Sick motoro stingray

[Stingergirl88]

I've had my stingray for a little over one month. He's been acting fine up until a few days ago. He hangs out by the filter pump pretty much all day as of recently. He normally swims all around the tank or stays by the heater. A week ago I notice some fungus on his barb, but it has not been spreading. I just starting treating the tank with pimafix. He's still eating really well and looks healthy except for the fungus. Should I be concerned that he is hanging out by the filter pump for the vast majority of the day?

pH------------ 6.4-6.6
ammonia---- 0-.25
Nitrate------- 0
Nitrite---------0

He gets at least a 10-20 gallon water change every day. Water is tested before it goes in.
Tank stabilization products: seachem stability, seachem prime, ammo lock.
The tank contains a large canister filter that creates extra oxygen. An air pump bubbler filter, and 525 gph circulating water pump that stays on for about half of the day.

 

[M@T!@$]

I've had my stingray for a little over one month. He's been acting fine up until a few days ago. He hangs out by the filter pump pretty much all day as of recently. He normally swims all around the tank or stays by the heater. A week ago I notice some fungus on his barb, but it has not been spreading. I just starting treating the tank with pimafix. He's still eating really well and looks healthy except for the fungus. Should I be concerned that he is hanging out by the filter pump for the vast majority of the day?

pH------------ 6.4-6.6
ammonia---- 0-.25
Nitrate------- 0
Nitrite---------0

He gets at least a 10-20 gallon water change every day. Water is tested before it goes in.
Tank stabilization products: seachem stability, seachem prime, ammo lock.
The tank contains a large canister filter that creates extra oxygen. An air pump bubbler filter, and 525 gph circulating water pump that stays on for about half of the day.

Tank size? Brand of filter/media... You need to get rid of that ammonia ASAP


Fungus I'm not too sure on but I believe you add some aquarium salt, someone else hopefully chimes in on that..

 

[Stingergirl88]

Tank size? Brand of filter/media... You need to get rid of that ammonia ASAP


Fungus I'm not too sure on but I believe you add some aquarium salt, someone else hopefully chimes in on that..

Tank size is a 110 gallon stock tank, for greater surface area, its 3.5 x 4.5ft. The filter is a homemade canister filter filled with bio balls, seachem matrix, ceramic rings, activated carbon, sponges, medium weight filter sponge.
The ammonia has gotten much better since the start of the tank, it is at 0 right now. It's just been very difficult to keep in the safe zone.
If the pimafix does not get rid of the fungus I'll try salt.

 

[Peckoltia]

With Ammonia present and no nitrate, that would lead me to believe that the tank is not cycled.

Was the tank cycled prior to the ray going in? or at least did you use cycled media? You really shouldn't have to use products like ammo lock if your filter is effective and cycled. The fact that ammonia has gotten 'better' over time would really suggest that this was a fresh tank and filter. Although the 0 nitrate and Nitrite reading is strange if Ammonia is decreasing over time, even with daily water changes there should still be some detectable amount of Nitrate.

Not a great idea to cycle a tank using a ray. Recipe for a sick or dead ray.

 

[Malte81]

Make sure nobody is picking at him.
I noticed white tail tips at my rays and than i observed the tank.
Than i cought my geophagus in action, they nipped at the tails of my rays.
Rays dont like aggressiv tankmates.
The water has to be perfekt too.

 

[Bigfishnut]

Make sure that heater is covered so you don't end up with more problems. Exposed heaters burn rays. I'd probably up the % water change until your filter is cycled. Rays don't usually live thru cycling a tank

 

[predatorkeeper87]

as echoed above...

First and foremost the tank isn't cycled. A ray was a big mistake to use to cycle a tank.

You don't need ammo lock ever, useless product, especially when you are using prime and stability. Get rid of that.

Another useless product is Pimafix...all that serves to do is create a film on top of your water column and make surface agitation more difficult. Its a useless med, get rid of that too.

I'd suggest keeping up with the water changes every day and add prime every 24 hours until that tank cycles. Keep using stability as well until you are showing zero ammo and nitrite, and at least some nitrates.

 

[Stingergirl88]

Make sure that heater is covered so you don't end up with more problems. Exposed heaters burn rays. I'd probably up the % water change until your filter is cycled. Rays don't usually live thru cycling a tank

The heater has a guard and the tank had been cycled before the ray went in. He has no tank mates. I'm at a loss of what could be wrong.

 

[Stingergirl88]

as echoed above...

First and foremost the tank isn't cycled. A ray was a big mistake to use to cycle a tank.

You don't need ammo lock ever, useless product, especially when you are using prime and stability. Get rid of that.

Another useless product is Pimafix...all that serves to do is create a film on top of your water column and make surface agitation more difficult. Its a useless med, get rid of that too.

I'd suggest keeping up with the water changes every day and add prime every 24 hours until that tank cycles. Keep using stability as well until you are showing zero ammo and nitrite, and at least some nitrates.

The tank cycled 3 weeks before the ray went in. I've managed to keep the ammonia and nitrate at zero, stability and prime are used every day with a water change, has been since day one.

 

[Stingergirl88]

The tank was cycled 3 weeks prior to the ray going in. I used seachem stability for prime. Ammonia and nitrate only fluctuated very little the first week I had the ray. The past 3 weeks after that, I've kept ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate at zero. Pimafix seemed to get rid of the fungus within 24 hours. Yet he's still hanging out by the filter.