Tea cup stingrays. Fact or fiction

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Lund

Lund

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jan 29, 2006
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I have heard of tea cup stingrays, but have never seen one as advertised. Are they a small version of ray? Or do stores sell them as such inorder to get the less informed to buy them.

If they are, how big do they get? And if not, how big does a typical stingray get?
 
Technically any ray is a "teacup" sting ray, or I should say starts off as a teacup. Really they are just pups. usually refering to anything under 10". It really is another way for the stores to sell you something you really need to research before buying.
 
Rays commonly found as "teacups" in stores are Potamotrygon Reticulata. Sometimes you'll find them as P. Hystrix or P. Humerosa, but those are rare instances. They are usually in the 3-4" in disc diameter range. Their allure is that they are so cute when they are that small, but keep in mind that caring for the rays that small is tougher than a larger ray. You have to find food small enough to fit in their small mouths, usually live blackworms, which could get pricy. Not to mention that the stores don't really care that well for them, so you have your cards stacked against you from the start.

Reticulata usually get to be around 12-14", sometimes a lil larger. Hystrix about the same, and Humerosa get a lil larger.
 
You told me just what I was figuring. Thanks for the info. As of right now I'm not looking at getting a stingray any time too soon. I was just doing some looking around. Stingrays really are a beautifull fish though. Someday perhaps, I'll be lucky enough to call myself a stingray guy.
 
I reside in middleville, a small town 20 minutes south of Grand Rapids. And just off hand what dimensions should you have for a tank for rays.
 
ya, tea cup rays are usually pups of reticulata rays, or sometimes even maybe motoros'. but of coz the price for the baby motoro tea cup will be higher..

a good tank size would be a 6 feet lenght x 2.5/3 feet width tank.. of cause the bigger the tank, the better.
 
my lfs has got some in at the mo but they keep them in the quaritien section, they were reseved but the guy not come and colected them. they are £60 and ive kind of got ma tank set up for rays. i was think of getting some if they come on sale im new to stingrays but i think some1 told me not to start with teacups am i correct
 
its not true that teacup retic rays are harder to take care of over motoro is just they are shipped much smaller and their fore need more food to get them fat and healthy
 
T1KARMANN;484108; said:
its not true that teacup retic rays are harder to take care of over motoro is just they are shipped much smaller and their fore need more food to get them fat and healthy
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ok i get it now
if i was to do more reaserch would ma 6' 2' 2'ft tank be adequate for these teacup depending what they are.
ive got a pic of my tank if u like
 
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