All fish / Urotrygonidae

Round Stingray

Urobatis halleri

Also known as haller's round ray, round stingray, california round stingray, haller's round stingray, round ray, ハラーズラウンドスティングレイ, 哈氏圆魟

A small, round-bodied ray with a short thick tail and a sandy brown back often marked with yellowish spots or mottling. It is kept by public aquariums and some advanced hobbyists because it stays fairly small for a ray and settles well in large sand-bottomed systems.

Care at a glance

Care level

Hard

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

30 cm

Temperature

14 to 24 °C

pH

8 to 8.4

Smallest tank

1000 litres

Keep as

Singly or in small groups in a very large tank

Diet

Carnivore: clams, shrimp, squid, worms and other meaty seafood

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

Around 10 years

Water

Marine (saltwater)

Wild range

Eastern Pacific: northern California to Panama, including the Gulf of California

Breeding

Livebearing; females give birth to a small litter of fully formed pups after a gestation of about three months. Births happen in large public aquarium systems but are rarely achieved at home.

Good to know

It carries a venomous tail spine that causes very painful wounds, so handle with great care. It needs a large open sand bed, cool subtropical water and good filtration, and copper-based medicines are harmful.