Potamotrygon

In Brazil P. castexi is currently banned from export, although it can still be legally obtained from other countries. There's a high level of polychromatism (differences in colour and pattern) displayed by this species, and in the hobby some of the colour forms have been given distinguishing names. Below is a list of some of the commoner varieties, along with some defining characteristics: Otorongo Ray (also known as "Jaguar" Ray, P25, P26, P28 or P35): This popular variant has...

P. falkneri is arguably among the most beautiful Potamotrygonids seen in the hobby. It's not imported with any great degree of regularity, and is usually expensive when available. There are currently three genera in the family Potamotrygonidae, all of which hail from South America. Paratrygon and Plesiotrygon are both monotypic genera (contain only a single described species) and are rarely seen in the hobby. The vast majority of imported rays belong to the biggest genus, Potamotrygon. T...

P. henlei is one of the more sought after ray species in the hobby due to its striking colours and impressive adult size. A fully grown one of these makes a stunning sight. Sadly exports from Brazil are now illegal under the IBAMA regulations, although captive bred fish are available occasionally. The price tends to be very expensive as a result. The species exists in various colour forms, with either white or yellow spots and a background colour varying between black and dark brown. The patt...

P. hystrix is sometimes sold as P. sp. "C", and is much sought after in the hobby. The species is usually recommended as a good beginners' ray due to its relatively small adult size. However due to current Brazilian legislation regarding the export of rays it's almost never available at present, and tends to command a high price when it is. The fish sold as hystrix in the trade are almost always Peruvian in origin and erroneously labelled. We've seen P. humerosa, P. yep...

P. leopoldi is aruably one of the most stunning freshwater species in the hobby and comes with a price tag to match. A fully grown one of these makes a jaw-dropping sight. Sadly exports from Brazil are now illegal under the IBAMA regulations, although captive bred fish are available occasionally. The price tends to be even more expensive as a result. A rare form in which the light spots appear as rings with black centres is known as P. leopoldi "eclipse" is more costly still. The stunn...

P. motoro is one of the most popular members of the genus with aquarists. Whilst it is quite easily obtainable and hardy once settled in, it does grow very large so make sure you can house it adequately long term. It should also be noted that the males of this species are among the most violent when in the mood for spawning and females can end up on the wrong end of a serious beating. If you're keeping a pair or group of these keep a close eye on proceedings and be prepared to separate them...

P. orbignyi is one of the species often labelled as "teacup ray" in dealers' tanks. It can be tricky to identify when young, and we have seen it misidentified on numerous occasions. The species it resembles most closely is P. humerosa, although these can be distinguished by examining the skin of the fish. The texture of this is typically rough in P. humerosa and noticeably smooth in P. orbignyi. Provided you're sure what you're buying, it is one of the best species for t...

P. schroederi is one of the most attractive and sought after members of the family. Due to current export restrictions in Brazil it has become very scarce in the hobby and commands a high price when it is available, usually from captive breeders. There is another fish sold under the name "flower ray", presumably to boost sales. This is a potentially undescribed species imported from Peru and is usually referred to as "Peru flower" or P40 by ray enthusiasts. Some believe this ...

There are currently three genera in the family Potamotrygonidae, all of which hail from South America. Paratrygon and Plesiotrygon are both monotypic genera (contain only a single described species) and are rarely seen in the hobby. The vast majority of captive rays belong to the biggest genus, Potamotrygon. This contains 17 species at present, and its members are sometimes referred to as "big-eyed" stingrays for fairly obvious reasons. There are also a number of undescribed species th...

This stunning fish is one of the more sought after rays in the hobby. Taxonomically it remains unclear whether it is a geographical variant of P. leopoldi or a distinct species. It has a smaller adult size and both pups (see section above) and adults exhibit different patterning than it's relative. In P. leopoldi the light spotted markings tend to be quite large, spaced out and do not extend to the edge of the disc. In P14 they are typically much smaller, more randomly distributed and prese...

This undescribed species must rank among the most jaw-dropping freshwater fish yet seen in the hobby. A good-sized adult makes a truly incredible sight. Unfortunately due to the current ban on ray exports from Brazil it is almost unobtainable and correspondingly expensive when it is. The handful of captive-bred specimens released each year can cost up to £1000 each, and we know of only a single breeder in the UK. The patterning of this "species" is highly variable, with...

This species is often confused with P. reticulata, P. humerosa and P. scobina. Such specimens are usually imported and sold as "teacup" stingrays and it is important to correctly identify what you are buying. There is also a ray sold as P. sp. "Nazca" that is often said to be P. yepezi; unlikely given that it is imported from Peru. This latter fish is one of the commonest rays seen in the trade and is usually quite reasonably priced, making it a good choice for newcomers to k...