A good example is the Marble and Chain Link Motoro. A Chain Motoro is nothing more than a regular Motoro except it has a row of spots around the disk edge that are touching (or near touching). This creates the look of a "chain link." A Marbled Motoro is pretty much the same thing, except distinct marbled swirls are apparent between the spots on the back of the disk. My Chain Motoro was purchased for $170 at 6 inches in disk diameter.

When buying a Ray, make sure it is active. Avoid any individual that just sits there. Also, make sure you see it eat before you even think about taking it home. Find out how long it's been in the store. Get as much info about the fish as you can. Getting an unhealthy Ray is a waste of a lot of money. If you see a Ray in a store that you're not sure about and the store worker claims that it just came in, ask if it can be held. Come back in a few days and check it out. If it's settled and eating, then you've got a good chance at getting a healthy Ray.

Size:
Stingrays mature at a variety of sizes. The smallest growing Rays are P. hystrix, P. scobinae, and P. reticulata. They max out at around 12 inches in disk diameter. Reticulatas have a very long tail however, so can be 12 inches of disk plus another 12 inches in tail! P. orbignyi and P. humerosa max out at around 14 inches and also have very long tails. Of course, there are exceptions to every rule and I have heard of individuals growing larger than average. P. motoro is next in line, maxing out at about 18 to 24 inches in diameter. The other common types, P. leopoldi, P. henlei, P. castexi, and P. menchacai, all max out at over 30 inches in diameter!

Rays can be raised in smaller tanks, but the tank must grow with the fish. Once the Ray becomes as long (including tail) as the tank is wide, then it's time to upgrade! This can take a while depending on species and certain individuals. One of my P. motoro went from 4 inches to 12 inches in diameter in about a year. That is phenominal growth for a Stingray. Others grow much slower. Just pace your specific Ray's growth and you will know when it's time to get a new home.

Perhaps the perfect enclosure for a Stingray is an indoor pond. Rays are best viewed from the top anyways. Unfortunately, if you can only see them from the top, you can't witness the awesome activity of climbing up the sides of the tank. It is very entertaining.

Water Requirements:
Rays are considered to be one of the most difficult types of freshwater fish to keep, though that should be no reason to scare away potential keepers. It is simply a warning to avoid uneeded suffering to both the fish and the owner. The impulse buy of a Ray usually results in a dead Ray and a loss of a lot of money. Please, research before you buy! With the proper preparation and research, they can be very rewarding additions to any hobbyist's collection.

Since most Freshwater Rays originate from South America, they do well in moderately soft water that is slightly acidic. Don't fret if you don't have the perfect pH for keeping them. I have heard of them being kept very well and even breeding in hard, alkaline water. The most important factor is consistency. If you have a nice constant pH, and it isn't obscenely high, then everything should be fine. Trying to fix it often causes more harm than good, because fish certainly don't appreciate a pH roller coaster. A low pH is easily controlled by adding bags of crushed coral to the filter. Just start out small and add till the desired pH is reached. Make sure you know the reason for acidic water first, however. If it is due to soft water with a low buffering capacity, then crushed coral is a good remedy. If it is due to poor filtration and dirty water creating ammonia, then the correct answer is water changes! Water temperature should be kept at 80 to 82 degrees.

When a new Ray arrives, a proper acclimation time is a must in order to keep stress levels to a minimum. Perhaps the easiest way is by gently placing the Ray in a Rubbermaid tub with the water from the bag it came in. Test that water for pH and then compare that to the pH of the tank that it will soon habitate. The goal is to slowly, and as stress-free as possible, acclimate the Ray to the new environment's water conditions. This can be done by setting up a slow drip from the tank to the tub and letting it go for a couple hours till the tub matches the tank in conditions. Of course, as the tub fills take away some of the water with a cup or small bucket. The acclimation period can take up to a couple hours and is an absolute must, especially with more sensitive Rays like P. menchacai and P. schroederi. Once proper acclimation is attained the easiest way to get the Ray into the tank is to gently tip the tub into the tank and let it swim out. It is a good idea to keep the Ray separated from any tankmates using a divider (I use egg-crate purchased from the lighting department at any home improvement store). Keep the lights off for a few days and just leave the Ray alone as much as possible. Do not be alarmed if it doesn't take food immediately. It is common for a new Ray to go as long as a couple weeks before feeding in a new home. It shouldn't be a problem for a healthy individual. Offering any Ray's favorite food, live blackworms, is always a good idea until it actively starts feeding on other foods. Once the Ray settles in, then the divider can be removed.

Rays are also super sensitive to water quality, some species moreso than others. This means that ammonia and nitrites must always be kept at 0. Nitrate levels should also be watched closely and controlled by water changes. Strong and very efficient filtration is needed. Wet drys are highly recommended to take care of the nitrogen cycle. Water changes of about 50% should be performed faithfully once a week. If you do not have a Python, then I highly recommend you get one. When refilling the tank, make sure you match the temperature and pH as closely as possible. You don't want to stress out your Ray. Water conditioner should be added prior to filling.

Another important consideration that goes along with water quality is substrate. The best type to use would be sand, because Rays have delicate undersides and will bury themselves in it. This is part of their natural behavior. When picking out a type of sand, stay away from silica based ones, as they can be very abrasive on delicate undersides. I highly recommend Estes Marine Sand, which is available in a rainbow of colors, including black, and is perfectly Ray-safe. It also will not cloud your tank and settles out almost immediately. Gravel is also an option, but detritus easily gets stuck (no matter how clean you keep it) and will spoil water quality. Gravel can also be abrasive and Rays will not be able to bury themselves in it. The easiest way to go, though not the prettiest, is no substrate at all. The only problem with this is that the Rays won't be able to get traction and will "skid" around a little.

Rays are very sensitive to stress, some more than others. If you watch your Ray closely, it will tell you how it feels. A healthy specimen will have a nice colored underside without inflamed blotches. It will almost always be in motion, whether it is sifting through the substrate for food, or swimming up the sides of the tank. A happy Ray is an active Ray, that eats like a pig! A sick individual will have a red underside and be stationary. It will also refuse to eat. Another indicator is the "death curl," a condition where the Ray's disk curls up at rest.

In short, make sure water quality is optimum, stress is minimal, and keep things constant. If all these conditions are met, then your Ray should thrive. If you want an easy to keep fish that can be ignored for weeks on end, then a Ray is not for you.

Feeding Requirements:
Variety is key. Young Rays with a disk diameter of 5 inches or less are fed blackworms and chopped earthworms. Older Rays are graduated to shrimp, beef heart, scallops, small fish, squid, and whole earthworms. I recommend all the above foods except the live fish. There are too many risks involved. I never feed my Rays feeders and they are fine. Newly acclimated Rays should be fed as many blackworms as they can eat until they start actively taking other foods.

A Ray should be fed every day. It should always be begging. This is a good sign. As a Ray eats, it's stomach will grow, causing it's back to "hump." Don't worry, this is completely normal. Your Ray's "hump" should be back to normal the next time you feed it. I feed mine every 24 hours or so. Signs of an underfed Ray are a skinny tail, protruding bones on either side of the base of the tail, and a caved in dent in the forehead.

I handfeed mine or use a turkey baster. The latter is easier. I shoot the food under the disk and the Ray does the rest. Make sure the food is small enough to be bite sized. Rays cannot open their mouths any wider than they look, so proper consideration should be taken.

Some Rays are considered "hardier" than others, but I believe that if you meet the above requirements for water quality, than any properly acclimated Ray can be kept with relative ease. Some Rays are, however, not as aggressive when it comes to feeding. Many times more timid feeders are lost when kept with more aggressive feeders, and instead of realizing the problem at hand, it usually ends up being blamed on the species not being "hardy." As an example, P. menchacai and P. schroederi are usually timid feeders and can have a hard time competing for food against known aggressive feeders like P. leopoldi. Some keepers usually end up assuming that they are not as hardy, which is not true (though they are more sensitive to stress, but keeping stress to a minimum is a good rule of thumb to use for any Ray regardles of the species). Timid feeding is in their nature. They can be kept just as well as any other Ray, provided the right requirements are met.

General Appearance:
All Freshwater Rays are round in shape. They basically look like a disk with a spiny tail and eyes on the top. Behind the eyes are spiracles, basically holes that help with gill function. The mouth is underneath the body. They propel themselves by using their little "feet," the ventral fins, and by waving the disk. Different Rays have different disk coloration and shape and different number of spines on the tail.

Temperament:
In general, Rays are very docile, some moreso than others. They will pretty much keep to themselves. This doesn't mean that they can't be nasty every once in a while. As they sexually mature, Rays become more bold, and will sometimes act out on other fish. A common behavior to see is "topping," which is usually done to other Rays as a sign of dominance. When it is done to other fish I call it "humpling." It could be that the Ray considers the fish to be a potential snack, or just wants to be bothersome, but it does happen. Usually no damage is done, but sometimes fin nips can be attributed to Ray humpling. My B. juruense has lost his dorsal fin numerous times, but luckily it has grown back each time. I'm not saying that Rays are nasty like most Cichlids, but they do have their moments. The best way I can describe them is that they act like little kids...they always have to touch everything.

Of course, be VERY wary of any Ray's spine. It will deliver a very painful sting. The spine is shed about every 3 months or so and replaced with a new one. It should not be a problem unless your hand goes looking for trouble.

Because of their high activity level, you should keep the tank clear of obstructions, so they have plenty of room to move about. If you decide to keep your Rays in a sand substrate, they will bury themselves once in a while. Do not worry, this behavior is quite natural.

Rays should be kept with more reserved, unaggressive fish. They are very vulnerable to being picked on. Good choices are the lesser aggressive Arowanas, such as Silvers and Blacks. Gars would be another good choice. Bottom dwellers, such as Polypterus and Clown Knives, are also a consideration. Stay away from curious, territorial, and aggressive fish such as Oscars, Jack Dempseys, and other large Cichlids.

Another consideration is food. A Ray must be hand fed if it is kept with aggressive eaters. Of course, make sure the Ray can't eat it's tankmates.

Breeding:
Rays (being members of the Shark family) are internal breeders. They have intercourse, or copulate, and the female gives birth to live young, or pups. Males are easily distinguished by the claspers that they insert into the female. They are located on the underside next to the ventral fins.
Healthy Rays are relatively easy to breed. Gestation lasts about 90 to 100 days. Just before birth the pups can be seen moving about while still inside the female. She gives birth to 1 to 9 pups.

For some info on Rays, here's a profile I wrote a few years ago:

DO NOT keep Rays with a Jardini. They tend to get extremely aggressive at around 10-12". I had to keep mine completely by himself when he was 19" because he would kill or try to kill everything kept with him, including some of the most aggressive Cichlids out there.

If you want to try your hand at rays, PLEASE set up a separate tank or get rid of the Jardini for a Silver or Black Aro. Too many Rays die in captivity as it is...

DO NOT keep Rays with a Jardini. They tend to get extremely aggressive at around 10-12". I had to keep mine completely by himself when he was 19" because he would kill or try to kill everything kept with him, including some of the most aggressive Cichlids out there.

If you want to try your hand at rays, PLEASE set up a separate tank or get rid of the Jardini for a Silver or Black Aro. Too many Rays die in captivity as it is...