Freshwater Stingray
Contents:
- Stingrays/Black Ghosts
by Joseph.Carnage-at-p666.f75.n3603.z1.FIDONET.ORG (Joseph Carnage) (Sat, 18 Jan 92)
- Stingrays/Black Ghosts
by bowden-at-csd4.csd.uwm.edu (John William Bowden) (Sun, 19 Jan 1992)
- Stingrays/Black Ghosts
by Joseph.Carnage-at-p666.f75.n3603.z1.FIDONET.ORG (Joseph Carnage) (Mon, 20 Jan 92)
by Joseph.Carnage-at-p666.f75.n3603.z1.FIDONET.ORG (Joseph Carnage)
Date: Sat, 18 Jan 92
Newsgroup: alt.aquaria
In a article of <15 Jan 92>, bowden-at-convex.csd.uwm.edu (John W. Bowden) writes:
> You'd probably want to house the ray with no other
> species so that you can keep a handle on the nitrogen-cycle
> (read, "fish poop.")
I've kept a number of FW stingrays, had no success with breeding them
(never sure I had a species match), but did observe that they are
terribly nitrate sensitive. Way before it would start registering on
test kits they'd just stop eating, their cours would fade, and they'd
be less active.
Water quality in general seemed to be a very sore point.
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by bowden-at-csd4.csd.uwm.edu (John William Bowden)
Date: Sun, 19 Jan 1992
Newsgroup: alt.aquaria
From article <40034.29786231-at-psycho.fidonet.org>, by Joseph.Carnage-at-p666.f75.n3603.z1.FIDONET.ORG (Joseph Carnage):
> In a article of <15 Jan 92>, bowden-at-convex.csd.uwm.edu (John W. Bowden) writes:
>
> > You'd probably want to house the ray with no other
> > species so that you can keep a handle on the nitrogen-cycle
> > (read, "fish poop.")
>
> I've kept a number of FW stingrays, had no success with breeding them
> (never sure I had a species match), but did observe that they are
> terribly nitrate sensitive. Way before it would start registering on
> test kits they'd just stop eating, their cours would fade, and they'd
> be less active.
This is a very interesting statement. Extreme *Nitrate*
sensitivity would be a SERIOUS problem. If possible,
could you provide more info on your water-chemistry before
the fish had problems and the brand/sensitivity of the
tests that you used?
In particular:
pH and method of pH maintenence
Filtration system (and tank-specs/fish-load)
Tested levels of Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate
Feeding and Water-changing regimen
If what you say about low-level nitrate intolerance
is true in FW rays, then maybe we might able to see
why they are so problematic to keep/breed.
I hope that Joe DeRosa (Hi again Joe :) can comment
on the nitrate sensitivity of his rays, also.
John Bowden
bowden-at-csd4.csd.uwm.edu (temporarily)
"Help! I've fallen and I can't stand up for my rights!" -America
by Joseph.Carnage-at-p666.f75.n3603.z1.FIDONET.ORG (Joseph Carnage)
Date: Mon, 20 Jan 92
Newsgroup: alt.aquaria
In a article of <19 Jan 92>, bowden-at-csd4.csd.uwm.edu (John William
Bowden) writes:
>> I've kept a number of FW
>> stingrays, had no success with breeding them (never sure I had a
>> species match), but did observe that they are terribly nitrate
>> sensitive. Way before it would start registering on test kits
>> they'd just stop eating, their colours would fade, and they'd
>> be less active.
>
> This is a very interesting statement. Extreme *Nitrate*
> sensitivity would be a SERIOUS problem.
Oops! Wrong vowel! (my fault)
You betcha. At that time they were not cheap, and I lost quite a few
before I twigged what my problem might be.
> If possible,
> could you provide more info on your water-chemistry before
> the fish had problems and the brand/sensitivity of the
> tests that you used?
>
> In particular:
>
> pH and method of pH maintenence
> Filtration system (and tank-specs/fish-load)
> Tested levels of Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate
> Feeding and Water-changing regimen
pH 7.2 - 6.3 over a period of 15 months (our source water changed
slowly)
9 - 13 DH as the pH changed.
Tank size: 28 cubic feet, a few scattered blocks of slate, substrate
2" washed river sand (inert silicon), dim light filtered thru thick
layer of duck weed.
Temp: 78 F (room heating)
Filtration: 25 gallon lava/slag trickle filter, with small-cell foam
pre-filter (large bucket filled with slag -- home built).
Tank turned over thru filter every 6 minutes.
Ammonia: Usually significantly below 0.003ppm. Peaked a couple times
at 0.005ppm when I got sloppy, but that was rare.
Nitrite: Sub 0.005 ppm, which was as low as I could test for at the
time. As I got _no_ indication usually I figure it was way
lower.
Nitrate: I noticed them start suffering when it reached 5 ppm. I had
it below my test scales the rest of the time.
Note: They started dieing when nitrite readings reached around 20 ppm
Water changing regimen: 10% aged water of identical pH and hardness
every week. Water removed and fresh added
slowly over a period of 6 hours each time.
Feeding: lance fish, earthworms, bloodworm (frozen and live),
mealworms, goldfish, guppies, ox heart, fry culls, shrimp
(live/dead always unshelled), liver/egg mix, assorted other
frozen foods etc
Feedings were once to twice a day, no more than was eagerly
accepted.
I bought my rays when they had an approximate diameter of 8" - 10".
Their tails had been docked (spines cut off) presumably as part of
shipping, but these would largely, but not entirely, grow back over
succeeding months.
> If what you say about low-level nitrate intolerance
> is true in FW rays, then maybe we might able to see
> why they are so problematic to keep/breed.
I have heard that they have been bred. Unfortunately I have no record
of when/where this was except that it was at some public aquaria in
the US. Perhaps someone here knows more?
Some one over in one of the PC message nets mentioned comments about
_EXTREME_ nitrate/water quality sensitivity at the time I was hearing
about this.
> I hope that Joe DeRosa (Hi again Joe :) can comment
> on the nitrate sensitivity of his rays, also.
Who is Joe DeRosa (significance)?
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