Baby California stingray

This Baby California Stingray is an awesome way to grow out a unique, temperate water showpiece in your own system. Often called the California Round Stingray, this species spends its time gliding over the sand and gently “fluttering” as it searches for food, making it one of the most mesmerizing bottom-dwellers you can keep.

Because this is a baby, you get to watch it grow and settle into your aquarium, but it is still a stingray and should be treated with the same respect as an adult. California Stingrays are venomous and have a spine on the tail, so tank maintenance should always be done carefully and with awareness of where the ray is at all times.

This is a temperate species, not a tropical one. It needs cooler water and a wide, open footprint rather than a tall tank. A fine sand substrate is absolutely required — no sharp gravel — to protect the ray’s soft underside and allow it to bury itself comfortably. Provide open swimming space with minimal sharp rockwork and strong, stable filtration.

Tankmates must be chosen with care. Avoid aggressive fish that may nip at the ray, as well as anything too small that might be viewed as food. Peaceful, larger temperate species are the best match. Good oxygenation, low to moderate flow along the bottom, and excellent water quality are key for keeping stingrays healthy.

Feeding is fairly straightforward once the ray settles in. Offer a varied, meaty diet of marine-based foods such as shrimp, pieces of fish, squid, and clam. Many keepers use feeding tongs and place food directly on the sand in front of the ray so it can easily locate and consume it. Regular, appropriate feeding and careful observation will help this baby ray grow into a strong, impressive adult.

• Common Name: California Stingray (Round Stingray)
• Life Stage: Baby / Juvenile
• Environment: Temperate marine – requires cooler water
• Care Level: Advanced
• Temperament: Generally Peaceful, Predatory
• Minimum Tank Size: 180+ gallons with a wide footprint (larger as it matures)
• Substrate: Fine sand only – no sharp gravel
• Reef Compatibility: Not reef-safe with small inverts; may eat crustaceans and small fish
• Diet: Carnivore – meaty marine foods placed on the sand
• Special Notes: Venomous tail spine; handle all tank work with caution

If you’re set up for temperate marine life and want a truly different display animal, this Baby California Stingray is a fantastic choice. In the right system with careful handling and proper care, it will grow into a graceful, long-lived centerpiece that’s impossible to ignore.