Hi well my largest ray not looking very well! Actually its well poorly!
The fish appears to be turning white{in small patches}and the tail appears to be rotting away,and is definatly getting shorter!
The symptons started ages ago,with the apearence of white patches around the eye's of two of my rays! Then a couple of weeks ago the tail started to turn white and rot away! I done a series of larger water changes and feed more and this seemed to help for awhile,but the ray is now much worse and now the disc{body}of the ray seems to rotting away,looks like chunks have been 'bitten'off! The ray is still active and looking for food,but doesn't eat to well!
My smallest ray also starting to show the same symptons but the middle one looking a picture of health{so far!}
All other fish in the tank are ok!
I shall put a photo on tomorrow night if seeing the fish will help,but i warn you its not pretty!
Any help or suggestions will be greatly appreciated as i have run out of idea's!
Sorry to hear about your rays James. Unfortunately I can't help you but the net is full of helpful websites and information and I hope that you can find out what is wrong and provide the best treatment.
Take care,
Wayne
Tank1: 125L Tropical. 1 male betta, 4 scissortail rasboras, 3 neon tetras, 4 glowlight danios, 1 candy stripe loach, 1 female bristlenose, 6 amano shrimp.Tank 2: 65L Nano reef. 6kg live rock, 96w T5 lighting, 3 x turbo snails, 5 x red-legged hermits, 1 x peppermint shrimp, 1 small pistol shrimp (hitch-hiker), two percula clowns, 1 neon goby, 1 sun coral, 1 clove coral & 1 tree coral
Hi here is a photo of the poorly ray!
Thanks Wayne,never nice seeing a fish that is ill! Espcially being fustrated at to what is wrong
Hi and one from the front!
Hi Mate,
So Sorry to see and hear about your ray. It almost looks like finrot which you get on any other fish. I have had rays in the past with similar injuries which were caused by aggression from other rays. Are you sure it is not that? Or another fish in the tank? Any plecos in there?
The only thing i can think to suggest is to maybe give the fish a salt bath and quaranteen away from your other fish.
Matt
Oh dear James, poor ray
Hope you can get him well again
How sad
Hi thanks for all your support and suggestions
I have now moved the ray into another tank { a four footer}and will add salt tomorrow as advised!
Thanks Matt i do not have any plecs in there,but have seen the rays fighting sometimes quite bad! I think its a combination of finrot and biting from the other ray{the biting first - then finrot?}Also the tank can get 'quite' boisterous when feeding time comes round!
Also any advice on what to treat the finrot with?I have been told melafix is best? Also if the ray makes a full recovery will it be able to join the other two?
Also forgot to say that there are three rays in there {well two now}and they are all males!
salt will be fine imo, rays have very effective immune and repair systems
best bet is fighting, & secondary infection
aggression usually comes in waves then passes in my limited ray experience...but you may have to seperate permanently as they can rarely
kill each other
If you can't be bothered to do it right, don't bother to do it at all
Hi thanks Mike,i shall have to keep an eye on me other ray as its also showing signs of the same symptons? But could be stress from being 'involved?'
Also will have to get a new test kit as mine well out of date
Also thought i may have to rehome the ray if it makes a full recovery!
Hope you manage to get on top of this.
Hi well firstly the good news,the ray seems much happier and is eating,the bad news is the disc still seems to be 'rotting' away so will start treatment this weekend? Also may add a little more salt - any other suggestions?
I'd be careful with any chemical treatments you put in other than salt, I know they can react quite badly to somethings. How much salt have you got in there now?
Was just thinking as i have a wrasse which has badly hurt himself, that you could try soaking the rays food in some garlic. Garlic is supposed to be excellent in boosting imune systems and helping with ilness damage.
Just an idea
Hi thats an interesting idea Matt,daft question how do you do it then?
The ray is active and feeding well,but the disc is now much worse,but know visual signs of fungus or anything,the edge looks clean and well defined {almost like its been cut?}
The other rays are acting strange,hiding more and seem reluctant to leave the cover of the bogwood,although they seem happier? {daft or what!}
I done another water test last night with a new test kit!
Amonia = 0, nitrite = 0, P/H 7.5, Nitrates = 5> {i find this reading unbeleivable as i have never had nitrates that low? Perhaps its the new filter? Unlikely IMO}