All fish / Potamotrygonidae

Polka Dot Stingray

Potamotrygon leopoldi

Also known as black diamond stingray, white blotch stingray, white-blotched river stingray, xingu river ray, polka-dot stingray, leopoldi stingray, p14, leopoldi ray, black diamond ray, ポルカドットスティングレイ, ブラックダイヤモンドスティングレイ, 黑白魟

This freshwater ray has a round, flat disc of deep black with large white or cream spots spread across the back, and a short tail that carries a venomous spine. It is one of the most striking freshwater fish in the hobby and builds real character in the aquarium, so keepers with very large tanks often treat it as a showpiece animal, even though it costs a lot.

Care at a glance

Care level

Hard

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

40 cm

Temperature

24 to 29 °C

pH

6 to 7.5

Smallest tank

1500 litres

Keep as

Alone or as a pair or small group, given enough floor space

Diet

Carnivore: earthworms, prawns, mussels, cockles, squid, whitebait and other pieces of fish, with bloodworm and small shrimp for juveniles

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

15 to 20 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Brazil: Rio Xingu basin, including the Rio Fresco

Breeding

Like other river stingrays, it gives birth to live young that are fed inside the mother on a nutrient-rich uterine fluid, usually a small litter of a few pups. Specialist breeders, mostly in Asia and Europe, now breed it in captivity on a regular basis, but you need a mature pair, a huge tank and excellent water quality.

Good to know

The tail spine can give a very painful, medically serious sting, so use care when you net it or work in the tank. Brazil no longer allows wild exports, so nearly all stock is captive bred. Adults need a huge, sand-bottomed tank with very clean water, and they will eat small tankmates.