Freshwater stingray

[MommyShanna]

Every year when we go on vacation, I find a way to detour past an aquarium. Ripley's had been a favorite of mine until my hubby took me to the Downtown Aquarium in Denver last year. The stingray exhibit is always my favorite, and in Denver, I was just amazed by how friendly they were! I've mentioned several times that I'd love to go back to visit my friends...

Well, yesterday, my dear hubby brought home a surprise... a small tea cup stingray! The pet store did not have him sign any sort of waiver (like the ones they require for lionfish and such), but this little guy definitely has a barb on his tail! I refused to put him in my guppy or turtle tanks, so he's currently sitting in a 10g quarantine tank while I figure out what to do with him (the pet store he came from frequently has ick in their tanks).
I haven't been able to find much information on tea cup stingrays online, although maybe I'm just not looking in the right places. I'm fascinated by him, but I'm a little scared of it too! I'm sure it needs a larger tank than I have running at the moment, but I don't know how large they get... Is a freshwater stingray's care similar to saltwater counterparts? Do they need sand instead of gravel? I know that stingrays in general are carnivorous and will eat whatever fits in their mouth... what can I put with him that would be safe? What do you feed them if you don't want to encourage the eating of tankmates? and most of all, how dangerous is their sting?

Any advice would be much appreciated! Thanks in advance.

 

[librarygirl]

Oh my goodness!

Here's some info I found that may be of some help.

Good luck!

Freshwater Teacup Stingray, Reticulated Stingray - FishForums.com
Aquarium Lore: Teacup Stingray
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f12/teacup-stingray-87294.html
Teacup Stingrays

 

[jeffp]

teacup stingrays need upwards of 125g tanks, I believe, to give them enough swimming room. also, many people say they are best kept alone or with some top dwelling fish since the rays stay near the bottom. I've heard most that you can get in a pet store will grow to around 12 inches in diameter for the body alone, plus however long the tail gets.

 

[kingcrab]

i would like to get a sting ray also

 

[Discusandstingrays]

Hello, congrats on the new addition.
I have two reticulated stingrays along with discus and others in my 125gallon.
Now just to let you know when a store sells "teacup" stingrays it usually means that they are very small and sometimes cant tell what species it is. Usually though they are Reticulated Stingrays that grow to about 12-14" disc diameter.
For housing your little guy will need a min 100 gallons when its small. I am about to upgrade my tank to a 150-180 gallon. But the important this is the tanks foot print. The larger the fpot print the better. Because they are bottom dewellers the dont utilize the top of the tank so all that space is "wasted".
Now for feeding. Reticluated "teacup" stingrays are unfortunately very picky eaters. Unlike the motoros the retics are hard to wean off food like bloodworms and blackworms.
And be careful they love to jump. So keep that tank well covered.

 

[Discusandstingrays]

Also i wouldnt be too concerned about him eating your guppies. If you look at their mouths they are tiny.
As for the gravel or sand they can from muddy sandy waters so they perfer sand. Gravel can irritate their soft underbellies. That being said I have mine in gravel. Its a very small, soft rounded pebble so it wont hurt them and the bag had a picture of a stingray on it. But if you do decide to use gravel keep an eye on its belly. If it starts getting red or cut that means it is irritating it and you should remove the gravel and use sand. Or bare bottom. Its interesting to see these guys "walk" with their pectoral fins.

 

[Discusandstingrays]

And lastly, their sting.
I have never been stung but if by chance you do get hit place your affected area under as hot water as you can handle. This is because their venom breaks down with heat. So the hotter the water the more it will break down and then seek medical attention. But be careful, because you may be allergic to the venom which can further complicate things. But definately seek medical attention.
And when conducting water changes watch out for disgarded barbs. As they grow they loose barbs and replace them much like a snake sheds its skin.