Helpful Information About The Teacup Stingray
The teacup stingray is a unique species that is olive green and covered in net-like markings. Their under body is white and their tails are at least half the length of their bodies or longer. The teacup stingray is easily distinguished from any other freshwater stingray by its pointed tail, small eyes and flattened body. As they age, the easily recognized web pattern on their body seems to just vanish. When they are fully mature they can have a diameter of 14 inches which obviously does not include the tail so even though they are a teacup they are still larger than what you would think.
Diet
The teacup stingray is a carnivore and they will generally feed on worms, crustaceans and small amounts of vegetable matter. When kept as a pet in an aquarium they are happy to eat blood worms, krill, crayfish, cut shrimp and cut pieces of white fish such as smelt and pollock.
It has been noted that some people have trouble weaning their teacup stingray off of earthworms and black worms even after they are grown enough to eat a variety of different food.
Danger
Similar to all freshwater stingrays, the teacup stingray has venom in its tail and is more than capable of stinging. The venom is not fatal but it is incredibly painful and will require proper treatment and medical attention. If you are stung, apply pressure immediately and avoid placing a sealed bandage over the area. Place the skin that has been stung in hot water and disinfect it before you head to see your physician.
Care And Habitat
You should not keep a teacup stingray in a tank any smaller than 125 gallons. They are capable of getting along quite well with other fish residing in the tank as long as the fish are large enough that the stingray will not be tempted to eat them. They are generally peaceful and will ignore the fish for the most part, but the male can be extremely aggressive toward other stingrays, especially when they are mating. Additionally, plecos are known to suck mucus off of the stingray's body that will succumb them to disease and lead to death. Therefore, it is not recommended to allow a teacup stingray to share a tank with any plecos.
They are happiest in water that maintains a pH balance of six or seven and a very warm temperature. This species really is relatively hardy and rarely has any health issues, but they are not recommended for a novice collector with their first aquarium. They are very vulnerable to fish lice, which are parasites that attach themselves and extract nourishment from the stingray's disk by piercing the flesh using a pointed organ. Fungal or bacterial infections are a result of the wound and a serious infestation will usually result in fatality of the stingray. These fish lice, called argulus can be removed using tweezers with a little bit of patience.
Breeding
The teacup stingray is capable of breeding in captivity, something that most stingrays cannot accomplish. Fertilization is done internally and while they are mating, the male stingray grabs the disc of the female with his mouth and then tries to roll her underneath of him. Once the proper position has been accomplished he deposits sperm into her cloaca by using one of his claspers. Near the end stages of pregnancy, appendages develop in the uterus, penetrating the embryo and supplying it with rich nutrients until the young stingray is born. The amazing thing about keeping these creatures in a tank is the slight chance that you may be able to witness this amazing scene.