​        Stingray Fish Keepers  

The Potamotrygonidae family commonly refers to the famliy of River Stingrays which are distributed throughout most of the tropical river systems in South America (Brazil), and a are unique group of elasmobranchii that is completley adapted to living exclusive in fresh water,

Potamotrygonidae are predominantly bottom dwelling, and spend a portion of there time buried in the river's subtrate, waiting to ambush there prey. They are carnivores and eat a wide variety of food  and small fish. In aquariums,they have often been successfully weaned onto a variety of live or frozen seafood and poultry, Their tooth structure consists of small rounded molars that are designed to grip and crush rather than cut.

 

 

Like most sharks Potamotrygonidae are viviparous  females that gestalt their young, numbering one to eight at a time over a period ranging between three to twelve months, resulting in live births of fully-formed independent offspring, they reach sexual maturity at about 3 years of ages and have a life expectancy of about 15-20 years

Within the Potamotrygonidae family, the  Potamotrygon leopoldi species is highly

sought after. It has various common names such as the Xingu River Ray, the white

blotched river ray and the polkadot stingray. It is also referred to as the P13 in the

aquarium trade.  Other terms likes Eclipse (or Doughnut), Thousand Islands and

Black Isle have been coined to describe specific spot-patterns seen on P13's,  the

Sao Felix varriant is known as the Black Diamond due to it having such a superior

spot-patterns and coloration 

 

 

A high grade Potamotrygon Leopoldi  P13 should have the following 

 

1. A high amount of organized (arranged in a consistent pattern) bright white spots

on the disc/back of the ray.

2. A high amount of spotting around the edge of the disc (called edge spotting).

3. Dark black/dary gray belly spotting on the bottom side of the ray's disc.

4. The ray should have a dark-black base color.