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Common Name: Teacup Stingray, Longtail Stingray
Maximum size: approximately 14 inches (35 cm)
pH: 6.5-8
Minimum Recommended Tank Size: 180 gal (for a fully-grown specimen)
Native Location: Surinam, Brazil, Columbia
Temperature: 78-82º F
Diet:
Primarily carnivorous. Diet consists of benthic invertebrates such as crustaceans and worms, and a limited amount of vegetable matter. In aquaria, they will accept live worms, bloodworms, cut shrimp, krill, crayfish, cut white fish such as pollock or smelt, and other meaty items.
It is often difficult to wean P. reticulata off of live blackworms and earthworms once they are large enough to eat other foods.
Breeding:
Potamotrygon reticulata is one of the several species of freshwater stingray that has been known to breed in captivity.
As in all species of freshwater stingray, fertilization is internal. During mating, the male will grab hold of the female's disc with his mouth and attempt to roll underneath her, where he will subsequently insert one of his claspers into her cloaca and deposit sperm.
Freshwater stingrays are matrotrophically viviparous, giving birth to one to seven live young at a time after a gestation period of several months (dependent on species).The uterus is formed from the expansion of the oviduct. The embryos obtain nourishment from their yolk sacs early in their development. During the later stages of pregnancy, small, filamentous appendages called trophonemata develop within the uterus and penetrate the spiracle of the embryo [3], supplying it with a nutrient-rich fluid called histotrophe that feeds it until it is born [2].
Gender Differences:
Males display elongated, rolled copulatory organs called claspers on the insides of their pelvic fins. Females lack claspers and are generally larger than the males.
Aggression:
Generally peaceful. Can be kept with other freshwater stingrays and larger, less boisterous fishes. Will consume any fishes that are small enough to fit in their mouths.
Notes:
P. reticulata can be distinguished from other freshwater stingray species based on its unusually long, pointed tail, flatter body shape, and smaller eyes. Their color pattern usually consists of numerous small, indistinct, light-colored blotches on a darker base color. As they grow older, the web pattern seems to diminish.
As their name suggests, they are one of the smaller species of freshwater stingray, rarely if ever exceeding a disc diameter of 14 inches. Most of the small freshwater stingrays sold under the name "teacup stingray" belong to this species, although P. histrix and P. orbignyi are occasionally given this distinction as well.
References:
1. Ross, Richard. Freshwater Stingrays from South America. Hollywood Import & Export Inc., September 1999.
2. Charvet-Almeida, Patricia, et al. Neotropical Freshwater Stingrays: diversity and conservation status. 2004. Florida Museum of Natural History Ichthyology Department.
3. Nikolskii, G.V. Special Ichthyology (translated from Russian). Jerusalem: Israel Program for Scientific Translations, 1961.
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This post has been edited by Kate: 07 March 2006 - 07:12 AM
