Teacup Stingray died.

**timk** · 07-12-2012, 03:18 PM

Hi. I've had a 140 gallon aquarium for about 6 months. I believe its 48" long x 24" wide x by 30" tall with a 30 gallon sump underneath. Had a freshwater stingray (roughly 4-5" large?) in there for a few months. He was happy and eating well until he died out of the blue last evening. The only thing I can possibly think it is is the liquid carbon (Easy-Life Easy Carbo) I recently started adding. This was the second time I added it (15ml) which is less than is recommended. I have also recently been adding Seachem Flourish trace. I believe he was alive when i came home from work (4ish) I added 15ml of carbon and a capful of flourish. When i woke up he was dead. I would like to get another stingray but not till i find out why he died. Does anyone have any thoughts on whether it was the chemicals or something else?

temp-82
ph-7 (accomplished through seachem Neutral regulator)
ammonia-0
nitrate-0
nitrites-0
2 x 30% water changes weekly
diet- he ate maybe 2 teaspoon fulls of blackworms a day. sometimes frozen bloodworms, even seemed like he was starting to take to cichlid pellets.
tankmates- a ton, but nobody aggresive and i never saw anyone bother him.

I attached a picture of his home.

**smaug** · 07-12-2012, 04:12 PM

That's a shame it died! I doubt the carbon was an issue in such a small dose compared to so much water. Now for the news you don't want to hear,don't get another one. 140 gallons though big is not big enough for a fish that will get 10" round just in the body especially when a lot of the bottom is taken up with plants.

**icefreeze57** · 07-12-2012, 04:23 PM

Beautiful fish and sweet tank

sorry for your lost

**ldoerr** · 07-12-2012, 06:28 PM

Sorry for your loss

**Crispy** · 07-12-2012, 07:27 PM

was there anything noticeable on the ray when it died? disk curl? open wounds?
is that silica sand? was the belly red? gonna be hard to pinpoint exactly what it could have been, but if I had to guess I would say either it was the substrate or the chemicals you have been dosing. not sure I would trust a ph regulator.

**timk** · 07-12-2012, 07:51 PM

No open wounds. No red belly. Not sure what disc curl is, but his front was always kinda curled up. Just assumed that was normal. Not sure what type of sand it was. Regular PETCO sand. Not the softest but didn't seem to bother him. I believe I gave him enough room. Pushed all the plants and decor to the side to leave him enough room in the middle. Im wondering if anyone else had bad experiences with liquid carbon. Maybe he was especially sensitive to it. I am going to get a larger tank in about a year. Thanks for any help and sorry about any typos. I'm at work trying to type this on my phone.