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Pearl rays are generally known as the top in freshwater stingrays ( the price accordingly ). These animals are caught in the river Tapajos, the same river as the P14 rays come from. They got the name Pearl, due to their bright spots on the black spots. With this pattern the light spots look like pearls. And indeed, when the lights are off in the main tank , the pearls seem to shine like little lights. This is a beautiful sight.
The price of a pearl ray depends on the amount of pearls on the fish. The more pearls, the more beautiful the fish, how higher the price. Their are pearl rays in different colors. And they all have different names, and their are pearl rays with different patterns still considered pearl rays. The picture above is a very light pearl ray. In the fish trading business the traders have named this a crocodile ( so I'm told). This is the most rare form of the pearl. I have only seen 5 specimens of this variant ( I have one myself) of the nearly 50 pearl rays I have seen. I have the privilege to regally look at a tank with a total of 16 rays. In this tank swims Menchacai (Tiger), P14 (Itaituba) with 10 pearl rays in all color variations their are. What you can clearly see in this tank is the dominant behavior of the pearl rays. They are the most dominant rays their are. Also in my tank they are the most dominant species. They even bully the biggest rays in my tank.
Potamotrygon sp picture: Frank Zijlmans
In general when we speak about pearl rays we mean the ray shown above. A Ray with a bronze/gold ground color and almost white pearls on a black round surface. This species is also called the dark pearl. If men sees a pearl in a lfs, 9 times out of 10 , this is the ray you see.
On the picture below you see a Jabuti variant . The name Jabuti is the name the natives in Brazil give to this species (so I'm told). The pictures below show the Jabuti Gold and the Jabuti Black variations. The difference between the 2 is that the black has more black then gold in it's colors. So the first picture should be a Jabuti Black. If someone can shine some light on this subject let me know please.
Potamotrygon sp picture: Frank Zijlmans
The Jabuti Black , the pearls are almost gone and the fine black lines leave a gorgeous pattern on this fish. Take a close look at the pattern around the eyes it's very fine. See the close up below.
Potamotrygon sp picture: Frank Zijlmans
These species are rare in the fish trade the ones I saw are all very big 20" + . Maybe it are just very nice out grown pearl rays. The future will tell. It are marvelous animals.
Potamotrygon sp picture: Frank Zijlmans
This is what we call an Jabuti Gold the pearl drawing is clearly visible. A least more clear then the picture before this one. The specimen is also not as big as the one before and he is a male obviously.
Potamotrygon sp picture: Frank Zijlmans
Another Jabuti Gold a female this time and a little bit damaged on the disk edge. I'm very curious how young rays of this species look like. But this is a question of time I think next year somewhere in the world young pearls are being born properly in the Netherlands. All pictures above were taken when the animals just arrived from Brazil so the water is a bit blurry. The little tubes you see are water hoses so the ray can adjust on the water parameters of the tank.
A good friend of mine bought a Pearl ray ( Owner Nico van der Post ) the lightest one I ever saw the pictures are below. Watch the comparison to the other rays in the pictures. You see another one of the Pearls and a Tiger an a P14 ( look closely) compared to this animal the other rays look very dark. This Pearl is almost white. A beautiful animal. All pictures are mine. Frank Zijlmans
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The smile pearl.
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