Deathcurl in Second Ray!

[abortedsoul]

Yup it'll pass. Some people just have to loose some before they understand..... Some people listen to the advice.

Goes back to that saying.... "You could get a good look at a steak by sticking your head up a cows arse but wouldn't you rather take a butcher's word for it?"

You can kill them yourself or take advice from people who allready have..... Not referring to your Retics, just rays in general.

I may sound a little harsh but I'm just being honest..... Not trying to be rude or disrespectfull in any way shape or form so please don't take it that way...... Just trying to get the point across.... Most all of us offering advice are doing so, so that you do NOT have to go through what we've been through...... We've learned from mistakes..... Point is you don't have to loose any rays to learn from our mistakes if you listen. The salt thing is not up for debate. It IS proven.

I'm not saying my advice is any good but I have been keeping these things for over 5 years and I have killed plenty, and in turn have learned a lot.

I really do hear what you are saying. I guess I am reluctant to take such a "close your eyes and jump right in" approach to the solutions. I am a bit unnerved by the initial advice I received about fluketabs, for instance. However, I do trust MFK quite a bit more (especially now) than I do the other sources I have. Thank you for reiterating your points; the salt thing, for example, does seem to be rather settled.

Your advice is valued; I am very glad for my rays that this site is here. I'm still rather analytical by nature (and I'm sure Miles can sympathize), but I will try not to miss the "lessons learned", so to speak.

 

[abortedsoul]

With most of the rays weve got in the shop and my own ive seen them list the back of their discs, i think its just to help stablise them in the water current i have a really good turnover. Not Death curl but ill leave it to the experts, just my opinion

One of the rays actually did curl almost completely. I saw a pic very similar to the way that the rays looked in one of Miles' thread; I wish I had taken pictures, but I was far too busy hauling buckets, adding salt, siphoning, removing the sand, and hauling more buckets. It was about half an hour after I received the fluketab warning from Mike, and the entire disc was curled on the newer ray. The curl was completely around his disc, and it was about an inch above the substrate and very distinct.

His curl has calmed down considerably, and he is nibbling at food here and there, but he seems very sick, indeed.

The female seems to be doing much better, but only time will tell.

 

[Miles]

 

[abortedsoul]

What do you think, Miles? Should I add more salt, cover with a blanket?

Thadeus isn't eating. He picks one spot and stays there for hours on end. Sometimes I have to check to see if his gills are moving to make sure he's still breathing.

Oh, and I told you I'd post some pics! I'll get on that, posthaste.

 

[Gr8KarmaSF]

 

[Miles]

What do you think, Miles? Should I add more salt, cover with a blanket?

Thadeus isn't eating. He picks one spot and stays there for hours on end. Sometimes I have to check to see if his gills are moving to make sure he's still breathing.

Oh, and I told you I'd post some pics! I'll get on that, posthaste.

What are you trying to feed it?

salt and blanket sure.. I never really worried about the amount of salt I just throw in a few scoops and call it good. Usually only dose once and remove through water changes... I would just let them chill out I do the blanket method with brand new retics.. put some blackworms and ghost shrimp in the tank, and syphoned poop everyday..(15-25% W/C tap w/ prime) 5 tfd retics in a 100g long. http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=136013&highlight=reticulated
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=137237&highlight=Reticulata

heres some pix of the rays when I first got em.. the sand is a very smooth fine grain gravel
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=91298&highlight=Reticulata

and the update thread with some more info http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=93090&highlight=reticulated

thought you might like to read those if you havent already

If you cant get blackworms get red wigglers from petsmart and chop them into 1/3s.. remove them if they don't eat them right away. Sometimes the rays have to chill out for a few days but blackworms should do the trick. Bloodworms are worthless IMO.

hm other then that it sounds like you have everything covered ... if it dies you can consider it my fault ... I will send you my first retic pup

 

[abortedsoul]

If you cant get blackworms get red wigglers from petsmart and chop them into little bits.. remove them if they don't eat them right away. Sometimes the rays have to chill out for a few days but blackworms should do the trick. Bloodworms are worthless IMO.

hm other then that it sounds like you have everything covered ... if it dies you can consider it my fault ... I will send you my first retic pup

I am feeding them live blackworms. there is now way I blame you with the information you have provided; I am really glad that you have helped us out (although I would never turn down the chance to raise a captive bred retic!)

Pics are uploading now.

 

[abortedsoul]

Here are the pictures. The lights were only on to take the pictures, and have since been removed. Pictures are upside down... weird. Note: The sand that is on the bottom is residual; I siphon it out periodically, but the FX5 keeps coughing more out. (I guess I'll be investing in a new impeller soon.)

 

[Nic]

I can really appreciate your approach, Nic. I'm a bit more tender about it, but I'm sure I can draw valuable ideas from your style of raykeeping (for instance, cycling the tank and, along with the advice from Miles, acclimation).

i dont care if people listen to me or not.... read the kiss thread..thats how i do things.... i learned through the search feature and on my own....6 tablets full of notes... all first hand experience ...

 

[FishDog]

Those are some nice upside down pics LOL! They are looking good!