All fish / Potamotrygonidae

Parana stingray

Potamotrygon schuhmacheri

Also known as schuhmacheri stingray, schuhmacher's stingray, parana river stingray, freshwater stingray, ポタモトリゴン・シューマッケリー, 舒氏江魟

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A round, flat river stingray with a brown to dark grey disc marked with small pale or darker spots and a short tail. Keepers value it for its calm nature and its unusual way of gliding over the sand.

Care at a glance

Care level

Hard

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

35 cm

Temperature

24 to 30 °C

pH

6 to 7.5

Smallest tank

1500 litres

Keep as

Single or a pair in a very large tank

Diet

Carnivore: earthworms, shrimp, mussel, fish fillet and sinking carnivore pellets

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

10 to 15 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Paraná River basin (Argentina, Paraguay, Brazil)

Breeding

Livebearing, with females giving birth to a small litter of fully formed pups after a gestation of several months. Captive breeding is possible in large, well-kept tanks but remains uncommon for this species.

Good to know

The tail carries a venomous barb that can cause a very painful wound, so handle with care. It needs a large soft-sand floor area and spotless water, and export or keeping may be restricted in Brazil and some other countries.