Do you love tropical fish? If yes, adding a teacup freshwater stingray to your aquarium will bring you a lot of fun and new experiences.
These fish are unfamiliar to some fish lovers. So let us help take the first step by giving you a complete guide to this species. Let’s scroll down to explore!
Contents
What Is Teacup Freshwater Stingray?
The teacup freshwater stingray is a round, bottom-dwelling creature native to and mostly seen in the tropical waters of South America.
People have just started to adopt these fish as pets recently. Hence, you need to learn more about them before introducing them to your aquarium.
Natural habitat
Teacup stingrays live in rivers with sand bottoms that keep moving slowly. Yet, during rainy days, these fish also travel into forested regions close to water.
Appearance
Teacup freshwater stingrays are big flattened fish with a disc-like shape. Because of this appearance, their eyes almost sit higher on the body.
Their grills and mouth stay on the side that faces the bottom. Meanwhile, they have special holes for breathing behind their eyes.
Stingrays contain poisonous barbs, as their names imply, at the end of their tail.
Although the poison of the sting does not kill people, it will inflict extreme pain and irritability.
Size
We need to measure their width and length since their primary body is circular and looks like a disc.
Their tail may grow up to 12 inches long, and their body is about 15 inches in width and length.
They are thus longer than two feet when measured from the anterior tip to the tail tip.
Behaviors
Teacup freshwater stingrays are peaceful fish. They spend most of their time at the bottom of the fish tank.
You will notice that stingrays love to hide among the substrate, and they only expose their spiracles and eyes.
They have this habit as a tactic to wait and attack their prey.
Unlike common belief, these fish don’t attack us. They may strike you, but for defense or by accident.
How To Take Care Of Teacup Freshwater Stingray?
If you intend to keep teacup freshwater stingrays as pets, please follow the guidelines below carefully. They are what your fish need.
Tank Size
A fully mature teacup stingray requires a minimum tank capacity of 125 gallons.
The optimal number for keeping them is bigger than 180 gallons. And if you raise small or juvenile stingrays, a tank of 75 to 90 gallons is enough.
The tank’s height isn’t crucial for teacup stingrays because they like to bury themselves in the substratum at the bottom of the tank.
Tank Decoration
You don’t need to add decorations to the tank. But if you want to, leave enough room at the bottom so your fish can swim freely.
Consider driftwood, smooth rocks, and twisted roots. Big plants can also enhance the setup’s visual appeal.
Natural decorations will help your fish acclimate quickly because these additions look like their natural habitat.
Hence, they won’t get stressed when getting familiar with a new environment.
If you plan to install internal heaters, attach a guard for them to prevent your fish from getting heated.
We advise using sited or in-line heaters to avoid those accidents.
Lighting
Stingrays are bottom-dwellers, so they prefer a habitat with very little light. The aquarium should have dim lighting and a clear 12-hour day/night pattern.
Water Parameters
Nitrates and ammonia are two poisons that can harm your teacup stingray fish. As a result, they need a very strict maintenance schedule.
Those fish generate a lot of waste, so their tank demands frequent water changes and solid biological filtration.
Even though a 25% weekly water change is standard for most fish, some experts advise going with a 50% change if your pets are teacup stingrays.
Moreover, the tank’s filtration system must be adequate to maintain water quality ideal for those fish to survive.
Tankmates
Teacup freshwater stingrays are peaceful. Hence, you can easily pair them with other fish. However, their tankmates shouldn’t be too small, or the rays will consider them their food.
The following species may make good friends with your rays:
- Silver dollars
- Bichirs
- Arowanas
- Geophagus species
- Severums
- Other rays
Diet
The carnivorous teacup stingrays eat many tiny and medium-sized fish in their natural habitat. They may eat crustaceans as well.
However, the fish’s acclimatization process could take some time. Hence, it’s difficult to feed just acquired teacup stingrays in your tank.
You might have to wait a while before the fish start to feed again once the tension has disappeared. After they feel familiar with your aquarium, feed them these foods:
- Brine shrimp
- Krill beef heart
- Bloodworms
- Earthworms
- Small feeder fish
This video will reveal some caring tips. Please check and learn how to give your fish the best conditions:
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Are teacup stingrays hard to keep?
Yes. Because they are sensitive to toxins like ammonia and nitrates, teacup stingray fish need very careful care, especially in the water quality.
2. What to do if teacup stingrays sting you?
The venom won’t be fatal, but it’s still excruciating. The best course of action is to give pressure to the wound, rinse it in hot water, clean it, and contact a doctor.
3. What do teacup stingrays eat?
The teacup stingray fish are carnivorous, so they love meaty foods, such as krill beef hearts, blackworms, and bloodworms.
4. How long can teacup stingrays live?
If you give your ray a sizable tank, ideal water conditions, and a suitable, well-balanced diet, you may expect it to live for five to ten years.
5. Can you keep small stingrays as pets?
Yes. They are very intelligent and can make good pets. However, you must ensure optimal living conditions for them. Otherwise, your pets won’t grow healthily.
Conclusion
Teacup freshwater stingrays are not easy to raise. However, things will get easier if you care for them enough and always remember our shared tips.
Hopefully, you will have a great experience with those fish. For any problems, please get in touch with us to get help. We are always ready to assist you.
Thank you for reading!
