** Stingray Keepers ** Need Help

[tainte97]

Have any of you guys ever had a problem with your rays having a goiter? My cali ray seems to be developing one. I was told to dose with iodine. Do any of you do this on a regular basis? I have never dosed my ray tank with anything. I just starting doing alot if water changes this week to get my nitrates down. I went a while without any changes or test and my water was really bad.My PH was low and my nitrates were well over 140ppm. They are down to about 60ppm now. Will the goiter go away on its own?

 

[unleashed]

you would normally not have to dose your ray with oidine if you feed him properly with a mixture of foos such as shrimp ,krill,phlanton crab ,mysis along with other. crustations that you would normally cook for yourself that turn orange are a very good example of species that contain natural iodine source for your fish without adding iodine suppliments on a frequent basis .along with these foods sharks and rays also need other variety in thei diet such as fish squid scallops clams even if you can get him to eat them. incluse these into his diet regularly this should help.periodic iodine suppliments do however help your inverts do need this also.ps if it is gouter problem as with humans it is caused by iodine deficientcy

 

[psusocr1]

tainte
what size tank do you have him with and with what other fish?? i have 2 rays, a shark, 7 very large fish inverts, etc. and i dont have any levels at all in my tank.
my point is why are your levels soo high? whats your filtration like? with levels that high im worried about stress playing a role in him bieng sick as well

 

[unleashed]

Originally Posted by psusocr1
tainte
what size tank do you have him with and with what other fish?? i have 2 rays, a shark, 7 very large fish inverts, etc. and i dont have any levels at all in my tank.
my point is why are your levels soo high? whats your filtration like? with levels that high im worried about stress playing a role in him bieng sick as well
these are extremely high levels i agree totally rays are very sensitive to water quality.

 

[tainte97]

Hes in a 125 gallon and was in with a porc puffer for the last year. I lost the puffer about a week ago, i feed him before bed and woke up to him laying on the sand and was dead about a hour later, thats what got me testing my water again. I only feed my ray silversides, its the only thing i can get him to eat. My filteration is a DIY wet/dry with sump, super skimmer 250, emperor 400 w/biowheels, fluval 404 w/chemipure, and alot of cheato in the sump. My nitrates have always been a issue. He usually eats between 3-6 silversides nightly. Any advice on filteration would be greatly appreciated. I have a 3-4" sand bed and about 70lbs of rock.

 

[walleye]

i have a 220 with rays in there. i feed mine scallops and silverside and krill. i have a big outside protien skimmer on mine and my water is real good. i have 4 sting rays. my nitrates are low i got other fish in there to. i never use iodine in my tanks. i just feed them well. they eat better then me. lol.

 

[tainte97]

Has anyone had any personal experience with a goiter that could give some advice on what to treat it with. Also my filtration, should I remove the biowheels? Bioball? Fluval? I really want to get my nitrates down. I was given very bad advice when setting up my tanks, wish I knew than what I knew now. I have a 55 thats been running for 2 years with a V. lion and a spiny box puffer with a emperior 400 and penguin 330 both with biowheels and high nitrates

 

[unleashed]

please post your email for help in this matter or email me at above addi subject goiter. as for your water quality you need to change your filter media .change 2 out at one time change the last (the smallest)a few day later do 25 % water changes i would also use nitrate removel media such as nitrate sponge change these out every 3 days.you realy need to offer you ray a variety of foods as i described above its very important for his health.goiter can be caused by lack of iodine and also an over dose your not dosing so its plain to see its lacking this nutrient..how often are you doing water changes? and changing filter media.

 

[psusocr1]

does the ray have alot of swimmign room, and enough fine substarte to burry himself? also if hes eating silversides he SHOULD eat anything and if not put some garlic ont h e food their suckerds for it!!
ALSO evan though he died , you should never keep puffers with stingrays,, they will pick the eyes out of their heads! make sure you do some research on which fish you can keep with them becaus ealot of fish are nbot compatible

 

[tainte97]

unleashed ny email is tainte97@hotmail.com.
The ray has plenty of swimming room and a whole tank of sand to bury himself in. I know puffers are not compatable with rays but I guess I got lucky with mine.