SHOULD I BE CONCERNED?!?

So i picked up a new motoro stingray for my 180 gallon aquarium this past Saturday. He is very big (around 12 inch disk) and he appeared to be very healthy in the store, eating and very fat. He still has yet to eat in my tank and I am starting to get concerned. He was totally buried for the first day or 2 but now he seems to be starting to come out a bit more today. His belly appears to he a bit red in some spots which concerned me, however the ammonia level appears 0 so I don’t think it could be ammonia burn. I know that my sand it fine for rays so that couldn’t be causing it either. The heater is in the sump. The nitrites are at 0. Before I added him to the tank the nitrates were 20-40, but they since have raised to 80. Should I do a water change right now? Also i forgot to add, the water temperature is 80. Also, he APPEARS to be breathing normally. This ray was $300 so I can’t afford to loose him. Any suggestions?

PH is 7 also

BuffaloPolypteridae said:

Yes, if the nitrates are at 80 do a wc immediatly! I dont like to let mine get to 40

Sent from my DROID4 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App

Click to expand...

How big of a water change?????!?!?!?

Silent Bob said:

Have you kept the lights off since you introduced it to the tank?

When you say ammonia is almost 0. It is either zero or not. Which is it?

Any tankmates?

Was the ray on a bare bottom tank or did it have a substrate?

If the rays belly is completely red it could just be your substrate irritating it. It will adjust over time. What kind of substrate is it on right now?

Click to expand...

Silent Bob said:

Have you kept the lights off since you introduced it to the tank?

When you say ammonia is almost 0. It is either zero or not. Which is it?

Any tankmates?

Was the ray on a bare bottom tank or did it have a substrate?

If the rays belly is completely red it could just be your substrate irritating it. It will adjust over time. What kind of substrate is it on right now?

Click to expand...

Just posted a pic of the test tube. It is very difficult to differentiate between 0 and .25 (at least for me)... but from what I could tell the test tube had no shade of green in it whatsoever. No tankmates... the ray is the only fish in the tank. The ray had substrate (gravel) in the fish stores tank. The rays belly is not COMPLETELy red, however parts of it are a little bit red. I don’t know what the name of the substrate is however I am totally sure it is fine with rays as I researched it before I purchased it (its a type of sand).

different angle

Silent Bob said:

Have you kept the lights off since you introduced it to the tank?

When you say ammonia is almost 0. It is either zero or not. Which is it?

Any tankmates?

Was the ray on a bare bottom tank or did it have a substrate?

If the rays belly is completely red it could just be your substrate irritating it. It will adjust over time. What kind of substrate is it on right now?

Click to expand...

Also, lights have been off since I got him.