Treating Stingrays with Ich

[CaptainAquatics]

Have you tested your water?

Yes

If yes, what is your ammonia?

0

If yes, what is your nitrite?

0

If yes, what is your nitrate?

10

If I did not test my water...

1. ...I recognize that I will likely be asked to do a test, and that water tests are critical for solving freshwater health problems.

Do you do water changes?

Yes

What percentage of water do you change?

91-100%

How frequently do you change your water?

Every week

If I do not change my water...

1. ...I recognize that I will likely be recommended to do a water change, and water changes are critical for preventing future freshwater health problems.

Hello all!
I have two stingrays (Pico a Black Diamond Female and Pine a Pearl Female) in a 130 gallon aquarium (170 gallon system cause of 40 gallon sump - yes I am aware they will outgrow this tank). Both are very young (pico is about 5” disc diameter, Pine 5.5-6”). They live with a fire eel, 2 green phantom plecos, and a young flowerhorn.
Water changes are 40-50% every three days or as needed to keep water quality good.
current parameters are:
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 10ppm
Temperature: 78F

So I have noticed on the fire eel and one of the plecos some white specs, but I honestly cannot tell if it’s ich or sand (there was previously a white / tan sand in this tank and there is still some residual). Everyone is active and eats well with the exception of pine being a slow eater - but she does eat (previously I had some issues with the rays eating a few weeks ago but that’s cleared up for the most part). Even tho I don’t know for sure if these specs are just sand stuck to em, or ich, I want to treat it as if it is ich (don’t wanna take any chances). Any advice on how I could do a general treatment for them? Would aquarium salt be ok to use?

 

[tlindsey]

Hello all!
I have two stingrays (Pico a Black Diamond Female and Pine a Pearl Female) in a 130 gallon aquarium (170 gallon system cause of 40 gallon sump - yes I am aware they will outgrow this tank). Both are very young (pico is about 5” disc diameter, Pine 5.5-6”). They live with a fire eel, 2 green phantom plecos, and a young flowerhorn.
Water changes are 40-50% every three days or as needed to keep water quality good.
current parameters are:
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 10ppm
Temperature: 78F

So I have noticed on the fire eel and one of the plecos some white specs, but I honestly cannot tell if it’s ich or sand (there was previously a white / tan sand in this tank and there is still some residual). Everyone is active and eats well with the exception of pine being a slow eater - but she does eat (previously I had some issues with the rays eating a few weeks ago but that’s cleared up for the most part). Even tho I don’t know for sure if these specs are just sand stuck to em, or ich, I want to treat it as if it is ich (don’t wanna take any chances). Any advice on how I could do a general treatment for them? Would aquarium salt be ok to use?

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I would be cautious of treating with salt because the fire eel doesn't have scales.

 

[CaptainAquatics]

I would be cautious of treating with salt because the fire eel doesn't have scales.

how would you advise I treat them

 

[tlindsey]

how would you advise I treat them

I believe the dosage is 1tbl spoon every 5 gallons. I personally would do half of that.

 

[Ansorgii]

I would be cautious of treating with salt because the fire eel doesn't have scales.

Some species of Mastacembelus life in brackish habitats, fire eels are said to dwell in there aswell. Old literature often suggests to ad salt to improve their health.

There is also lots of catfish that venture or even life in brachish and saltwater conditions, so I am not sure if you can use the existance of scales as an indicator. Characins all have scales and some really don't like salt.

 

[jjohnwm]

I'm not sure where the fallacy started about Fire Eels being scaleless, but they are a fully-scaled fish and not particularly sensitive to salt. Back when I had a large Fire Eel, it underwent several salt treatments over the years without incident. I used 1 tablespoon plain ordinary table salt per 2 gallons water; not the ideal way to measure it, not as precise as weighing the stuff, but works well enough for my purposes. I always did this in concert with a temperature increased to 86-87F for at least 10-14 days. In most cases, the temperature increase alone is sufficient, without the use of salt. If you do use salt, remember to base the dosage upon the actual volume of water in your tank; substrate, decor, etc. all take up space that decreases the amount of water actually present.

Some fish are indeed sensitive to this much salt; I have no idea if rays fall into that category. But most fish take it quite well. Remember that salt is working against the free-swimming phase of the Ich parasite by essentially dehydrating it. Remember also that the salt is acting as a mild irritant to the fish, inciting the production of more mucous but also acting as a stressor to some degree, so keep an eye on them for adverse reactions.

But, more to the point...how about actually making sure that the fish are sick? It surely can't be that difficult to determine whether the spots are sand grains or embedded parasites. Treating fish and aquariums with all manner of potions and chemicals...or even good old salt...isn't something that should be done for gits'n'shiggles, without any real idea regarding what the problem may be...or if there even is a problem at all. If you wake up feeling a bit off...do you try to determine the nature of the problem...or do you just grab a handful of assorted potions and meds and start gobbling?

 

[CaptainAquatics]

I'm not sure where the fallacy started about Fire Eels being scaleless, but they are a fully-scaled fish and not particularly sensitive to salt. Back when I had a large Fire Eel, it underwent several salt treatments over the years without incident. I used 1 tablespoon plain ordinary table salt per 2 gallons water; not the ideal way to measure it, not as precise as weighing the stuff, but works well enough for my purposes. I always did this in concert with a temperature increased to 86-87F for at least 10-14 days. In most cases, the temperature increase alone is sufficient, without the use of salt. If you do use salt, remember to base the dosage upon the actual volume of water in your tank; substrate, decor, etc. all take up space that decreases the amount of water actually present.

Some fish are indeed sensitive to this much salt; I have no idea if rays fall into that category. But most fish take it quite well. Remember that salt is working against the free-swimming phase of the Ich parasite by essentially dehydrating it. Remember also that the salt is acting as a mild irritant to the fish, inciting the production of more mucous but also acting as a stressor to some degree, so keep an eye on them for adverse reactions.

But, more to the point...how about actually making sure that the fish are sick? It surely can't be that difficult to determine whether the spots are sand grains or embedded parasites. Treating fish and aquariums with all manner of potions and chemicals...or even good old salt...isn't something that should be done for gits'n'shiggles, without any real idea regarding what the problem may be...or if there even is a problem at all. If you wake up feeling a bit off...do you try to determine the nature of the problem...or do you just grab a handful of assorted potions and meds and start gobbling?

Yeah, it’s a bit of a weird situation for me. I have never had a hard time determining sickness, at the moment if any of them have ich I think it’s the fire eel. I was mostly looking to do a very slight dosage, not a full treatment, just in case. For now I’m thinking I’m going to increase temp a bit and do frequent water changes, and only go further if clearer signs present.

 

[CaptainAquatics]

Hey all! Today one of the green phantom plecos in the tank passed away. I did a ~70% water change to offset any ammonia that may have been produced.
The fire eel is flashing quite a bit and has these white patches (photo below). So far not seeing anything on any of the other fish.
Everyone still active and eating well.
How do you all suggest I proceed?
Water changes are 30-50% or more every 3 days at the moment. Temp is at 77F

 

[CaptainAquatics]

Bump

 

[SAGuy]

I've had ich a couple times in my fishkeeping journey, and I've used a two week cycle of Rid Ich with every other day water changes. The ich was gone by the end of the first week, but I treated for another week. It was cichlids though, not stingrays. I lost a fish one of the times, but it was a juvenile. I wouldn't mess with salt or any other treatments. There's science behind this stuff, and the formulation in Rid Ich or Ich-X is what is proven to actually work.