Need Help: Thousand Island Stingray Not Active and Not Eating

[Avisek Dasgupta]

Hi Friends,

My 15 inch Thousand Island Stingray is not eating since 2 days and is not active since 3 to 4 days. I have tried to provide as much information as I can below. Please help.

1. My tank size is 5x2x2
2. My current water parameters: Using API test kit
Ammonia: 1 (Just can't get this down. Have done water changes, added Seachem Prime, nothing works)
Ph: 6.0
3. Aquarium is freshwater
4. Aquarium has been set up for almost a year. Huge water change done today after 2 weeks.
5. There is a super red arowana 15 inches in the tank and has been in the tank since the time the tank was setup about a year ago along with the stingray.
6. There is no question of quarantine since both of them have been in the tank for over a year.
7. Tank water is currently at 29 degree Celsius. I use an Eheim heater to maintain it
8. There are no live plants in the tank.
9. Filtration of the tank is as follows: They are cleaned once a month
Fluval Fx6 external canister with seachem purigen, seachem matrix, x-lone and ceramic rings with flunk sponge
Sobo 3880 top filter with biological sponge
SunSun JUP23 UVC internal filter
10. There are no other equipment's other than lights
11. Tank doesn't receive any sunlight. There are tanning lights fitted which are kept on for 12 to 15 hours everyday. Since the stingray has been sick I have left the lights turned off.
12. Water change was done today after 2 weeks. Almost 80% change was done to try to reduce the ammonia since the stingray has been inactive for 3 days and not eating for 2 days.
13. Stingray eats once everyday (except water change days). Either Hikari Massivore Delite sinking pellets or Fresh Market Prawns. Normally has a great appetite. Not eating either since 2 days.
14. Stingray has been sitting in one place mostly for the past 3 days. While water change today he was active for sometime. After that went back to being quiet. Normally he is very active.
15. I have not done any treatment yet. Have only added Seachem Prime for reducing ammonia, Stress Heal for slime coat and any stress. After water change added Ocean Free Pure Liquid to maintain water quality. Hence the picture looks cloudy.

 

[Dloks]

Well that’s an easy answer. You’re water quality is absolutely terrible. Your filter is inadequate for the stingray let alone add another fish. You need a sump. Tons more media. You said you did a huge water change after 2 weeks. Damn if I was a fish in your tank I’d stop eating too living in my waste. With filtration like yours I’d do a water change everyday, maybe twice a day.

 

[Avisek Dasgupta]

Well that’s an easy answer. You’re water quality is absolutely terrible. Your filter is inadequate for the stingray let alone add another fish. You need a sump. Tons more media. You said you did a huge water change after 2 weeks. Damn if I was a fish in your tank I’d stop eating too living in my waste. With filtration like yours I’d do a water change everyday, maybe twice a day.

I agree with your point on the water change. I have to admit I have been lazy this time. Generally I do much quicker water changes. Lesson learnt. However, I am surprised you are telling me that my filtration is inadequate. As far as Fluval claims, the Fx6 is capable of handling 400 gallons or 1500 litres of water, whereas my tank is 400 litres. This means it cycles the tank 4 times per hour which is more than the optimal 3 times per hour. Doesn't that make this filter efficient? If not I am all ready to sue Fluval for spreading wrong information about their flagship filter capacity. And I haven't even spoken about the Sobo 3880 top filter. That all by itself can handle a 5 feet tank is what I know.

Your observations on my filtration being inadequate is quite a worry because in India people keep stingrays with much lesser filtration and they stay healthy. Also I would like to add some logic here, it doesn't take one and a half years for a stingray to fall sick if the filtration is inadequate. This filtration I had for over a year now without any issue. In fact I have increased my filtration a month back by adding the sobo 3880. Not sure if the filtration is to be blamed here. I understand that there can never be over filtration, the more the better, but surely this filtration is not inadequate. This is my humble opinion.

Having, said that I will take your feedback on the water change schedule.

Thanks!

 

[Dloks]

I agree with your point on the water change. I have to admit I have been lazy this time. Generally I do much quicker water changes. Lesson learnt. However, I am surprised you are telling me that my filtration is inadequate. As far as Fluval claims, the Fx6 is capable of handling 400 gallons or 1500 litres of water, whereas my tank is 400 litres. This means it cycles the tank 4 times per hour which is more than the optimal 3 times per hour. Doesn't that make this filter efficient? If not I am all ready to sue Fluval for spreading wrong information about their flagship filter capacity. And I haven't even spoken about the Sobo 3880 top filter. That all by itself can handle a 5 feet tank is what I know.

Your observations on my filtration being inadequate is quite a worry because in India people keep stingrays with much lesser filtration and they stay healthy. Also I would like to add some logic here, it doesn't take one and a half years for a stingray to fall sick if the filtration is inadequate. This filtration I had for over a year now without any issue. In fact I have increased my filtration a month back by adding the sobo 3880. Not sure if the filtration is to be blamed here. I understand that there can never be over filtration, the more the better, but surely this filtration is not inadequate. This is my humble opinion.

Having, said that I will take your feedback on the water change schedule.

Thanks!

Absolutely incorrect. You can not compare a stingray you had 1.5 years ago when it was 7-8” vs now 15”. It’s like comparing the crap I take, vs my 9 month old daughter. Yah sure 1.5 years ago your fx-6 might of been..... “okay” for a short period of time. I can have no filter in my tank and change 100% water every few hours but that doesn’t mean i have adequate filtration.

 

[Dloks]

You’ve been lied too to think 3x turnover rate is sufficient. You need at least 7-8x at the very least for most fishes. You have a huge stingray in a tiny tank and inadequate filtration. I have literally pointed out the reason why your stingray might not survive till Friday.

 

[Avisek Dasgupta]

Absolutely incorrect. You can not compare a stingray you had 1.5 years ago when it was 7-8” vs now 15”. It’s like comparing the crap I take, vs my 9 month old daughter. Yah sure 1.5 years ago your fx-6 might of been..... “okay” for a short period of time. I can have no filter in my tank and change 100% water every few hours but that doesn’t mean i have adequate filtration.

Absolutely incorrect! 1.5 years ago it wasn't even 7 to 8 inches. It was 11 to 12 inches.

Now of course there will be a new point of it not growing enough and jazz.

But just to put this "inadequate filtration" rant to rest I reached out to the farm from where one of my arowana came - Sing Arowanas (You must have heard the name). They just confirmed fx6 is totally fine for a 5ft tank and a 15 inch stingray. So we may need to focus on other stuff.

 

[Avisek Dasgupta]

You’ve been lied too to think 3x turnover rate is sufficient. You need at least 7-8x at the very least for most fishes. You have a huge stingray in a tiny tank and inadequate filtration. I have literally pointed out the reason why your stingray might not survive till Friday.

I really don't mean to get personal but the least a hobbyist expects from other hobbyists is a little restraint when one is in distress, rather than telling him his stingray wouldn't survive. Thats heartless.

I'd rather you don't reply to this post anymore because I may stop being polite and the mods won't like it and may remove the post which I cannot afford because I need other "considerate" hobbyists in this forum to advice me.

 

[Dloks]

Absolutely incorrect! 1.5 years ago it wasn't even 7 to 8 inches. It was 11 to 12 inches.

Now of course there will be a new point of it not growing enough and jazz.

But just to put this "inadequate filtration" rant to rest I reached out to the farm from where one of my arowana came - Sing Arowanas (You must have heard the name). They just confirmed fx6 is totally fine for a 5ft tank and a 15 inch stingray. So we may need to focus on other stuff.

Okay buddy, if you think an fx-6 is enough! Good luck

 

[The Morning]

I think you may be looking at the numbers a little incorrectly. The FX6 is rated to turn water over around 900 gallons per hour. It is advertised to be adequate for up to a 400 gallon tank. Of course this number is generally believed to be without any media present in the canister so it is probably considerably less when working properly.
That being said and I am not an expert on your fish but your tanks water does not look healthy. It may just be the lighting but it looks cloudy. I think if you would like a better assessment of the situation you should give us all of the API test results especially nitrates. Those are two fish from what I have read here produce copious amounts of nitrates. Your Filtration does not take nitrates out of the tank.

That being said I have a 150 gallon tank and I run two Eheim 2217 and one FX6. I believe that equates to about 9x turnover of the water. Less considering the media.

 

[sikoko]

Alright guys in my humble opinion, the bickering is unnecessary. Take the advice and check the back and forth so as a community we can assist an aquarist and an animal in need. I believe they are correct in saying you need more filtration and maybe more water changes and please post your water parameters.