Fresh Water Stingray Sick

[kjbednar]

Hello -

we have a 5 year old female stingray - she has been healthy and even given birth several years running. However - a new male was introduced in the tank - and she started getting pretty beat up looking - we did separate the two (unclear if this was even the cause) and she still continues to do poorly. She isn't eating (it has been well over a week since the male left). We have been doing water changes every other day (1/3rd).

She is currently only one of two fish in a 500 gallon tank. We are seeing "mold type" spots on her; in addition her underside is covered with angry redish looking marks. We are trying to get a picture but please advise any suggestions that we can do to help her.

She is getting very thin - it seems day to day - one day she seems better/next day not so much.

The water #'s:
40 -Nitrate
.25-Amonia
0 Nitrite
6 - PH level​

 

[keepinfish]

confused if the tank is established...WHY do you have ammonia in your tank?

that is my first thought... filter sucked something up?

 

[kjbednar]

The tank has been established - the other stingray was a new addition and then removed. We are checking the filter and have added something to reduce the amount of amonia in the tank. Not sure how/why the amonia has arrived in the tank. We have removed/cleaned all food remants out of the tank also.

 

[scott s]

Continue with water changes, no lights, favorite food (usually chopped night crawlers). Recommend water changes over chems. to get rid of ammonia.

 

[johno27]

What is the ph of your tap water? 6 seems very low it very well could have been below 6 at some point before all the water changes causing your bb to go dormant and cause an ammonia spike. The 40 Nitrates after that many water changes kind of point me in the same direction. Just keep doing those water changes until your tank ph is near your tap ph and add some salt to prevent any damage from Nitrites