Suggestions/Help

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Baz

Feeder Fish
Feb 6, 2008
1
0
0
Edmonton, Alberta
Hello all,

I have been recomended to this chat group by a friend and I am hoping that someone will be able to help me in saving my shark.

I currently have a whitespotted bamboo shark he is about 14 inches long. I have had him for about 4 months and he was eating 2 times a week (tiger prawns). Mid december I moved him to a new larger home he was eating for the first two weeks and has since stopped eating all together for 1 month and I am starting to see his bones. I have asked all the shop owners and there staff here in Edmonton what I can do and we are all really confused as to what is wrong the last test I did (2 days ago) said that my nitrates were a little high so I did a water change (25%) and added some prime. Todat my oriental sweetlips was belly up and I thiught they were impossible to kill!!!

If anyone has some suggestions as to what I can try I would be greatful. I really dont want to lose him.

Thank you
Barry
 
I'm sorry to hear about your shark not eating. One thing I'd like to know is if the prawns you've been feeding still had their tails on or if they were removed? The tails are quite sharp and could have easily lodged in the digestive tract and that could be why the shark is refusing to eat. Either way, you'll have to consider force feeding before the weight of the shark drops so far that the physiological damage becomes irreversible. Good luck.
 
i am justv starting my salt water tank i am preping my water i have a chiller and a heater hooked up together what is the normal operating temp some one help
 
A lot more info is needed.

Salinity? Temp? Was the shrimp raw? Peeled?

Those sharks can handle lower salt levels, but an animal not eating should be bumped up to full strength. Temp should be upper 70's to low 80's. Make sure you have enough water movement to keep the disolved oxygen levels up. Bamboos should eat more than twice a week. Every other day is good for adults - small amounts daily works as well. Pups need to eat small amounts twice daily.
What are your ammonia levels?
 
Barry,
I agree with Matt (Zoodiver), we need more info. Also, can you run a check of you parameters and post them here. Please check for
Nitrates
Nitrites
Ammonia
PH
Salinity
O2
Calcium
Iodine

For starters. If you do not have an O2 monitor, increase surface disturbance and mid-column circulation for now.

What supplements do you introduce daily/weekly - (Element and Dose)

What temp is your tank set to?

Any noticeable lesions/discoloration or swelling?

We need a significantly greater amount of information before we can make any reasonable assumptions.

NOTE: The fact that you are seeing "Bones" (which you really aren't - these animals are cartilaginous), is distressing, and a surefire sign of malnutrition - in the best scenario, so we need to figure this out soon.
 
Also, as a quick note:

Tiger Prawns are fine, but not as a constant diet, in the wild these animals thrive from a varied diet, and each of their prey provide them with differing essential vitamins and nutrients. Have you used any dietary supplement at all, have you tried varying the diet? For example, the pups I have at home now, eat three times a day, and each meal is different. Their diets as a whole consist of;

Brine Shrimp
Squid (Chopped)
Mussels(Chopped)
Krill
Plankton
Fine Chopped Silversides
Tiger Prawns(Chopped Raw, de-tailed and skinned)
Live Ghost Shrimp (As an occasional treat)
in addition to a vitamin gel

I regulate their intake and variation by weekly charting, and their meals are portioned, and methodically spaced.

Please give us more information soon so we can help ok. Thanks.
 
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