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Motoro Stingray

Potamotrygon motoro

Freshwater South America Usually captive bred

A dramatic freshwater elasmobranch patterned with bright orange-centred ocelli. It demands vast swimming space across a soft sand bottom and heavy filtration to deal with huge bioload. Keepers must exercise extreme care during maintenance because the tail barb carries venom capable of causing painful, severe puncture wounds.

Also called: South American freshwater stingray, Black river stingray, Ocellate river stingray.

50 cm adult length, drawn to scale. flat body.

Outgrows a typical home tank. Check this fish against the adult size above before buying a juvenile. The minimum shown is the least it is kept in for good, not a comfortable size.

Try it in the planner Opens a tank sized to its minimum with 1 fish added.

What it needs

ItemValueBecause
Adult length 50 cm Used for the Space check: the tank must be long enough for the fish to turn round.
Smallest tank 900 L, at least 200 cm long estimated The least water and floor length this species is kept in for good, as a single fish or smallest group.
Extra water per added fish 300 L estimated What each further fish adds once the minimum is met.
Waste load Class 5 of 5 estimated How much waste an adult makes against its size. Feeds the Load check.
Temperature 24 to 28 C Stock sharing a tank need overlapping ranges.
pH 6 to 7.5 Compared with tankmates in the Water check.
Hardness GH 3 to 10, KH 2 to 6 Degrees of general and carbonate hardness.
Flow Medium Low-flow fish are stressed in a strong current.
Light Dim Matched to the lighting class on the needs sheet.
Group size Single fish is fine Not a schooling species.
Temperament Semi-aggressive Territorial: weak.
Swims in Near the bottom Fish that use different levels share a tank more easily.
Lifespan About 15 years A fish is a long commitment.
Experience Experienced keepers only A guide to how forgiving the species is of mistakes.
Jumps Yes Keep the tank covered.

Tags marked estimated are judged from the size and habits of the species rather than measured, so treat them as a sensible default.

Diet and tank layout

Motoro Stingray is an carnivore that swims in the lowest part of the tank. It eats or uproots plants, so choose hard-leaved species or none. It digs, so anchor plants and keep hard rock off loose sand. It will eat fish small enough to swallow.

Tankmates

Works with

Depends

Avoid

Compare any two fish on the compatibility page, or print the equipment for a stock on the needs sheet. How this is worked out: the method.