Edit Potamotrygon orbignyi
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Name
Scientific name
Potamotrygon orbignyi
Described by
Not recorded
Family
Potamotrygonidae
Common names
Smooth-back Stingray, P11
Photograph credits
Not recorded
Summary
The smooth-back stingray (P11), Potamotrygon orbignyi, is a freshwater stingray from Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, Brazil and…
Size and aquarium
Maximum size
375mm
Aquarium size
Minimum length 180 cm, Minimum depth 60 cm, Minimum height 60 cm
Water
Water conditions
Temperature 24–26°C, pH 6–7.5
Hardness
0–10dGH
Conductivity
Not recorded
Behaviour
Temperament
Not recorded
Social needs
Not recorded
Community suitability
Not recorded
Where it lives
Countries, regions, rivers and lakes
Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, Venezuela, Amazon, Orinoco
Writing
Etymology
Not written yet
Distribution
Native to northern South America, including parts of Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, Brazil and Bolivia. It's found in the main Amazon drainage, as…
Habitat
Like other members of the genus it inhabits a variety of biotopes. These include sand banks, the shallows of major rivers and slow-moving tributaries with subs…
Aquarium size
A 72" x 24" x 24"/180cm x 60cm x 60cm/680 litre tank is just about enough for a single adult. A longer, wider tank is always better when keeping rays though, a…
Maintenance
Strictly speaking, decor isn't really necessary in a tank set up to house rays. You can however add some large chunks of bogwood, beech branches or smooth rock…
Water conditions
Temperature: 24 – 26 °C pH: 6.5 - 7.5 Hardness: Up to 10°H.
Diet
Wild rays feed chiefly on other fish and aquatic invertebrates, including worms and crustaceans. They're active fish with a high metabolic rate and as such wil…
Behaviour and compatibility
Rays are among the top predators in the ecosystems they populate in nature and are unsafe to keep with most other species. Conversely they also seem to prefer …
Sexual dimorphism
Rays are easy to sex. Males have a pair sexual appendages known as "claspers", one on each pelvic fin. These are used to inseminate the female when mating and …
Reproduction
Potamotrygon species utilise a breeding strategy known as matrotrophic viviparity. The young fish (often referred to as "pups") develop inside the mother and a…
Notes
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 …
References
References
No references