Bluespotted stingray (Neotrygon kuhlii) care guide

Group
Marine fish
Other names
Blue-spotted maskray, Kuhl's stingray, Dasyatis kuhlii (old name)
Family
Dasyatidae (whiptail stingrays)
Origin
Indo-West Pacific: East Africa and India to Indonesia, Japan and northern Australia; sand and mud flats near reefs and seagrass, under 90 m.
Water
saltwater
Maximum size
70 cm
Temperature
24–27°C
pH
8.1–8.4
Hardness
Salinity SG 1.023–1.026
Care level
intermediate
Temperament
peaceful
Reef safe
no
Lifespan
About 10–13 years years

Care

Tank: floor area matters far more than height. Give a deep bed of fine, smooth sand (at least 5 cm) to bury in, little or no rockwork, guarded heaters and pump intakes, a tight lid, and strong filtration and aeration, as rays are messy feeders. Avoid copper-based treatments, which rays and their relatives tolerate poorly. The list suggests at least 260 US gallons (about 985 litres) with a 5 cm bed of fine sand, but the article notes that adults (disc about 47 cm, total length up to 70 cm) often outgrow home aquaria. Water: 24–27 °C, pH 8.1–8.4, salinity SG 1.023–1.026. These are general marine aquarium figures for a tropical species, not species-specific values from the sources. Keep nitrate low and oxygen high. Behaviour: fairly hardy, but leave a new ray undisturbed for 2–3 days to settle. Usually solitary; buries itself mainly to hide. Often confused with the bluespotted ribbontail ray. Safety: the tail carries a venomous, serrated spine. A sting is very painful, though rarely dangerous to life. Never handle the ray by hand, net it with care, and get medical advice if stung. It has two spines; the larger can be very long. Conservation: assessed by the IUCN (2018); the category is not given in the article. Selling: our policies require the adult size and long-term tank needs to be stated clearly in the listing. Large fish must travel by a specialist live-animal courier (see the Livestock shipping guide). Sources: Wikipedia, List of marine aquarium fish species (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Listofmarineaquariumfishspecies); Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neotrygonkuhlii). Checked October 2026.

Diet

Shrimps, small fish, molluscs, crabs and worms, which it pins to the seabed. Offer chopped shrimp, clam, mussel, squid and fish.

Breeding

Ovoviviparous: up to seven pups per litter, born live. Mating takes place in October–November in the wild.

Compatibility and tank mates

Not reef safe: eats shrimps, crabs, molluscs and small fish. Keep with large, peaceful fish.

Last updated 8 October 2026. Community-edited care guide on Aquatic-Auctions.

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