Help! Atlantic Stingray curling!

bbrayer

Feeder Fish
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Oct 14, 2009
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I have a 5 inch freshwater atlantic ray. Shes in a 100 gallon tank, no other fish, thermo set to 77 and "the measured amount" of aquarium salt (intended for tropical fish) Shes eating great, but today she is swimming in circles and her right side is noticably curling! no discoloration on her disk. Any suggestions??? I tried taking a picture, but shes moving too much and the photos look normal.
 

Gshock

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Jul 21, 2009
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Your biggest mistake, atlantic rays are saltwater, they're not freshwater, even if they're labeled freshwater, they're not...Bump your temperature up to around 86-90 gradually. Turn your freshwater into saltwater over the next few days gradually.
 

bbrayer

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Oct 14, 2009
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My girlfriend has a Motoro and an Atlantic together in the same tank, all freshwater. I know Rays arent a novice fish, so I made the mistake of listening to her. The guy who shipped her to me, claimed she has been in a fresh water tank for a month! and has had no problems. Is she gonna die?
 

bbrayer

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Oct 14, 2009
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The shipper claims they're originally caught in St Johns river, which is right next to him in Florida. even if she is adjusted to freshwater, the salt cant hurt her, right?
 

Zoodiver

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Aug 22, 2005
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You tank is too small to house one as freshwater. They just do best as marine animals. There is a population in the St Johns, but if you look into it more, they produce HUGE amounts of ammonia that is offset by being in the wild. You need 10 times the water volume to offet them in freshwater. Most Atl rays shipped out of FL are marine animals someone tossed in fresh to make a quick buck off it.

Do a quick search on here for Atl or Sabina ray and you'll get more details on them.
 

justonemoretank

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Mar 30, 2009
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You're going to need to use marine salt mix to turn your water to real saltwater, not "aquarium salt."
 

Zoodiver

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Aug 22, 2005
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Get something like Instant Ocean, Red Sea or other premade marine mix. Slowly bring your salinity up over the next week or so, bringing it up a few points a day by topping off your tank with heavily mixed saltwater (called a brine mix). Keep an eye on ammonia spikes and a pH swing. You're more or less starting a tank all over again with a very fragile animal in it already. You need to build up your biological in the tank.

Run your temp about 77-80. They don't like super warm water. Once it's healthy again, crank it down to about 73-76.
 

skylineiz

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Jul 28, 2008
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you mentioned you had a motoro in the same tank,

Sorry if im pointing out the obvious but,
you cant go converting it to SALT water, with a motoro in there.

You going to have to decide what you want to do, maybe let a friend hang onto the motoro while you deal with this guy or something.

good luck mate, got any pics?
 

bbrayer

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Oct 14, 2009
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USA
I dont have any other rays...haha, ya that would be a little interesting trying to do that. My initial thought was i COULD keep it in freshwater only, because i have a FRIEND who has both together in a freshwater tank.
 
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