My ray is not doing so well!!

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
riskistang - I just think it is strange that prior to this event he would constantly slide up and down the sides of the tank and never swam like that. Now he is swimming back and forth non stop! It looks cool as hell though!

tankbuster - what do you mean by have the R/O right?
 
thats why the are called "UFO's" :thumbsup: Maybe it just found the current....mine fight for the spot in the tank and fly all day long.....its like a fun game for them.....you find your ray doing that most that time and seraching for food.....rays are like lil kids....eat and play all day long... :thumbsup:
 
Here he is. Most of the day he has been in this position with that part of his disk curled. See the remaining fuzz on that part of his disk as well? If he is not in that position he is flying through the tank which is NOT a normal activity of this individual ray.

I am in the middle of a water change. I used drinking and spring water from the grocery store. I did not know which was better so I got both. Anyhow the change is taking awhile because the only way for me to heat the jugs (they were at 68*) is to warm them up in my bath tub and of course as my luck will have it my tub wont hold water so I have to stuff it with wrags to slow it down and just warm a few jugs at a time. I spent more on water today then he cost me, even so I will spend even more if I need/can to save him. Oh he also has not eaten today. :( After my h20 change I will try his favorite food, fresh shrimp, and if he doesnt eat that cover the tank back up with a blanket and hope for the best in the morning.


Edit: WTF can anything go right for me today? I uploaded the pic in the gallery and then onto here as usual but for some reason its tiny!!! :swear:

DCP_0700.JPG
 
Do you have any exposed heaters? The damage to the front part of the disc could be from a heater.

The activity he is displaying looks like a sign of stress and looks like he is trying to find a new environment, but could also be searching for food. Is he losing weight? His constant activity could be due to a parasite stealing all of his nutrition after meals. Although he might be eating well, he could be starving internally. I would assume it to be something like this, or something else is stressing him such as bad substrate or a more aggressive ray in the area.
 
Well my tank is bare with covered heaters. His under side especially around his chin is really red even though my tank is bare.

I really think that this is some sort of neorological problem. I mean one minute he looks dead being pushed around by the current created by my filters and then the next minute he is swimming erratically through out the tank even doing back flips, dives, sharp turns and all kinds of manuvers I have never seen before. It is really wild to watch. He looks like one of those acrobatic airplanes flying through the air during an air show!

He is also losing weight because he has not eatin yet today and did not eat yesterday and the day before that just ate one worm. I bought blackworms today and he did not eat those either.

He has been with his tankmate, a motoro for about a month now with out any problems. If any thing he was the one bothering her before he got sick.
 
Ok so as we narrow it down, heres my thoughts:

1) The pink/red belly would indicate a bad substrate, but as you said it is bare.. This could only mean one other thing; Ammonia Burn. I see alot of freshly imported rays have this problem, especially when very young. It might be a trait of a very skinny and juvenile ray, but I would say the Ammonia in your tap water is the cause. I am unsure of how much it could also effect or damage the disc region.

2) The comment about the Filter 'pushing' him around the tank might indicate a stress factor. Although its not good to have any 'dead zones' in your tank, he might be seeking refuge just to relax and not have to fight the current. If he hasn't slept in days because of this, it could of caused some serious stress issues.

3) Rejection of food is a very bad sign, especially black worms. It could of came from the Ammonia, Internal parasites, or acute stress from tankmates and/or no refuge areas.

Hopefully you can take some of this and alleviate anything.. But at this point, there is not much you can do. I am a big fan of Salt when rays are stressed, and some might even say I over-do it, but I have never killed a ray from salt overdose. Keep in mind, they evolved from a SW fish and should be able to tolerate high salt levels, pH and hardness on the other hand is a different situation.
 
Well I gave it all I had with your alls excellent advise, but I guess the ammonia spike was too much for my little man. I found him dead this morning. :(

Here is a before and two after pics of him.

2 rays.jpg

dead1.jpg

dead2.jpg
 
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