Freshwater Stingrays.. The most popular aquarium kept species

Thanks for the pictures @Reedfish
They looking stunning!!

 

Sorry it has taken a while to continue with this thread.... but.. here we go...



So now lets move on to the black rays…



Currently only two species of black rays, namely the P. Leopoldi P13 and P. Henlei P12, are scientifically recognized species, There is a third, unrecognized species,which is in the process of being officially recognized, referred to as the Itaituba river stingray, or it is commonly called the Itaituba or P14


Potamotrygon Leopoldi has two varients, the regular Leopoldi and the "BlackDiamond", although both belong to the Leopoldi genus of the Potamotrygonidae family they are found in different locations of the Rio Xingu.


Potamotrygon Leopoldi

• Common Name: Polka-Dot, eclipse stingray, Black Diamond, P13, Xingu River Ray, White –Blotched River Stringray
• Location: Rio Xingu, Brazil

Description: The body of the ray should be a deep black colour with white spots patterned around its body. The white spots vary in patterns from round or lunar in shape. Several rows of spines along its tail. Shorter tail shaped in a paddle. Adults can grow to 24 inch

The Leopoldi stingray is probably the most spectacular and desired ray among hobbyists around the world. However, the capture and sale of wild caught rays has now been banned and only captive bred specimens are available which leads to a high price for these stunning animals.
Due to the depletion of population in the wild, a good regular Leopoldi is not easy to come by

Leopoldis have a very black base colouration, with white spots on their bodies, and short, paddle tails. They start out as grey pups, and acquire their black and white patterns rather quickly. They are easily distinguished by the triangular spots formation found on their backs, commonly termed by hobbyists as the “3-2-1” formation.

A variant to the Leopoldi is the Black Diamond (“BD”, often taken to be a separate black ray from the leopoldi by novices, but they are in fact a variant of the leopoldi.
Due to the popularity of these freshwater stingrays they are subdivided into species variants. Fish keepers have developed a generally accepted way to determine Leopoldi Black Diamond variant category.

Due to their intense white on black colour contrast, and their white spots being usually in greater numbers or very large, BDs are very much coveted by some hobbyists. The Black Diamond variant is easily distinguishable by their ring of small white spots found at the edge of the rays’ discs.

Despite this, many aquarists still prefer the majestic elegance of a regular Leoplodi

A black diamond leopoldi differs from a regular leopoldi when some of the following characteristics are present:

· The black colour is more intense

· Spots are present in greater numbers or bigger and are whiter

· Iris of the eye is usually white with many white spots around the eye

· Edgespotting (spots on the edge of the disc)

· Belly spotting (spots at the bottom of the disc) is often present at later age

· Short paddle tail with 3 or 4 rows of thorns and white spots on paddle and tail

· Male has white spots on claspers

·

Black Diamonds can then be sub-divided into 3 categories

1. Thousand Island: Has many small white spots covering its body with some larger spots on the middle of the disk
2. Eclipse: Has bight white ring shaped pattern surrounding the disk often filled with black spots. These unique patterns often form line and letter shapes.

3. Big Spot: Clearly given its name based on large circular white spots surrounding the disk of the ray. The pattern is often symmetrical although each fishes pattern is unique


Potamotrygon Leopoldi

Photo @Cesar's pair








Big spot Black Diamond

My BD as a baby, you will see its still grey


And what she looks like now, you can see how the grey is turning black



to be continued

 

Thousand Island /Black Diamond (Potamotrygon Sp.)

Photo courtesy of Stingraywebshop







Eclipse/Black Diamond (Potamotrygon Sp.)

Photo taken from MFK website






Potamotrygon Henlei

The Henlei is a different species from the Leopoldi

• Common Name: Black ray, P12
• Location: Brazil, Rio Tocatins

Henlei pups are born brown and go through the most amazing morph stages as they eventually turn black
Description: Predominantly dark body colour black to off black but usually not as deep black as Leopoldi, with large white or creamy to yellow spots covering the rays body.

The Henleis are identified by their dark off black base coloration and creamy to yellow white spots and they can grow to a size of 60 cm or more. Also, like all rays, the females tend to be larger.


A pure high quality Henlei is a stunning sight and they not easy to come by

Adults can grow up to 28 inch


Henleis are endemic to the Tocantins River system, namely the Tocantins and Araguaia in Brazil. Other names include Spotted River ray, Orange Blotched River Ray, and most commonly, The Big-Tooth River Stingray.

The photos below are of older Henlei rays but i will upload photos of my pups soon (they still shy and i couldnt get a decent picture) so you can see what they look like as pups

 

Itaituba river stingrays (P14)



Location: River Tapajos in South America

The presently ( they are bsy with it and should be official soon) yet to be classified P14 rays are evidently different from the Henlei and leopoldi rays. Although believed by many to be a separate species from the leopoldi, there are some people who feel that it is only a variant of the leopoldi, due to the proximity between the Itaituba River and Xingu River. Common names include the galaxy Ray and black Estrella Ray.

They can be easily distinguished from the leopoldi by their differentiated spots pattern (small white spots) and extra spotting around the disc margin. There are also two variants of the P14 rays. The normal Galaxy rays have numerous smaller white spots while the Royal galaxy variants have larger spots.

Furthermore, unlike the leopoldi, they start out brown and turn black slowly, and they only grow up to a size of 46cm.

Experienced hobbyists would look at their tails to identify the P14, as their barbs wrap around the tail area, resembling a cactus. This is unique to the P14, as the Henlei and Leopoldi’s barbs occur on the top side of the tail.

The Potamotrygon P14 Itaituba Stingray has many awesome names such as "Galaxy" and "Stardust" given to it. When you see a P14 stingray, one is always mesmerized by the numerous spots on its back which looks like the stars in space. Of all the terms and names given to it, many ray keepers have come to know this famous species as the "Galaxy" P14 Stingray. Having a solid black color base with white spots; this freshwater stingray looks almost like a swimming map of the stars.


This particular freshwater stingray goes through the most amazing and drastic transformation process amongst all freshwater stingray species.

When born, the Royal Galaxy P14 has a light brownish base color and white spider-web like markings. Looking something like this…

The colors and markings on the stingray looks nothing near anything it would become when it grows up. As it grows to around 6 to 7 inches, pattern wise, the stingray starts to form whitish looking spots in the center of each of the spaces in the spider-web and expands to cover the holes in the spider web. In other words, the lines of the spider-web slowly lightens up and disappears in the process. The brownish base then starts to turn dark and subsequently black.


These are P14 pups.
As you can see they are brown

Photo courtesy of Top Stingray






This is my juvenile P14, you can see how they change as she is already black now

 

Its a pleasure.. shew.. that was a lot of reading and writing.. but very interesting..

I agree, they are gorgeous love my P14 girl.

Although i must say that Cesar's Leopoldis are looking better and better by the day
When you actually see them in the tank they have their own beauty...
The P14 is pretty the Leopoldi has a majesty of its own.. I actually cant say which one is nicer!!