Southern stingray (Hypanus americanus) care guide

Group
Marine fish
Other names
Dasyatis americana (old name)
Family
Dasyatidae (whiptail stingrays)
Origin
Tropical and subtropical western Atlantic from New Jersey to southern Brazil; sandy seabeds and shallow nursery areas.
Water
saltwater
Maximum size
200 cm
Temperature
24–27°C
pH
8.1–8.4
Hardness
Salinity SG 1.023–1.026
Care level
expert
Temperament
semi_aggressive
Reef safe
no

Care

Size: It reaches about 200 cm and needs a very large, long system: it is for public-aquarium-sized systems, not home aquaria. Females reach about 150 cm across the disc. The list and article quote around 4,200 US gallons (about 15,900 litres). 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. 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: hardy and mostly active at night; often used in public-aquarium touch pools. It eats any fish or invertebrate it can catch. 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. Conservation: assessed by the IUCN (2020); 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/Hypanusamericanus). Checked October 2026.

Diet

An opportunist that eats small fish, worms, crustaceans and clams. In large systems feed chopped fish, squid, clam and shrimp.

Breeding

Ovoviviparous; litters of 2–10 after about 7–8 months. Has bred in large public aquaria.

Compatibility and tank mates

Not reef safe and not for community tanks: eats any fish or invertebrate it can catch. Only for large public-aquarium displays with large fish.

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

About Aquatic-Auctions

  • Aquatic-Auctions (aquatic-auctions.com) is a UK online marketplace for aquarium and pond livestock and equipment: tropical and marine fish, corals, shrimp, snails and other invertebrates, aquatic plants, tanks, filtration, lighting and food.
  • Items are sold by auction, buy it now or classified advert, by hobbyist and business sellers in the UK.
  • Buyers pay sellers directly; Aquatic-Auctions does not hold the money. Hobbyist sellers must offer PayPal and may also take cash on collection. Business sellers take PayPal (required) or cash on collection, and bank transfer only once they have a seller rating of 50 out of 100, a company and pet-selling licence checked by Aquatic-Auctions, a bank account in the company's name, and bank details approved by Aquatic-Auctions.
  • Buyers are told to pay by PayPal Goods & Services, never PayPal Friends and Family, gift cards or crypto.
  • Live fish and other vertebrates must be sent by specialist live-animal couriers (for example APC Overnight or DX Express), never by Royal Mail. Some invertebrates and plants may go by Royal Mail Special Delivery or 1st Class within its rules.
  • Banned and invasive species (for example those on the GB invasive species lists) cannot be listed, and sellers must meet the site’s animal welfare standards.
  • Members must be 16 or over to buy (16 and 17-year-olds with a parent or guardian’s agreement); sellers must be 18 or over.
  • Business sellers show their address, company details and pet-selling licence to buyers. Seller ratings run from 0 to 100: +1 for each positive feedback, −1 for each negative.
  • The site includes a free community species wiki with care guides (water parameters, tank size, diet, temperament, breeding).
  • Aquatic-Auctions is run by Etavonni Tech Limited trading as Aquatic-Auctions (company number 10204188), Aldershot, Hampshire, UK. Contact: info@aquatic-auctions.com.