i was just looking at my marine tank when i noticed that the reticularis seems to be peeling under his belly, it kinda looks like his slime coat is coming off. he's eating well (possibly a little too well) and seems fine in itself. Water readings are amonia 0 nitrite 0 nitrate 40 (always high with the wet dry sump but treating with vodka)
heres some pics (sorry about the quality he moves too quick)
Do you think this is something i should worry about?
Peeling
Forum rules
Read this before posting!!
Since this board has been up, we have found there are several questions that routinely get asked in order to help diagnose problems. If you can have that information to begin with in your post, we'll be able to help right away (if we can!) without having to wait for you to post the info we need.
1) Your water parameters - pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates and salinity (if appropriate). This is by far the most important information you can provide! Do not answer this with "Fine" "Perfect" "ok", that tells us nothing. We need hard numbers.
2) Tank size and a list of ALL inhabitants. Include algae eaters, plecos, everything. We need to know what you have and how big the tank is.
3) Feeding, water change schedule and a list of all products you are using or have added to the tank (examples: Cycle, Amquel, salt, etc)
4) What changes you've made in the tank in the last week or so. Sometimes its the little things that make all the difference.
5) How long the aquarium has been set up, and how did you cycle it? If you don't know what cycling is read this: Fishless Cycling Article and familiarize yourself with all the information. Yes. All of it.
We want to help, and providing this information will go a LONG way to getting a diagnosis and hopeful cure that much faster.
While you wait for assistance:
One of the easiest and best ways to help your fish feel better is clean water! If you are already on a regular water change schedule (50% weekly is recommended) a good step to making your fish more comfortable while waiting for diagnosis/suggestions is to do a large water change immediately. Feel free to repeat daily or as often as you can, clean water is always a good thing! Use of Amquel or Prime as a dechlor may help with any ammonia or nitrite issues, and is highly recommended.
Note - if you do not normally do large water changes, doing a sudden, large water change could shock your fish by suddenly changing their established water chemistry. Clean water is still your first goal, so in this case, do several smaller (10%) water changes over the next day or two before starting any large ones.
Read this before posting!!
Since this board has been up, we have found there are several questions that routinely get asked in order to help diagnose problems. If you can have that information to begin with in your post, we'll be able to help right away (if we can!) without having to wait for you to post the info we need.
1) Your water parameters - pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates and salinity (if appropriate). This is by far the most important information you can provide! Do not answer this with "Fine" "Perfect" "ok", that tells us nothing. We need hard numbers.
2) Tank size and a list of ALL inhabitants. Include algae eaters, plecos, everything. We need to know what you have and how big the tank is.
3) Feeding, water change schedule and a list of all products you are using or have added to the tank (examples: Cycle, Amquel, salt, etc)
4) What changes you've made in the tank in the last week or so. Sometimes its the little things that make all the difference.
5) How long the aquarium has been set up, and how did you cycle it? If you don't know what cycling is read this: Fishless Cycling Article and familiarize yourself with all the information. Yes. All of it.
We want to help, and providing this information will go a LONG way to getting a diagnosis and hopeful cure that much faster.
While you wait for assistance:
One of the easiest and best ways to help your fish feel better is clean water! If you are already on a regular water change schedule (50% weekly is recommended) a good step to making your fish more comfortable while waiting for diagnosis/suggestions is to do a large water change immediately. Feel free to repeat daily or as often as you can, clean water is always a good thing! Use of Amquel or Prime as a dechlor may help with any ammonia or nitrite issues, and is highly recommended.
Note - if you do not normally do large water changes, doing a sudden, large water change could shock your fish by suddenly changing their established water chemistry. Clean water is still your first goal, so in this case, do several smaller (10%) water changes over the next day or two before starting any large ones.
- blondenblue
- Green Spotted Puffer
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Peeling
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- t1gerbee
- Fahaka Puffer
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Re: Peeling
are you sure it's 'peeling' and not just where the sand has stuck to him? My stars used to get that alot... sand would stick to the slime coat and he'd swim round with clumps attached to him...
If he does have sand sticking to him, it's a good sign that his slime coat is in overdrive, which can be caused by skin irritation..
any sign of white spot on either puffer? Thats what it turned out to be with mine, got rid of the white spot, and the sand stopped sticking to him.
A parameter check would be a good idea too... see what's happening with your ammonia/nitrite/nitrate...
If he does have sand sticking to him, it's a good sign that his slime coat is in overdrive, which can be caused by skin irritation..
any sign of white spot on either puffer? Thats what it turned out to be with mine, got rid of the white spot, and the sand stopped sticking to him.
A parameter check would be a good idea too... see what's happening with your ammonia/nitrite/nitrate...
1 x 90G Juv stars and stripes puffer, Ceylon Puffer + GSP + 2 black clowns
1 x 30G LPS Reef
1 x 30G 1 x Blind goldfish

1 x 30G LPS Reef
1 x 30G 1 x Blind goldfish

- blondenblue
- Green Spotted Puffer
- Posts: 252
- Joined: Wed Mar 05, 2008 5:32 am
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: A M. leiurus Called Puffle!
A MBU Called Moob - Location: Cornwall UK
- Contact:
Re: Peeling
no, no sign of white spot on either, it could have been sand, its gone again today! thanks tho
- Agnate
- Former Staff Member
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Re: Peeling
My Manilensis gets sand stuck to him as well in the morning. He usually shakes it off after about 20 minutes. 
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