Ray breathing issues- Labored breathing

[DB junkie]

I've been having some issues with one of my rays. She got beat up pretty bad in the pond by one of the males. Tip of tail must have gotten bit as it is white. I salted the pond and kept up on daily WCs. After about 5 days she didn't seem to be improving and breathing was still sped up. I moved her to a tank that is on the same system. After a few days I decided to seperate it from the pond system. I added 2 Fluval 405s. 1 allready seeded. The sand kinda stuck to her a bit (thick slime coat) so I added Binox as it seemed to fix this last time I went through this with her.

Aeration.... Both canisters are discharging above the water level, and 1 has a venturi on it. I also have 2 airpumps driving 3 disks. Lots of air in there. I did another 50% WC last night without any meds. Salt is at like 2lbs/100, temp is 80, Amo is 0, Nitrite is zero. Nitrate is NOT zero. LOL

All in all she looks ok and is still semi active. Hasn't eaten since 3 days prior to leaving the pond. I'm worried about her breathing, don't know if maybe she has some gill issues???? I've been reading and searching since last night and am really lost as to what the next move should be. None of the other rays in the pond exhibit labored breathing. Should I just cut her loose back into the pond? Half the reason I moved her was to be able to observe and mediacte if needed, and basically just to give her a break from the other rays. Maybe there's a serious issue or maybe I'm just off my rocker from loosing the mama ray last weekend.

Here's a vid of her breathing.....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E66_iO9V-IM

Thanks to any insight....... Please lemme know what you think.

 

[Alli Cat]

beautiful ray!
i hope she makes it.

 

[skynoch]

I'm thinking stress related with getting beat up and then a tank move and then meds. What's in that tank with her now? Have you been covering the tank? Where there any changes in tankmates recently in the main tank? I think your doing what you need to do. Good luck.
I also have problems with my male marble every 6-8 months it seems to stop eating and I've had to remove it from the main tank. I have no clue but my only guess has been a removal of a ray from that system around the same time and some pups being born at another. To solve this I put it in a seperate tank on the same system and it will eat some but not much and then when I return it to the main tank it will feast and be good for another 6-8 months.

 

[DB junkie]

Yup... friggin finicky Marbles. Drives me nuts that all the ugly Marbles and plain Motoros are so hardy and the nice ones are whiney, cry babies that up and quit eating if picked on a lil, then if no action's taken they friggin up and die on you.

I went through all this similar crap when I got this ray, but she didn't seem to breath as hard as she is now. Maybe once I get the drip all done I'll just move her back to the pond and throw a divider in there.

 

[keepinfish]

Just curious why would you think that you would need to treat with Binox? Binox could damage your bio..right? With 1 seeded filter, you may not have enought bio?


kinda weird you are having so many issues as of late. Gotta be something simple.

 

[DB junkie]

I always have issues with rays. Nothing new there. My water quality is crap, I can admit that. Even with daily 50% WCs..... Trying to get a drip set up but I'm having issues.

I treated with Binox cause of the combination of thicker then normal slimecoat/ loss of appetite/ disk and tail damage that would be a good candidate for bacterial incfection. Like I said she's tried to take a turn for the worse on me before and that prevented it.

Allready seeded as in was put into service 2 weeks ago with media right out of my wet dry. I would think after 2 weeks it would be capable of supporting one ray. The same was done with the other filter but it was just put into service at the time of the move...... If a canister of this size is incapble of supporting one 12in ray in a 150 then maybe I need to rethink the filtration aspect of all my tanks...... Maybe I just need to rethink keeping this many rays.....LOL

 

[Gr8KarmaSF]

I'm thinking stress related with getting beat up and then a tank move and then meds.

+1

Just give her some time to recover....

What have you tried feeding? Worms? Usually they cant resist them...

 

[vamptrev]

honestly i think you might have made it a little worse by moving her, salting, and medicating....

i dont like whiney rays either so i make them toughen it out

a couple small wounds here and there should heal pretty easily

i see my rays breathing fast for a few if they r getting picked on but they toughen up and r back in a day or 2

i think the answere is the drip. cleaner water = healthyier rays

 

[DB junkie]

+1

Just give her some time to recover....

What have you tried feeding? Worms? Usually they cant resist them...

Refusing worms. That's part of the reason I thought it was worth making a thread. I know people that frequent this forum hate seeing the same "my ray's sick and not eating" threads. I was hesitant to even post anything but this ray is worth making a post for. She's one of my very favorites and the fact that she looks fine but refuses food, and is breathing just stupid hard despite LOTS of O2 has me really worried.

 

[skynoch]

honestly i think you might have made it a little worse by moving her, salting, and medicating....

i dont like whiney rays either so i make them toughen it out

a couple small wounds here and there should heal pretty easily

i see my rays breathing fast for a few if they r getting picked on but they toughen up and r back in a day or 2

i think the answere is the drip. cleaner water = healthyier rays

lol, I try to make them tough it out also but this male of mine will stop eating for over a month and I'll take it out once the hip bones are showing.
I think your doing the right thing just need some time and when it starts to eat a little for awhile re-introduce it back in with the other rays.