Treating or QT coral cat shark

[Jcar]

How should I treat or QT cat shark? One of my sharks is having some erratic swimming and flashing/scraping the sand.scraping her side/gill areas and sometimes doing a spin. She is eating and still active. I used dechlorinated tap water for water changes the last two times and then she started having the symptoms so I am not sure if it has something to do with it (maybe stress from hard water/heavy metals)or just coincidence that symptoms started. I know they are sensitive to things and I am trying to make sure I fix whatever is going on before she is too stressed. She chases down food still. Hoping to get someone's expert opinion on this. Thanks

 

[Jekyl]

@Jay Hemdal
@vetteguy53081

 

[vetteguy53081]

tap water is a no-no and must be RODI. We all know the repercussions of Tap water especially for a specimen as delicate as a shark. Water quality is one of the most importants aspects for their health. The shark should not appear to be panting or be overly lethargic. Its eyes and skin should not have any discolorations or white spots. Sharks are prone to bacterial and parasitic infections. This can cause discoloration of the skin, frequent "yawning," and chaffing on the bottom of the tank. Be watchful for any of these behaviors when raising your shark. A reason why I would avoid Tap water. Another concern with water is the fact that sharks are carnivorous creatures that eat a lot and produce a lot of waste. It is important to have an effective filtration system to keep the water clean. Both an aquarium carbon filter and a protein skimmer are recommended. Like any aquatic animal, it's also important to keep the water temperature comfortable for your shark. A temperature of 78-80 degrees F is ideal for cat sharks.
A clean aquarium is important to keep your shark healthy. Clean/replace the filters often, and change the water when necessary. Your protein skimmer will need to be emptied approximately every other day. Follow package instructions for replacement of carbon filters. When water becomes overly soiled (i.e. cloudy), you will need to change it. This will require large containers full of RODI filtered and salted water, and pumps to remove the old water while adding the new.
Once eating, your shark will eat foods such as uncooked shrimp, scallops, mussels, and pieces of fresh marine fish, squid or octopus. Cut any large food into bite-sized pieces. Do not feed your shark feeder fish such as goldfish or guppies which can have disease. These freshwater fish are not a natural food for bamboo sharks. If you wish to feed your shark live food, use silversides or sand eels. Bamboo sharks only need to be fed every two or three days. Give the shark a large portion of food a few times a week. If it loses weight, increase feeding. A juvenile shark should grow, but if an adult shark shows signs of weight gain, reduce the amount of food. When you first feed your shark, it may be hesitant to eat. Providing live food such as saltwater feeder shrimp and fresh cockle (in the shell) may help entice it to eat. If it takes a few days to start eating, don't be alarmed. These sharks can survive a few weeks without eating.

 

[Jcar]

It's received the best care possible for a captive animal. I did get lazy and not use rodi for a few water changes but I am not convinced that is the problem. It could be. I am using rodi for my other tanks but this Is a fish only system. I am hoping it's an easy fix ,it is not stressed yet. Ive had another shark in it's pool a few months back and may have been wild caught. I am going to have to run some type of med for anything that could of been brought in. Was hoping someone has firsthand experience treating elasmobranches with something like prazi. Thanks for the reply, anyone who has treated a shark in the past post

 

[Jcar]

As of now it is getting water changes and something like prazi. Started tomorrow. Hoping it's just a gill fluke or something that can be an easy fix. Thanks for the reply any info though pleas post

 

[Jay Hemdal]

How should I treat or QT cat shark? One of my sharks is having some erratic swimming and flashing/scraping the sand.scraping her side/gill areas and sometimes doing a spin. She is eating and still active. I used dechlorinated tap water for water changes the last two times and then she started having the symptoms so I am not sure if it has something to do with it (maybe stress from hard water/heavy metals)or just coincidence that symptoms started. I know they are sensitive to things and I am trying to make sure I fix whatever is going on before she is too stressed. She chases down food still. Hoping to get someone's expert opinion on this. Thanks

I actually don't have an issue using tap water, as long as it is safe for people to drink. Literally every public aquarium in the country that mixes their own salt uses tap water for their fish systems (RODI is relegated to their coral systems). Many sea salts contain sodium thiosulfate to dechlorinate the tap water for you.

How long have you had the shark?
Does it show any erythema (redness) on its belly?
You say one of the sharks - how many do you have in this tank, what species are they?

Treating sharks can be a bit tricky, so you want to ensure that any treatment is specifically targeting the core issue - and not just a "broadcast" treatment.

Praziquantel at 2 mg/l with extra aeration is safe, but only handles some potential diseases (flukes) and not copepods or leeches.


Jay

 

[GARRIGA]

Doubt it was the tap water assuming it was dechlorinated. No experience with this specific shark but we kept leopards back in the day on tap.

If it’s internal parasite than perhaps evaluating the food provided recently or new tank mates. Although stress can affect the immune system and allow that which existed to overwhelm it’s host.

It is my opinion that stress is the number one killer of most life forms. At a minimum. It creates complications.

 

[Jcar]

It is kept by itself in a small pool but did have another coral cat for 6 weeks recently. It doesn't have any redness or irritation on its underside . It is rubbing it's gills sometimes while swimming like an attempt to scratch an itch and then swims erratically for a sec. I need to probably treat whatever is going on before it stresses this guy anymore. Other than the new behavior/symptoms shark has been fine, eats regularly and is active without any abnormal behavior. Hoping to to fix whatever is bothering this guy. I'm not sure if it is called "flashing" ?

 

[Jcar]

It's tank mate it had recently could have passed something along or its water changes have irritated it but other than that nothing has changed and it was really healthy and happy.

 

[Jcar]

Thank you for any replys/ help. It is not stressed yet but I need to fix it before it gets too that

 

[Jcar]

I found a power head with wiring sticking out of it? . I removed it

 

[GARRIGA]

I found a power head with wiring sticking out of it? . I removed it

Perhaps running Cuprizorb and multiple water changes needed. Sharks are very sensitive to copper and likely other metals. Don’t know if the exposed wiring caused any issues but might be worth addressing as if it did.

 

[Jcar]

Perhaps running Cuprizorb and multiple water changes needed. Sharks are very sensitive to copper and likely other metals. Don’t know if the exposed wiring caused any issues but might be worth addressing as if it did.

I removed it, i am waiting to see if that was what was bothering him

 

[GARRIGA]

I removed it, i am waiting to see if that was what was bothering him

Removing it won't remove any toxicity it produced. Just prevent it from adding more. Assuming that wire is copper than if it corroded then that's an issue unless it was just electrical currents which sharks are very sensitive towards. Does the wire look corroded? If not then perhaps just an electrical current discharge that was affecting it.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Thank you for any replys/ help. It is not stressed yet but I need to fix it before it gets too that

If you know the exact volume of the pool, a Prazipro treatment would be safe to do and would help in case this is a fluke issue.
Jay

 

[Jcar]

If you know the exact volume of the pool, a Prazipro treatment would be safe to do and would help in case this is a fluke issue.
Jay

Ya thank you I am going to treat if it starts acting unhappy again. I found a power head that was putting some type of electrical current into the pool but I think replacing it solved the problem as of now(exposed wire pulled loose and just sitting in the water). Shark wasn't happy at all had me worried but seems back to normal. Hoping it didn't stress it to much or do any long term damage to his senses. Thank you for the help and anyone who posted. I will post a pic update if all is good in a few days.