Stingray issues following water changes

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SaltyPlum

Candiru
MFK Member
Jun 13, 2015
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I had a pair of motoro x mantilla rays and lost my female motoro about 2 months ago after doing a 50% water change. I was so shocked and absolutely devasted. She died so suddenly and I have no idea why. The male also struggled but pulled through. Following on, everytime i do a water change now I stress about my male dying as he breaths heavy, turns pale and sheds a slime coat, even after doing a small 20/30% water change.

Can anyone explain why this is happening? A friend of mine thinks the council may have done something to the town water due to the bushfires we had a while back, but my other fish are fine and show no signs of stress after water changes.
 
When my female died, i had just finished filling the tank, turned everything on, went and had a shower came back and she was laying upside down breathing heavily. I flipped her over and her disc was all curled up and in a mayter of minutes she was dead.

Never seen anything like it and cant explain what happen. I did the exact same routine i have been doing gor the past 10yrs.

Everytime i do a water change now my male's disc slightly curls, he turns pale, breaths heavy and starts to peel.

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Temp and PH usaully the same, although this water change tje PH was slighty down around 6.
What is that slightly down from? 6.2? Or 7.8? As long as you know the parameters I guess it's good. But obviously something is wrong and you are looking for answers. I'd see if you can get a water report and see if they changed or added something. Does your water supply come near or go through the area of the fires? Like in a river or lake?

I had an issue yesterday I changed the water in all my tanks and one fish who was super healthy and very active is suddenly acting very strange. Weird stuff happens for almost no reason or no discernable reason. I'm on a well. I tested and all my parameters are the same as normal. No other fish effected. It's a sensitive species but has been Rock solid through multiple issues over the last 3 years. This is the only fish effected out of 9 tanks.
 
I use prime and have never ever had any issues. Then just recently I started using safe and my lemonfin barb does not like that stuff at all. All my other stock are fine but my lemonfin gasps. I've had to go back to prime for the time being until I get my head around the safe situation. No doubt i'm doing something wrong.

But my situation just proves that not all fish react the same way to dechlorinators, if indeed your issue is dechlorinator related or not. Are you adding the correct measurements of prime as per your chlorine levels out of your tap, or do you just throw 'x' amount in and be done with it?
 
Use more Prime. I dose at 5 mL per 10 gal. I'd recommend at least 3 mL per 10 gal.

Refill slowly.

I fill a spare tank and a 55 gal drum, dechlorinate, and heat to aquarium temperature. Then refill slowly.

I do have to deal with having the filter down for several hours but I think it solves more problems than it creates.
 
What is that slightly down from? 6.2? Or 7.8? As long as you know the parameters I guess it's good. But obviously something is wrong and you are looking for answers. I'd see if you can get a water report and see if they changed or added something. Does your water supply come near or go through the area of the fires? Like in a river or lake?

I had an issue yesterday I changed the water in all my tanks and one fish who was super healthy and very active is suddenly acting very strange. Weird stuff happens for almost no reason or no discernable reason. I'm on a well. I tested and all my parameters are the same as normal. No other fish effected. It's a sensitive species but has been Rock solid through multiple issues over the last 3 years. This is the only fish effected out of 9 tanks.
I believe our water comes from a lake that was around the fires. PH is usually around 6.8, when i tested today after the water change it was down around 6. Temp is always the same at 27/28° I run 2 x 500w heaters that are set at 28°.

My friend swears the council has put something in the water due to the fires, but if that is the case than why are my rays only affected and not any of fish?

I had a feeling that my female may have been pregnant at the time. So if the council had put extra chlorine/chemicals in the water, perhaps she had a harder time adapting to the water. But you think the prime would have dechlorinate!
 
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