ray concerns

[cichlidkid]

I have a few concernes about my little motoro, stevie.

latly it looks like she has a mucusish skin kind of thing peeling off her tail, it hapens every few days and after the skinish thing peels off her tail looks great and normal, she eats great, she is nice and plump and she motors about all over the tank, I usualy do 2 water changes a week and I have 2 ac 500's and a fluval on the tank (120w).

also she has a couple nicks, really small ones about the size of a pen tip out of her disc, any chance of those healing?

[rudy]

As far as the nicks Keegan they will heal. Rays are often better off not treated as many meds can hurt them. At most add some salt, or water conditioner.

The water conditions are what I am curious about. I assume the water is o.k.? The slime could indicate something is wrong. Personally I would cut your water changes to a larger one once a week (I do 50%) and if you aren't start add prime or some sort of water conditioner to make sure the ray is not reacting to the water you are adding. Perhaps you are getting small ammonia spikes due to the water change. I know from experience that this can turn deadly. I use a ton of water conditioner with my rays.

Any other tank mates?

Other thoughts what kind of substrate do you have?

Edited November 6, 2006 by rudy

[windeindoiel]

Is the mucus stuff peeling around her spine? Did you get her recently? Maybe her spine was mishandled when she was going through shipping? If that is the case our one leo's spine was in bad shape but she healed up good. And the scars and all that will heal with time too.

[cichlidkid]

thanks,

sometimes I add prime, mostly its just that aqua-plus stuff, I have been watching the ammonia and nitrate every day since last week and it all checks out.

for substrate im using sand, playsand I think.

and for tankmates she is with one small gold nugget pleco, I know your not usualy supposedto put them together but they get allong great, the pleco just sits on a peice of wood looking pretty and doesnt bother the ray at all.

yea the mucus stuff is arround the spine, also she seems to have places where sand sticks to her more that other places.

Edited November 6, 2006 by cichlidkid

[canucklehead]

Could be the sand, you could try estes

[windeindoiel]

When I first started researching rays to get one I went to aquaticpredators.com to ask my questions and everyone said to go estes. It's a little pricey (especially when it's a big tank!) but I've never had a problem with sand. If the sand is irritating the ray I think they symptoms are redness on the underside. My rays have sand stuck to them all the time, maybe because their skin is rough?

Does she have a stinger attached there? Or has it broken off? I'd keep an eye on it, I think the recommended way to treat rays is by antibacterial injection or something, you should read up on it.

[Earthgirl]

Those little marks, do they look like a ring with an inner ring...? Are they in a circular appearance at all? I am soooo leary with putting plecs with rays. The two that I have (a BN and zebra knock off that gets to be 12") are they but if I see any probs they are out. Rays should also not be kept with any syndontis either.

Most ray keepers will tell you to get ride of the plec.

What is the temp of the tank?

Is she a new ray. When they are shipped (or when you buy a new fish), some pet stores add a slime coat protector to the bad which will help with the introduction into a new tank.

Is the mucous stuff mixed with the sand?

I would love to see a pic.... maybe that will help.(I also looooove to look at pics of rays)

My girl always looks like she has sand mixed in with something, until she moves (esp climbing the walls), it seems to fall off......