Ray female curling up - HELP!

[kev82]

Hi

I had this posted in another thread, but new threads tend to get a little more attention so I hope you'll forgive me.

My female started acting weird earlier today, swimming alot at first, but then starting to swim in circles and cannot stay still. I took some pics of what she's been doing to try to show you what I'm dealing with.

pH is 7.8 and nitrates are ~15ppm after a 60-70% water change.

One pose

Another pose (upside down deathcurl?)

From below - As you can see the underside isn't damaged at all

The male is doing fine, and the discus in the tank are great, which should be a testament to the water quality.



What do I do?

 

[Nic]

sounds like a active ray to me...mine used to be all over the place....

 

[kev82]

sounds like a active ray to me...mine used to be all over the place....

Well she's active alright, but she's keeping those "poses" for some time and just acting all weird. I've had her for 3 weeks, and she hasn't been acting like this before. Maybe I'm just stressing out because those bastards cost me $500, but I got nervous when I read about stingrays doing stationary poses like that being something to worry about and she's looking kinda irritated, like in a bad mood irritated, not scratchy irritated.

She just ate a little shrimp (ok, a bunch, she has a gut after eating it) tho, so maybe she's got a little kick left in her.

 

[vamptrev]

do u use stress coat?

 

[turkeyboy85]

did u put clorine remover in?
60-70% is a pretty big water change u should keep it down to like 50%

 

[Savior19]

Bump....

 

[kev82]

I live in Iceland, there's no clorine or other contaminants in the water here. All water changes are from the tap using a python. I don't use stress coat either, water additives are rarely used here. I do the same with my breeding discus and they breed like crazy in this water.

 

[Lode]

I think it's the substrate. Sand or fine gravel is better. This might give skin irritation.

 

[kev82]

I think it's the substrate. Sand or fine gravel is better. This might give skin irritation.

Could be, but wouldn't I see irritation on the underside of the ray? Like reddish inflammation or something? 1/3 of the tank has fine sand (pool filter), and the rest has this gravel, which is pretty smooth and they don't have any troubles digging themselves in it. I might change the substrate soon tho. BB is a nono for me tho since this tank is in my living room and needs to look nice

 

[csx4236]

Bad water will cause this. Use stress coat. What do they use in Iceland to treat your water? They have to use something like chlorine or chloramine