am i underfeeding my stingray?

[heatha]

she has a 5.5 inch disc and i feed her a cube of blood worms 2 large earthworms and a few rosies once in the morning and once at night and she is all over the tank, it looks like she is constantly searching for food.

 

[West1]

If she still wants to eat after your reg feeding, then yes not enough food. The food your giving does not sound filling either. I dont think Rays eat alge waffers and assume she is eating whatever she can (I could be totally wrong thou ). Feeding Live feeders and Worms is also asking for parasite troubles (jmo).

Try to get her on pellets, market shrimp, muscle, fillets etc...

 

[Florencebigfish]

Doesnt sound like it to me. You only feeding once a day?

 

[heatha]

no once in the morning and once at night. someone told me earlier that the food im feeding doesnt sound filling, is that true?

 

[hondas3000]

no once in the morning and once at night. someone told me earlier that the food im feeding doesnt sound filling, is that true?

to me it sound like a snack for your ray . Try to feed prawn or pellet, it is more filling.

 

[heatha]

i got a big bag of krill, i put them in when shes ready to eat, same with the pellets. no intrest at all. she LOVES the earthworms and rosies tho, she doesnt seem to like the bloodworms as much as those two but she still eats them.

 

[FireMedic]

You could try to start a little worm compost in which you fatten up the worms a little and there-by enhance the nutrition the ray is receiving. You could mince the worms up and soak pellets with them to get her onto pellets or other foods.-FM

 

[heatha]

this morning i soaked pellets with the cut up earthworm and smashed the pellets so they would soak up good and she is eating them. thanx for the advice!! im gunna try that with the krill next, i spent $15 on the bag and dont really want it to go to waste.

 

[oTo]

As long as your ray does not look dealthy skinny or so fat that it is about to burst then you should be fine.

I would reccomend removing rosy reds from your rays diet. Rosies (Fathead minnows) contain thiaminase. Studies have shown that wild and captive fish exhibit various health problems directly linked to a diet high in thiaminase.

Firemedic is right on the money. Starting your own personal compost pile is the way to go. You can control what goes into your feeders and ensure they are getting what they need. They reproduce quickly and are very inexpensive to cultivate.
When your ray gets larger, you can upgrade him to a larger species of earthworm.

Start with a few hundred red wigglers, an 18 gallon rubbermaid (with a lid) and about 4-5 inches of peat moss and you are ready to go.

 

[bcfd144]

also try feeding the ray live ghost shrimp. Mine loves them. Cant get enough.. Its also the thrill of the kill to her and that helps keep her into her wild roots.
Ghost shrimp range from .15 to .25 each. but its a good part of their feeding that helps with their diet....