I recently added 2 male Hystrix rays to a tank containing a pair of Reticulated and a female Motoro ray. Unfortunately, the male Reticulated received some nasty injuries to his disc. It looks like someone took 2 semi-circular bites out of his disc. He's not active at all, so I've isolated him in one end of the tank. What can I do to prevent infection and nurse him back to normal?
HELP---- Ray injury
- Thread starter sterlingsilver
- Start date
You should try to use some kind of water softener, but you have to be very careful because rays are very sensitive if you have an extra tank pass the injured ray to the new tank and treat it there. Also you should never keep more than 1 male ray together. You have 3 males and 2 females. When having rays you should aim to have trios, 1 male and 2 females so when they´re breeding the male disperses his aggression too both females.
I do have another tank so I can isolate him there. By water softener, would Epsom salts is small doses help?
What I usually use is some sort of blue liquid that contains aloe vera.
One of the ones I use:
http://www.jbl.de/en/aquatics-freshwater-products/detail/2340/jbl-acclimol
What??? He needs a water softener? You can only keep one male in a tank?
At first when introducing a new ray stuff probably will happen but they need to settle in. Just like any other fish they are very curious creatures.
And before you go getting a water softener unit find out about what other accomplished ray keepers in your area are doing and using.
Pics would help. But fresh water and pre dissolved (pure 100% )salt in water will do allot.
Guess I'm breaking all the rules.
Sent from the Monster Fish Keeping App
At first when introducing a new ray stuff probably will happen but they need to settle in. Just like any other fish they are very curious creatures.
And before you go getting a water softener unit find out about what other accomplished ray keepers in your area are doing and using.
Pics would help. But fresh water and pre dissolved (pure 100% )salt in water will do allot.
Guess I'm breaking all the rules.
Sent from the Monster Fish Keeping App
If you have a clean stable system then do nothing except isolation until the Retic gets back to health and begins acting normal. Once he is healthy and behaving normal take divider out and observe. They may be okay at that point. If the aggression happens again you may have to get rid of one of the rays if you do not have another tank.
The female rays are fine. The Hystrix aren't bothering the ladies at all.
The system is on display in my living room so it's kept pretty clean and water changes done regularly. If he survives, I'll try to reintroduce as you suggest. I do have other tanks but have my Africans and small South Americans in them. I'll wait to see what happens. If things don't work out, I'll have to decide which to let go. Thanks for the input guys. I'll let you know how it turns out.
Update: Ray is doing much better. Swimming great and no signs of infection. Will keep him isolated for a week or so until he is stronger. Thanks for the help.