Help! Atlantic Stingray curling!

[bbrayer]

thats the rock shes in. its pea river stones

 

[bbrayer]

theory is, 75-80 degrees.....Im not an expert, but everyone keeps saying warm, but not too warm

 

[bbrayer]

This was taken an hour after I got her. See? her belly was pink, kinda....and the guy she came had a bare bottom tank, but was the one who suggested the rock.

 

[Gshock]

I have test strips and check the water daily, and weekly consistent water changes keep the nitrates down to nothing and no amonia. shes a juvenile ray, shes really small. Disk size probably 5 inches. Shes never stopped eating though. Her behavior is just ....bizzarre

1 water change a week is nowhere near enough for a sabina in freshwater. Start doing changes every other day if not everyday. If your ray is actually curling, then its probably past the point of being able to be saved.

Whats the specific gravity u know they have to be in saltwater and have lots of sand to play in and the need warm water like 86-90 degrees F

You mean salinity? Rays do NOT need sand to play in. Dont need temps that high, only during medication periods. Also, as stated by zoodiver, sabina dont strive in high temps like the potamotrygons.

 

[bbrayer]

heres the thing. Im slowly converting to salt....but i check the water DAILY. there is nothing to require more water changes. There is No amonia, no nitrates. at the end of the week, there is a little bit, so I remove about 30% a week and just now started adding about a cup of salt per 20 gallons. it barely reads on the hydrometer, but its slowly increasing. now at .008

 

[bbrayer]

I see what your saying, and the frequent water changes are usually due to the high amounts of amonia she produces, but the water looks great, and test great. I change a percentage weekly, to be consistent.

 

[ericifish]

Why is it that they produce more waste in freshwater? I find this whole thread fasinating. Good luck man I hope your Ray pulls through. Also, I live in Florida real close to the st johns and see these guys all the time in pure fresh water. They swim up into the springs at times.

 

[bbrayer]

And she curls all the time. then flattens out and acts normal. Usually she starts curling when I screw with her water on saturday. But she bounces back from it. I spoke with a guy yesterday that had an atlantic, and it use to curl up all the time when/if the salt levels got too low.

 

[bbrayer]

They have large kidneys, apparently they produce more amonia to offset not being in salt water. their bodies have to work twice as hard in freshwater

 

[ericifish]

Don't worry man if you lose this one come to florida and I will show you were we can catch these guys in bulk at a decent size lol