I was told that the rays were qurantined for a couple of weeks aready. I was told when I decided to order that the rays weren't ready yet and waited about a week before they shipped.
I am not bashing the vendor in anyway. I have said nothing but good things in my threads and post. I just feel that there could ve been something that was done to prevent this. If the rays have to be quarntined longer or better supplier to customer communication on how to handle the rays properly.
I am still a novice at ray keeping I will admit. This forum has helped me alot. I have sucessfully kept a pair of retics for awhile now. I would have to say hystrix should not be that much more difficult. I am beginning to believe that the rays had parasite problems. I noticed that they died after they ate the night before. All 3 rays were eating and everything. 2 females lasted 2 days and the male lasted 10 days. When the first ray died, it had blood traces in its anus and the skin looked like it was peeling abit. The second ray died it just turned really dark patterns. When I first saw it died, I though to myself wow her colors is already coming it? Then I realized it wasn't breathing. When the third one died, I was there to see it die. I curled abit and had poop stuck in its butt, like it was very hard to pass. It had dark colors too like the second one. The poop was redish color and had a whiteish paste to it. Parasite? I was feeding them cut up night crawlers. I don't believe the worms were tainted because the retics are still alive and they eat them too.
As far has my tank setup. 125gl long with PFS substrate, 2 fluval 405, 3 emperor 400. All filters have carbon, bio media, and sponge filter. Tankmates are 18in silver aro, 1 red gold severum, 2 green severum, 1 pink con, 2 small plecos.
Water parameters are 0 amonia less than 50 nitrite and 0 nitrate. Water temp always at 84F and I do about 3lbs per 100 gal of salt. PH is right at 7. There is 2 med size pieces of driftwood and 2 stones.
I acclimate them by putting them in a 20gal container with water from my tank, while they are still in the shipping bags. After about any hour I release them into another 20gal container with water from my tank and cover it to keep it dark. The next morning I feed alittle black worm and then I introduce them to my tank. Then I do another WC, first done when I took out water to acclimate.
I decided not to quarntine them because I was old there already were. I was planning on use the 125 as a grow out, until I get a 220 next year when my roommate moves out.
So you guys can flame away on what you think I am doing wrong. Or why I should not be ray keeper. I see 2 victims here, the dead rays, and me. As far as the money issue, I wouldn't have bought them if I couldn't afford them. But I just feel that I have spent $$$$ and gotten nothing in return. But if someone can positively tell me exact why they died and that it was my fault, then I will never post in here again.
BTW, another board member had 2 of 4 rays die the next day also. He got them from the same place.
