Potamotrygon Leopoldi vs black diamond

[rup_pilot]

So I became interested in rays a few years ago and have a male and a female motoro. Eventually I want to get a few P. Leopoldi when I have a 1000+ gallon tank. Here's my question. I know black diamond rays are actually P. Leopoldi. And I know black diamonds are not a true classification of a ray. So what makes a Leopoldi a black diamond? Or is this just a common name? While both are expensive due to bans on exportation out of S. American, black diamonds seem to be more expensive and harder to find (at least when you do a search on line for them). Any advise from you ray experts would be greatly appreciated!


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[cheon]

Hi, this is a little guideline I wrote a while back on Black Diamond Leopoldis. I thought it would be a nice start for me here on this forum.

General appearance

1. black with white spots - whiter spots is higher quality

2. spotting around the diskedge - higher density is higher quality - common Leos do not have this

3. eyes are marbled white and grey - common Leos have grey eyes

3. three rows of spines on the tail

4. short round flagtail

5. belly spotting - more spotting is higher quality (to me the top spotting is much more important) - common Leos have a darkgrey belly



Here is a picture of a common Leopoldi next to a Black Diamond Leopoldi. The young BD in this photo is not jetblack yet but will be when it is mature. To me the spotting around the edge is the most important difference.



Here are two more pics of what I would call BD's. Notice one went black early while the other one stayed grey for a long time. In the second pic there is a good view of the edgespotting and the eyecoloration.





A closer look at the eye, it looks like the white spotting continues in it.



Bellyspotting at a young age and at maturity. To me this is a plus but not as important as the top of the ray. I have seen beautiful BD's with hardly any bellyspotting, more like a white belly.


Not my post it's off another forum.
Just for reference.






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