Retric - don't eat

[michalm]

Hello,

I have Reticulata - Red Caqueta (2 female) - 6-7" - 6 weeks already. They start eating peaty fast (after 2 days), everything was OK for couple weeks. Now they stop eating, they are very skinny. They are swimming and they are active, but they are so skinny.

Food: frozen blood worms, black worms, cut up canadian nightrawlers and shrimp, and hikari sinking pallets.

For all my rays I put twice a day (for example): 8 cube of frozen blood worms + 5 canadian worms (cut), 2-3 shrimp (cut)...

Temp: 82
PH: 6.2
NO3: 15-20ppm

Other fish: 2 x Black Arowana - 15", 1 Orb - 7", 4 Hystrix - 4"-6".

It can be stress, because one weeks ago I have a small party and kids run around the aquarium. But they looks like (they very skinny) they don't eat more than one week.

What can I do more ? Turn off the lights ? Separate Retric (graduation) ?

Thanks for helping...

 

[bcfd144]

ya, try keeping the lights low or off for about three days.
Do a water change. 40%
What is the Ammonia level in the tank?
Have you added any decor or other fish what may be also keeping them stressed...

 

[oscarrrlover]

ph seems alittle off to me, however i have heard of people keeping them at that. With my experience some rays will develop a fussyness for some foods. is ur ammonia in check? if its not ammonia i would assume its the ph....

 

[Gshock]

Did you prazi them when you first got them? Even if they stop eating for a couple days, they shouldn't be going skinny if they've been well fed for the past couple weeks.

 

[needycowgirl]

Im thinking they may have a parasite...which is going to make them weaker and any stress could get them to stop eating. Id Prazi or Metro them, bump the heat, turn off the lights and cover the tank...It should reduce the stress and treat for the nasty little bugs they all seem to bring with them. Just an idea though

 

[michalm]

ya, try keeping the lights low or off for about three days.
Do a water change. 40%
What is the Ammonia level in the tank?
Have you added any decor or other fish what may be also keeping them stressed...

Yesterday I did 30% water change. Today I will do next 30%.

NO2 is 0ppm
Ammonia it looks like 0ppm. I use API test and the color is yellow, but it is a little green. But maybe I just see this color little green, because I try to find something that is not right.

But, when NO2 is 0ppm, and NO3 is 15ppm... Ammonia can be more than 0ppm ? If answer is "yes", why ?

No I didn't put any new decor. I have only one driftwood with anubias on it. That's it.

ph seems alittle off to me, however i have heard of people keeping them at that. With my experience some rays will develop a fussyness for some foods. is ur ammonia in check? if its not ammonia i would assume its the ph....

PH is stable... it is 6 to 6.2.

Did you prazi them when you first got them? Even if they stop eating for a couple days, they shouldn't be going skinny if they've been well fed for the past couple weeks.

They where a little skinny, when they arrived.

Im thinking they may have a parasite...which is going to make them weaker and any stress could get them to stop eating. Id Prazi or Metro them, bump the heat, turn off the lights and cover the tank...It should reduce the stress and treat for the nasty little bugs they all seem to bring with them. Just an idea though

Temp is already 82F. It is enough ?

At home I have only Mel and Pim. Can you tell me what to buy for parasite ? web link please... I will go for it tomorrow.

Thank you for helping !

 

[johno27]

The PH does seem a bit low does it come from your tap that low or is it crashing in the tank?

I would eliminate all other factors before adding any meds to the tank if it where me.

What does their feces look like are they stringy or white?

 

[michalm]

The PH does seem a bit low does it come from your tap that low or is it crashing in the tank?

I would eliminate all other factors before adding any meds to the tank if it where me.

What does their feces look like are they stringy or white?

I have Ro/Di system, and that why I have low PH.

Rays faces are very dark and stringy.

 

[michalm]

I checked Tap Water and water from Ro/Di system and both have exactly the same color like from the tank. That means my Ammonia is 0ppm. API test show me that 0pp = yellow... but on my tests are yellow with little green... My wife confirm that ! ))) It can't be that water from Ro/Di, TapWater and from tank have some Ammonia... Am I right ?

Thanks for helping...

Now, I'm changing 30% of water.

Lights are OFF...

 

[michalm]

anybody