Eppaulette shark flashing.

[Mjoy4567]

I have recently got a eppaulette shark pup no older than 6 weeks old. I currently have it in a 20gal while I get it feeding etc and as a QT for a few weeks. I have only just noticed as of this morning the infamous red rash on its underside and general flashing. In all it seems in good health I.e eating fingernail sized chunks of prawns, chopped silversides and has a full belly.
Water quality is good PH 7.7, Nitrite and Ammonia 0, Nitrate 2 ppm. It has settled down over the day and the flashing was minimised and the rash nearly disappeared. I am also noticing its skin to have more shine than I noticed before.
With the Internet the way it is I can either find too much or not enough information so am asking here. What causes the red rash, flashing combo and am I just imagining the skin to be shinier or is there more to it?
I am thinking at this stage moving it to the 400ltr/100gal tank earlier than anticipated if it's condition doesn't get better or it doesn't relieve itself of whatever is causing the issue.

Pic attached.

 

[tlindsey]

I have recently got a eppaulette shark pup no older than 6 weeks old. I currently have it in a 20gal while I get it feeding etc and as a QT for a few weeks. I have only just noticed as of this morning the infamous red rash on its underside and general flashing. In all it seems in good health I.e eating fingernail sized chunks of prawns, chopped silversides and has a full belly.
Water quality is good PH 7.7, Nitrite and Ammonia 0, Nitrate 2 ppm. It has settled down over the day and the flashing was minimised and the rash nearly disappeared. I am also noticing its skin to have more shine than I noticed before.
With the Internet the way it is I can either find too much or not enough information so am asking here. What causes the red rash, flashing combo and am I just imagining the skin to be shinier or is there more to it?
I am thinking at this stage moving it to the 400ltr/100gal tank earlier than anticipated if it's condition doesn't get better or it doesn't relieve itself of whatever is causing the issue.

Pic attached.

View attachment 1303099

Like rays sharks produce more ammonia than most fish species. I suggest you do a water change every other day a 20 gallon is too small for quarantine for the pup less room for error. Any percentage of nitrite or ammonia can be harmful.

 

[krichardson]

Yep and what kind of substrate do you have in the tank?

 

[Mjoy4567]

Yep and what kind of substrate do you have in the tank?

It's bare bottom in the QT, but the 5ft which I will move it into is black caribsea fine substrate. It's slightly more course than sand but finer than crushed coral.

 

[Mjoy4567]

Like rays sharks produce more ammonia than most fish species. I suggest you do a water change every other day a 20 gallon is too small for quarantine for the pup less room for error. Any percentage of nitrite or ammonia can be harmful.

I would love to move it to the 5 ft but wanted to be 110% it was consistent with feeding before I lost it within my rock work. Maybe now is the time though. I had never intended in keeping it in 80-90ltrs for any longer than I needed. Time to tear off the band-aid and do what's best for the animal. Thank you for the reply.

 

[RocketGarStar]

Good luck! He's a beautiful animal.

 

[Mjoy4567]

Good luck! He's a beautiful animal.

Thank you,
Progress is I have moved it into the 5ft tank and flashing and redness has stopped. It has now been 2 days and with it in the rock work It is hard to say if it has had anything to eat. I do have other fish in the tank so any food I have put in is gone by morning. I have tried hand feeding of a night time but no feeding response and unsurprisingly actually was more intent on getting away from my hand. I will watch for signs of hunger but at this stage still has good form and a nice rounded mid section.

 

[RocketGarStar]

Thank you,
Progress is I have moved it into the 5ft tank and flashing and redness has stopped. It has now been 2 days and with it in the rock work It is hard to say if it has had anything to eat. I do have other fish in the tank so any food I have put in is gone by morning. I have tried hand feeding of a night time but no feeding response and unsurprisingly actually was more intent on getting away from my hand. I will watch for signs of hunger but at this stage still has good form and a nice rounded mid section.

good luck! Sounds like he likes it better there.

 

[Aquadog]

I have hatched a few bamboos and each got the same red belly. I think is takes time for their skin to develop more durability to the roughness of rocks, sand ect.

If your shark is already eating, it shouldnt be a problem putting it in the larger tank. You will just need to target feed it. I ised a small piece of rigid clear plastic air tubing that was sharpened at the tip.

I'm jealous you got an Eppy pup. I have been searchimg for an egg or pup for a while now.

 

[Mjoy4567]

Thanks everyone for the replies, it has been about a year waiting for the right animal to come along. I sucessfully hand fed it a tiny piece of squid this afternoon which it seemed to take a good 10-15 minutes sucking it in and spitting it out around the tank th finally consumed the last fragments of it. I am highly relieved have watched it eat something.
Being in Australia they come along every now and then but most of the pups and eggs go to export so we get left with larger specimens. I was lucky to get in on the tail end of an export order that got canceled and the store was going to put up a display tank to have it as a store mascot.

Cheers