Bamboo shark sick

[atomic081]

I have a 6 year old bamboo shark that had been doing great for the past 4 months since she was donated to me. She ate like a pig (squid shrimp fish fillet) Last week she stopped eating but was as active as I had ever seen her. Yesterday I noticed odd markings on her stomach and she is starting to breath heavily.

Water levels:
800g display 1200 total gallons
Nitrates 6
Temp 76
Ph 8.6
Calcium 420
Alk 10
Mag 1200

I originally wasn’t worried as I know they will sometimes go a few days without eating but the marks on her stomach have me really worried

Any help is appreciated

 

[littlefoxx]

@Jay Hemdal @vetteguy53081

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I have a 6 year old bamboo shark that had been doing great for the past 4 months since she was donated to me. She ate like a pig (squid shrimp fish fillet) Last week she stopped eating but was as active as I had ever seen her. Yesterday I noticed odd markings on her stomach and she is starting to breath heavily.

Water levels:
800g display 1200 total gallons
Nitrates 6
Temp 76
Ph 8.6
Calcium 420
Alk 10
Mag 1200

I originally wasn’t worried as I know they will sometimes go a few days without eating but the marks on her stomach have me really worried

Any help is appreciated

Sorry - I’ve worked with hundreds of these and have never seen marks like that!

The only thing in your report is that you pH is way too high. I suspect testing error (like a pH probe not standardized).

 

[atomic081]

I believe you’re right on the PH. It’s an old probe.

The spot its stomach is almost a perfect rectangle. Very odd

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I believe you’re right on the PH. It’s an old probe.

The spot its stomach is almost a perfect rectangle. Very odd

Yes - I’ve never seen anything like that - bacterial growths tend to grow in circular colonies.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I have a 6 year old bamboo shark that had been doing great for the past 4 months since she was donated to me. She ate like a pig (squid shrimp fish fillet) Last week she stopped eating but was as active as I had ever seen her. Yesterday I noticed odd markings on her stomach and she is starting to breath heavily.

Water levels:
800g display 1200 total gallons
Nitrates 6
Temp 76
Ph 8.6
Calcium 420
Alk 10
Mag 1200

I originally wasn’t worried as I know they will sometimes go a few days without eating but the marks on her stomach have me really worried

Any help is appreciated

Ouch.... these fish are very responsive to diminished water quality especially Nitrate issue as well as poor husbandry (not meaning poor maintenance ) but allowing sediment and waste to buildup. Other suspect cause you may have is presence of rock and Not enough area with sand for them to settle. What size/length of tank do you have?
Sharks have placoid skin which is like leather and often stressout easily but should not cause this. I too am baffled while Jay works closely with sharks and see he too has not seen this.
Assure nitrate is good and salinity has not dropped