Stingrays are relatives of sharks, sawfish, skates and guitarfish, having cartilaginous skeletons rather than true bones. As their name suggests, stingrays have a venomous barb – actually a modified scale – on their tails, which they use as a defense mechanism. Many people are surprised to learn that some stingrays live in freshwater. Freshwater stingrays are very intelligent and quite interactive with humans. They can even be taught to hand feed. That said, they are not for everyone. They need large aquariums, pristine water conditions and specialized diets, but for those willing to put in the effort they are truly unique fish that quickly become beloved pets. In the past, most rays offered for sale were captured in the wild, which means they were often stressed and frequently carried parasites and other diseases. Many rays sold today are captive bred and are a better choice for aquarists.

Stingrays are very sensitive to ammonia, nitrite and nitrate, so it’s vitally important to understand the Nitrogen Cycle and maintain absolutely pristine water quality. To complicate matters, they produce high amounts of ammonia relative to their size.