Animal welfare assessments, which involve physical, physiological and ethological aspects, are a useful tool to establish the species ability to adapt to confinement. However, despite the endemism and the high ornamental interest of the freshwater stingray Potamotrygon magdalenae, to date there are no ex situ management and husbandry protocols that enhance their life quality and guarantee their survival in confined environments. Therefore, this research aimed to characterize the aspects of animal welfare of the freshwater stingray Potamotrygon magdalenae, and contribute to the reduction of mortality in captivity. For this purpose, the assessment of the body condition factor (K), the characterization of blood constants chemistry values and the description and analysis of the behavior of the species were carried out. The management protocols of the species used during the study were adequate to achieve a good life quality of the animals, including achieving the captive breeding of the species for the first time in Colombia. It was confirmed that the condition factor is a simple and useful variable in the monitoring of the condition and nutritional status of these animals. Hematological characterization of P. magdalenae confirmed the absence of differences between sexes in blood and blood chemistry variables, a common characteristic for other freshwater stingrays. From remote observation, a methodology that proved to be highly useful in the collection of ethological information, it was established that males are more active than females and present more frequency in behaviors that involve interaction and exploration, while females stay longer in repose. Finally, the utility that holistic assessments can have in monitoring and improving the quality of life of P. magdalenae in confinement environments was establiched by identifying the specific requirements of this species and thus reducing the high mortality observed in captivity. Therefore, the results obtained in this study constitute the starting point for the development and implementation of new research in the field of animal welfare of freshwater stingrays in captivity.