Need some help with retic stingray

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
C

Chasintail

Candiru
MFK Member
Oct 16, 2011
243
8
48
south central Pennsylvania
Hello all, I've been reading this forum for almost two months and finally decided to register. I had purchased a retic pup (3-4") a little over a month and a half ago from my LFS. For the first three weeks I could not decide whether or not he was eating. I was providing frozen bloodworms, frozen tubifex, frozen mosquito larvae, beef heart, even tried frozen squid. There were only one or two times where his actions led me to believe he was eating. I do have 4 small dicus in the tank as well, but was always certain to place enough food to be sure they did not steal his share. Three weekes or so into it, he was beginning to show signs of a starved ray. Pelvic "bones" showing, etc. and I was fairly certain he was not eating. At that time I ordered live blackworms from the place in California. When I first put them in the tank, he did seem to eat, heavily. Now, two weeks later, I still have not seen him exhibit feeding activity like I've seen in videos or read about. Though, I leave enough blackworms in over night and through the day that he may forage. There are still the tiny divits in the sand all over the place.

I forgot to mention that the ray is generally active.

I'm asking a few things then. IF by chance he is not eating, would he be dead by now? If's he not eating live blackworms, is there any other option to try? Any suggestions in general?

Current tank set up is (180 on the way)

120 gallon- 48x24x24
sand bottom
very lightly planted
ph 6.8-7
0 ammonia
0 nitrite
20 nitrate (about as low as I can go as my well water has nitrates)
4 2" discus as tank mates which are healthy and happy as can be

Thanks for all your help!
Derek
 
Are his hip bones still showing? You could also try some earthworms cut very small. One of the reasons retics can be hard to care for is that they have a smaller mouth than motoros which means their food has to be much smaller.

Bottom line, give him as much as he wants of what ever it is he wants to eat or shows the most interest in until he is a healthy weight and then work on new foods
 
I've tried the chopped up earthworms as well, I failed to mention that. I may try some again as I have plenty since I feed them to my gold piranha in my other tank.

Is there a chance he IS eating and I'm just not seeing it? What about the possibility of an internal parasite?

Thanks!
 
I have 7 retics and 4 motoros. Three of my retics are wild caught and 4 are captive bred. My advise in this case which is what I did for my wild caught is to treat right away with Prazipro and Metronidazole. I buy Prazipro from many different online vendors and Metronidazole from a place called Agels Plus also online. I do 2 or 3 back to back treatments and it works every time. The wild caught retics begin to eat and get so fat they look more like turtles.

I had bought some retics from a lfs recently and mine are all fat and healthy because I treated them while they lost all the remaining stock because they didn't treat. The live blackworms are probably all they will eat until they are at least 5 inches plus at least in my experience. I also added salt to the water. Good luck!
 
I do know these are wild caught rays. The 7 that came in with him died within a week at the LFS. I would have preferred to buy a ray that was at the store for some time and eating, but they move very quickly there and waiting would have netted me no ray. I'll look into the prazipro and metronidazole.
Thanks
 
In my opinion it is the only way you can save your ray. Try adding the salt soon. Your local fish store might carry a product called General Cure. It mixes the two products together. I have it but never used it since I've had the best luck with the other two products used seperately. It'll at least get you started until you can get the others. GL.
 
salt...tell me more. what kind? how much? I have pure seasalt from a water softener source. Is that the same thing?

I see angels plus also has a product called praziquantel, from a quick search, this is the same thing as prazipro, but not in liquid form. Ordering from the same place will help save with shipping.
 
As far as the salt goes, they have so may different kinds it's hard to say. I use one that is used in softeners and made fro evaporated sea salt. I believe it is 1 tablespoon per 5 gallons. It must be diluted in water and brought up to the proper level slowly so you don't shock anyone. On the Angel Plus site, yes that is the same product. I have even bought it and tried it. The only thing is that Prazipro is in liquid form and easier to mix. I'm sure they both work equally though. If you can try buying it ASAP so you can treat before you lose the little one. Pull all carbon during treatment of antibiotics. I know, I'm staing the obvious. Just a reminder. Best of luck!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
MonsterFishKeepers.com
Top Bottom