Its always a challenge. I have found that even with multiple tanks and dividers it can be tough to keep the prego females happy at all times. We all learn from our experiences and try to minimize the bad.
Another sad day in Ray keeping
- Thread starter jim barry
- Start date
Hi Tev
She was about on time wih birth at around 120 days. She had been off her food for around the past week or slightly more. Crusing around the tank as normal but breathing heavy occasionally although not all the time. She would hover over food but lift her front of disc up as if to say 'i'm not intersted' and swim off leaving the other rays to eat. I did not see a lot of movement as you would expect for the past 2 weeks but did see movement, just not as much as i have seen on other pregnant females. Although i saw good fluttering on her back just last night but only on one side.
In my heart i knew there was something wrong. proved to be right. Certainly for a female carrying 5 pups there should have been way more movement. I have no clue what happened other than all the stuff that has been going on lately with the male dying and breeding attempts. Maybe she got stressed? Who knows.
Hope you have better luck.
It seems to happen on the first litter sometime. i experienced it with the first black litter as well.
I know some others has as well. Maybe it is a learning experience with the mother.
I know some others has as well. Maybe it is a learning experience with the mother.
Thank you for this. 5 pups on the first go is huge right? Think that had someting to do with it?
My girl is not so big. Definitely saw movement huge on one side yesterday, now I'm freaked out and want to run home from work and confirm it is still there on the other side too lol, I just didn't wait around to confirm the other side. As for the eating, she hasn't gone off food totally except for 1 day when the issue started, otherwise she has been eating about half of normal what she did, today she ate everything but I also fed less than usual just to see. She is divided, and the other two have similar eating problems (also going for it, some chewing and spitting with a lifted front disc for a couple minutes, and then swimming away which they have barely ever not eaten everthing since I've had them) so I wonder if I have an underlying issue somewhere, I just can't for the life of me figure out what since everything seems stable and I drip 100gpd on a ~500 gallon system. It's not ammonia or nitrates, figured a high drip would keep PH steady too, wonder if there has been a change to the water I am getting in the house? Male trying to breed the other female so can't be that bad right?
Anyway sorry I hijacked, was just hoping to learn something from your misfortune. Chin up my friend, thanks.
So sorry for the losses Jim. Its like you just keep taking jabs to the gut. But keep on trucking. YOU have had great success the past year as you stated. Gotta look at the positives and keep on rollin.
Sorry mate i missread the post, thought it was Trev asking about the feeding. Sure you will be okay just keep an eye on her. Best of luck bud.
Maybe so mate, i'm not so sure. My first BD had 3 very healthy pups on her first batch. Second batch was 3 again but one died shortly after or during birth. This BD female has been different, not a mark on her from breeding and had 5 pups which is maybe why they did not all survive, not sure. The female hybrid had 2 very good pregnancies with 4 healthy pups on each occasion. Guess it is always a bit of a lottery.
Jim,
I am so sorry to hear about your loss again, you have not had a good couple of weeks. For what it is worth, I think that you have the nicest collection of rays on here and considering you have only been at the hobby for 3 years, your success with 19 pups speaks for itself! Sometimes things just aren't meant to be but everything happens for a reason. You will be back and better than ever!
I know that you have helped me out and answered a bunch of my questions in the past so I really appreciate that. My one female is pregnant for the first time and I only see movement on her left side, ive never seen it on the right yet, but it is clear as day on the left. Hopefully she has a good pregnancy but we will see. She is eating like there is no tomorrow, so I am not really worried about her but I am just surprised that I have only seen movement on her one side.
I am so sorry to hear about your loss again, you have not had a good couple of weeks. For what it is worth, I think that you have the nicest collection of rays on here and considering you have only been at the hobby for 3 years, your success with 19 pups speaks for itself! Sometimes things just aren't meant to be but everything happens for a reason. You will be back and better than ever!
I know that you have helped me out and answered a bunch of my questions in the past so I really appreciate that. My one female is pregnant for the first time and I only see movement on her left side, ive never seen it on the right yet, but it is clear as day on the left. Hopefully she has a good pregnancy but we will see. She is eating like there is no tomorrow, so I am not really worried about her but I am just surprised that I have only seen movement on her one side.
Hi Riane
Thanks for the kind words mate.
Make that 20 not 19 pups. Just got in and found another dead pup in the tank, she must have had it after I left for work as I obviously checked all round the tank for any more before I left for work this morning. Sad day indeed but the one survivor is looking healthy for now at least.
Best of luck with yours I am sure things will be fine. One thing I learnt is you can't keep stressing over it. If you have not done so already though I would separate her from the male.
