Giant freshwater whipray

About

A massive freshwater stingray from the river systems of Southeast Asia and Oceania, Himantura chaophraya is among the largest rays ever recorded in freshwater environments, capable of reaching lengths well beyond five feet in disc width alone. It is native to the Mekong and Chao Phraya river basins, with populations also found in eastern Borneo, New Guinea, and northern Australia, where it cruises sandy-bottomed stretches of large rivers and estuaries in search of food. In the wild it preys on bottom-dwelling invertebrates and fish, and like other rays in its group it gives birth to live young rather than laying eggs. In its native range it faces real pressure from overfishing and habitat degradation, and is considered threatened. In the aquarium world, this species is firmly in the world of serious specialists only. The tank footprint required to house an adult responsibly is enormous, and the commitment in terms of filtration, feeding, and raw space is substantial. Even juveniles grow quickly and need room to move. For most hobbyists this is a species better appreciated in a public aquarium setting. Those who do keep it need extensive prior experience with large elasmobranchs and the infrastructure to match.