#1 Cause of Death of Rays: Stupidity of Owner!

MeAko

Candiru
MFK Member
Dec 8, 2006
583
2
48
Manila, Phillipines
I've been into serious fish keeping for 5 years or so and I just realized that most of my deaths have been caused by my feeding fish food that isn't fresh.

1. My Green Arowana, I fed dead SW. It died shortly.
2. My RTG Arowana, I fed it feeders. It got anchor worms, I tried to treat and combined treatments leading to its death.

For my stingrays, most of the time, I feed it thawed food. But there are times, I let a cupful thaw out in the ref and feed it within 24-48 hours. Last week though, I went away for a business trip and came back and fed them the fish fillet that I left in the ref, not realizing that it has been a week or so already.

Now, my 3 stingrays (11", 7", 6") are kinda sick. The worst is the smallest guy 6" because he ate the most. He was floating on the surface this morning, his disc also has amonia-burn-like things on it.

I took a video, will upload later. Hope it makes it.

Fish keeping Lesson:

Only feed FRESH food.
And don't be stupid. :screwy:

Can ray experts please also advise what to do aside from monster water changes and fasting?
 

glovanator

Candiru
MFK Member
Jun 7, 2010
147
21
48
Ontario, Canada
While I'm no expert, therefore won't comment on how to help you out.

Pellet's Dude! Pellet's!!!! I actually found this very hard to read as well, can't stand hearing about sick/dieing/dead fish. Really bad to hear it took you losing some really nice fish to this as well.

But at least you recognize the opportunity for improvement.
 

jeffers

Piranha
MFK Member
Jun 11, 2009
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i wouldnt be so quick to blame it on one fillet that has been in the fridge for a week. who was doing the feedings while you were gone and who was doing the wc's and did you test your water?
 

flamenco-t

Piranha
MFK Member
Mar 27, 2006
1,577
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South of Heaven
glovanator;4503583; said:
While I'm no expert, therefore won't comment on how to help you out.

Pellet's Dude! Pellet's!!!! I actually found this very hard to read as well, can't stand hearing about sick/dieing/dead fish. Really bad to hear it took you losing some really nice fish to this as well.

But at least you recognize the opportunity for improvement.
Rays don't eat pellets in the wild :)

Joking aside, variety of diet is important. Honestly, I can't afford to feed my fish strictly on pellets. I can, but the amount will be ridicolous.

I fed about 7 lbs of frozen food on a weekly basis, if I were to do that on pellets alone, assume pellets have 400% efficiency rate, I still need to feed clsoe to 2 lbs per week or 8 lbs of pellets per month.

With massivore as an example, I'd be spending $ 200 in pellets per month versus about $ 60 on frozen foods.

I feed pellets once a week as veriety, 1 bag of 2.2 lbs massivore can last me about 2 months..

stan
 

Just Toby

Fire Eel
MFK Member
Apr 22, 2010
2,434
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Guildford UK
jeffers;4504330; said:
i wouldnt be so quick to blame it on one fillet that has been in the fridge for a week. who was doing the feedings while you were gone and who was doing the wc's and did you test your water?
+1 from me, I thought water issues first.

even if it tests clear now it could have been ammonia spike.

Test ph, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate.

Keep up the water changes.
 

Cajun

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jul 24, 2010
322
0
0
Louisiana
flamenco-t;4504351; said:
I fed about 7 lbs of frozen food on a weekly basis, if I were to do that on pellets alone, assume pellets have 400% efficiency rate, I still need to feed clsoe to 2 lbs per week or 8 lbs of pellets per month.
Pellets are expensive. The ones I get are $40/2 lbs while the frozen smelt @ the mkt is just $1/lb. Easy choice for me.
 

MeAko

Candiru
MFK Member
Dec 8, 2006
583
2
48
Manila, Phillipines
jeffers;4504330; said:
i wouldnt be so quick to blame it on one fillet that has been in the fridge for a week. who was doing the feedings while you were gone and who was doing the wc's and did you test your water?
My best bet is really the fillet as that was the only thing out of the ordinary.

I've been lazy on the WC lately especially since it's been raining and the drums are not being used up because the maids don't empty the drums on the garden if it's raining. I'd say my last WC was 3-4 weeks ago.

My ammonia was 0
My Nitrates were around 80-90ppm, I used to keep them at 15ppm when it was summer and the drums were always empty.

I did two 50% WC yesterday.

Nobody is allowed to feed except me. I was only gone for a couple of days, so I allowed the fish to fast when I was gone. The fillets were in the ref maybe for 7-10 days. It did NOT smell rotten but was a bit slimy. I noticed that the big ray took 1 nibble at it and then let it go. That should have been my signal not to continue, but then the small ray came and "stole" the fillet from the big ray and chowed it all down.

The mid-sized ray also took a small nibble. The big and middle ray are now both "recovering" as the last time I fed them, they didn't want to eat. So, they might be down with the "blues".

I will fast the whole pond for a week or so, doing monster water changes every other day or so until things are out in the clear.

I am so sorry that the owner does stupid things and the Ray pays for it with its life! Argh!!!

BTW, the ray passed away last night. :(
 
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