Okay, so I have been monitoring the health of these 5 new Reticulata (3") for a while now.. I've done some tests with them and I have some interesting stuff to share.
I will name them stingrays A, B, C, D, E, as to try to make it less confusing.
I first purchased stingray A and B on 4/8/08.. heres the pix http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=136013 ..
When I first saw these guys at the LFS, I examined some white fecal matter in the tank, and they were not producing solid waste. They were on an undergravel filter with crushed coral.
I took them home on a trade.. Didn't say anything about the care of them to the LFS.
I immediately offered blackworms, lights off/covered the tank, temp to 84, and got them de-stressed and feeding. They still produced white fecal matter.
I had a 4oz bottle of PraziPro on hand, which treats 400gallons. The QT tank is 60x18", 100g. I decided to give Stingrays A and B a very strong bath of PraziPro, as it seemed obvious from the white feces and how quickly they became 'hungry' again. I put the entire 4oz bottle in, which would be a 4x dose. I covered the tank, discontinued feeding (Prazi kills blackworms), and crossed my fingers.
After a 24 hour dosing, I did a 50% water change, every day for a week. (This is a normal regime in this tank).. I use Prime and Salt(tblspoon) with each water change. I begun feeding Stingrays A and B after the 2nd water change. (Blackworms could live) and the rays begun to get very dark in coloration. They would hold their "J-Lo" booty for much longer, and would not be constantly 'sifting' for food. They would lay fat under the sand substrate.
Now I went back to the same LFS, and got Stingrays C, D, and E from them on a trade.. They were in the same tank, same condition. Heres the pix http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=137237 ..
When I got them home, I observed Stingrays C, D, E and what seemed to be a disc rot/fungus on the underside of their disc. I found out later that the LFS had been attempting to feed them brine shrimp with an Undergravel Filter. (yeah wow) heres the link to the disc rot issue http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=138278..
Note: Stingray E came home with a heater burn. However, it was the last ray with an in-tact long tail.
I also noticed that stingray A was now breathing rapidly out of both spiracles, which was never the case before. Stingray A, to this point, has been the healthiest and most 'stable' of the rays it seems.
I decided to treat all 5 rays with Triple Sulfa, per advice of a local stingray keeper. He said he used it to treat disc rot, as he observed the rays at the same LFS. I also figured that the rapid breathing of Stingray A could be from a bacterial infection from introducing Stingrays C, D, and E. I followed directions, 24 hr treatment, and removed over a weeks period through water changes.
To this day, the 'bacterial infection' and/or disc rot/fungus is regressing slowly towards the outer edge of the disc. It is very faint in coloration and and is completely gone on some parts of the disc on all rays C, D, and E. (taking timeline pix will update later)
I also observed that Stingray A was no longer breathing heavily.
At this point I also noticed that Stingrays C, D, and E were not holding their "J-Lo" backpack nearly as long as the Stingrays A and B that were dosed with 4x PraziPro. I decided it was time for another treatment, but this time I was going to take a different route. I was still seeing white fecal matter, but I was assuming it was from rays C, D, and E, as there was still a bit of brown fecal matter being produced (from rays A and B)..
I decided to treat all 5 stingrays with General Cure (Praziquantel/Metronidazole), but this time only with a 2x dose. The instructions for the General Cure was 10 packets, treats 100 gallons. I drained the tank 50% to a water volume of appx 50gallons. Treated with all 10 packets, for 24 hours, and removed through water changes.
After a few days, and some heavy feedings, I observed Little to NO white fecal matter in the tank. Suddenly, their was a large amount of healthy looking brown feces piled in the corner each morning.
However, I have observed that Stingrays A and B can eat larger portions and hold their "J-Lo" booty for an extended period in comparison to Stingrays C, D, and E.
I also noticed that every morning that Stingrays A and B, would be burrowed beneath the sand, with fat stomachs, resting contently. While Stingrays C, D, and E have thin stomachs, and are 'sifting' for blackworms in the sand substrate.
Stingrays C, D, and E are not nearly as stable at the 2 week point, as Stingrays A and B were.
Stingrays C, D, and E also do not have stable coloration patterns, and will often fade them during the day when the room is filled with Ambient lighting. During this time, Stingrays A and B rest beneath the driftwood, as they are not sifting for food nearly as often.
Stingray E, with the heater burn, acts a bit different then the others.. He is constantly looking for food, and is often scaling the walls and/or trying to flutter out of the tank. Stingray E also can not consume as much food as the others. His disc rot/fungus is also regressing slower than the others. I believe chronic stress from the heater burn has effected his growth and/or ability to fight off disease.
I plan on doing another 4x dose of PraziPro and noting what effects it has on the entire tank.
Hypothesis: PraziPro (praziquantel) is more effective when used in a very large dose with Freshwater Stingrays. It is not harmful to fish, so heavy dosing allows internal parasites to be cleared from the intestinal system.
I hope you find my notes enjoyable
Discuss
I will name them stingrays A, B, C, D, E, as to try to make it less confusing.
I first purchased stingray A and B on 4/8/08.. heres the pix http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=136013 ..
When I first saw these guys at the LFS, I examined some white fecal matter in the tank, and they were not producing solid waste. They were on an undergravel filter with crushed coral.
I took them home on a trade.. Didn't say anything about the care of them to the LFS.
I immediately offered blackworms, lights off/covered the tank, temp to 84, and got them de-stressed and feeding. They still produced white fecal matter.
I had a 4oz bottle of PraziPro on hand, which treats 400gallons. The QT tank is 60x18", 100g. I decided to give Stingrays A and B a very strong bath of PraziPro, as it seemed obvious from the white feces and how quickly they became 'hungry' again. I put the entire 4oz bottle in, which would be a 4x dose. I covered the tank, discontinued feeding (Prazi kills blackworms), and crossed my fingers.
After a 24 hour dosing, I did a 50% water change, every day for a week. (This is a normal regime in this tank).. I use Prime and Salt(tblspoon) with each water change. I begun feeding Stingrays A and B after the 2nd water change. (Blackworms could live) and the rays begun to get very dark in coloration. They would hold their "J-Lo" booty for much longer, and would not be constantly 'sifting' for food. They would lay fat under the sand substrate.
Now I went back to the same LFS, and got Stingrays C, D, and E from them on a trade.. They were in the same tank, same condition. Heres the pix http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=137237 ..
When I got them home, I observed Stingrays C, D, E and what seemed to be a disc rot/fungus on the underside of their disc. I found out later that the LFS had been attempting to feed them brine shrimp with an Undergravel Filter. (yeah wow) heres the link to the disc rot issue http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=138278..
Note: Stingray E came home with a heater burn. However, it was the last ray with an in-tact long tail.
I also noticed that stingray A was now breathing rapidly out of both spiracles, which was never the case before. Stingray A, to this point, has been the healthiest and most 'stable' of the rays it seems.
I decided to treat all 5 rays with Triple Sulfa, per advice of a local stingray keeper. He said he used it to treat disc rot, as he observed the rays at the same LFS. I also figured that the rapid breathing of Stingray A could be from a bacterial infection from introducing Stingrays C, D, and E. I followed directions, 24 hr treatment, and removed over a weeks period through water changes.
To this day, the 'bacterial infection' and/or disc rot/fungus is regressing slowly towards the outer edge of the disc. It is very faint in coloration and and is completely gone on some parts of the disc on all rays C, D, and E. (taking timeline pix will update later)
I also observed that Stingray A was no longer breathing heavily.
At this point I also noticed that Stingrays C, D, and E were not holding their "J-Lo" backpack nearly as long as the Stingrays A and B that were dosed with 4x PraziPro. I decided it was time for another treatment, but this time I was going to take a different route. I was still seeing white fecal matter, but I was assuming it was from rays C, D, and E, as there was still a bit of brown fecal matter being produced (from rays A and B)..
I decided to treat all 5 stingrays with General Cure (Praziquantel/Metronidazole), but this time only with a 2x dose. The instructions for the General Cure was 10 packets, treats 100 gallons. I drained the tank 50% to a water volume of appx 50gallons. Treated with all 10 packets, for 24 hours, and removed through water changes.
After a few days, and some heavy feedings, I observed Little to NO white fecal matter in the tank. Suddenly, their was a large amount of healthy looking brown feces piled in the corner each morning.
However, I have observed that Stingrays A and B can eat larger portions and hold their "J-Lo" booty for an extended period in comparison to Stingrays C, D, and E.
I also noticed that every morning that Stingrays A and B, would be burrowed beneath the sand, with fat stomachs, resting contently. While Stingrays C, D, and E have thin stomachs, and are 'sifting' for blackworms in the sand substrate.
Stingrays C, D, and E are not nearly as stable at the 2 week point, as Stingrays A and B were.
Stingrays C, D, and E also do not have stable coloration patterns, and will often fade them during the day when the room is filled with Ambient lighting. During this time, Stingrays A and B rest beneath the driftwood, as they are not sifting for food nearly as often.
Stingray E, with the heater burn, acts a bit different then the others.. He is constantly looking for food, and is often scaling the walls and/or trying to flutter out of the tank. Stingray E also can not consume as much food as the others. His disc rot/fungus is also regressing slower than the others. I believe chronic stress from the heater burn has effected his growth and/or ability to fight off disease.
I plan on doing another 4x dose of PraziPro and noting what effects it has on the entire tank.
Hypothesis: PraziPro (praziquantel) is more effective when used in a very large dose with Freshwater Stingrays. It is not harmful to fish, so heavy dosing allows internal parasites to be cleared from the intestinal system.
I hope you find my notes enjoyable
Discuss
