Lionfish Shedding ?

[David Burton]

All,

I previously posted a note to ask what all these ghost like pieces of 'skin
like' material were floating around in my tank.

I now know what it is, as I saw my lionfish last night shedding his skin! he
was even shaking his entire body to get it off of him.

I have never read anything about this in online resources, books etc. Is
this normal / what does it mean?

Kind Regards,
David

[Billy]

"David Burton" > wrote in message
k...
| All,
|
| I previously posted a note to ask what all these ghost like pieces
of 'skin
| like' material were floating around in my tank.
|
| I now know what it is, as I saw my lionfish last night shedding his
skin! he
| was even shaking his entire body to get it off of him.
|
| I have never read anything about this in online resources, books
etc. Is
| this normal / what does it mean?
|


Lionfish shed their skin to try and rid themselves of diseases, so it
is generally indicative of a problem, from what I have read. Do a
google for lionfish shedding and you'll get quitre a few hits.


---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.769 / Virus Database: 516 - Release Date: 9/24/2004

[David Burton]

Billy,

Thanks for the reply. I found an excellent review of lionfish whcih
discussed shedding and they do say they shed but only every so often. My
Volitans Lion has shed every night so far for 4 nights.

Okay, the site and other info does say this can be indicative of the fish
being ill but it is eating ghost (river) shrimp without issue and is very
healthy with no signs of illness.

Does anyone have any ideas on what the heck the problem could be as I love
the fish and am concerned it is distressed in some way?

For everyones information here is a snap shot of the article I located on
the internet:

Lionfish are hardy fish, and if fed well and provided with good water
quality, almost never contract diseases or parasites. It is important to
note that a thin membranous lining called a cuticle covers lionfish. Since
lionfish are sedentary fish, the cuticle is used to protect the lionfish
from settling organisms. In fact, lionfish will occasionally shed their
cuticle to remove any unwanted hitchhikers. A shed cuticle looks like a
large mass of whitish stringy mucus, and this shedding occurs when a
lionfish just start flashing around the aquarium, trailing white stringy
mucus behind it. Cuticle shedding is also a sign of improper health in
lionfish, as stressed lionfish or lionfish kept in poor water quality will
increase shedding behavior. The most common disease problems I have seen are
fin rot (a bacterial infection which is treated with antibiotics), cloudy
eyes (also a bacterial infection) [Figure 20] and dinoflagellates. Lionfish
do get ich, and this condition can be treated with hyposalinity or copper
based medications. As far as other health issues, the major problems I have
observed are starvation and lockjaw. Both occur suddenly, and usually in an
established fish that has adapted well to captivity. In regards to the issue
of starvation, the lionfish just stops feeding, and over a few weeks period
cannot be enticed to eat by either live or prepared foods. Starvation is
usually a result of long-term improper diet caused by the exclusive feeding
of one type of food (freeze-dried krill is generally the most common cause
because it's widely available and convenient). This diet can potentially
cause a blockage of the gastrointestinal tract, or result in a nutritional
deficiency, or result in the formation of a goiter. Lockjaw occurs when the
lionfish's mouthparts stay fixed in the open position. I have observed this
on many occasions. It is unclear what causes this problem, but I have
observed lionfish unintentionally ingesting substrate during feeding or
banging their mouthparts into rockwork when hunting food items and this may
account for part of the problem. Over the course of a few days, fish with
this condition were able to work their jaws closed again, but the alignment
of the jaw was never perfect in any case, and their jaws would frequently
dislocate.

Information sources from :
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-11/fm/feature/

Kind Regards,
David

"Billy" > wrote in message
...
>
> "David Burton" > wrote in message
> k...
> | All,
> |
> | I previously posted a note to ask what all these ghost like pieces
> of 'skin
> | like' material were floating around in my tank.
> |
> | I now know what it is, as I saw my lionfish last night shedding his
> skin! he
> | was even shaking his entire body to get it off of him.
> |
> | I have never read anything about this in online resources, books
> etc. Is
> | this normal / what does it mean?
> |
>
>
> Lionfish shed their skin to try and rid themselves of diseases, so it
> is generally indicative of a problem, from what I have read. Do a
> google for lionfish shedding and you'll get quitre a few hits.
>
>
> ---
> Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
> Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
> Version: 6.0.769 / Virus Database: 516 - Release Date: 9/24/2004
>
>

[Boomer]

"Does anyone have any ideas on what the heck the problem could be as I love
the fish and am concerned it is distressed in some way?"

It is almost always poor water quality. Do a couple of 25 % water changes a couple of days
apart. If it is a full blown reef tank with SPS this is another issue.
--
Boomer

Want to talk chemistry ? The Reef Chemistry Forum
http://www.reefcentral.com/vbulletin/index.php

Want to See More ?
Please Join Our Growing Membership
www.coralrealm.com

If You See Me Running You Better Catch-Up
"David Burton" > wrote in message
. uk...
: Billy,
:
: Thanks for the reply. I found an excellent review of lionfish whcih
: discussed shedding and they do say they shed but only every so often. My
: Volitans Lion has shed every night so far for 4 nights.
:
: Okay, the site and other info does say this can be indicative of the fish
: being ill but it is eating ghost (river) shrimp without issue and is very
: healthy with no signs of illness.
:
: Does anyone have any ideas on what the heck the problem could be as I love
: the fish and am concerned it is distressed in some way?
:
: For everyones information here is a snap shot of the article I located on
: the internet:
:
: Lionfish are hardy fish, and if fed well and provided with good water
: quality, almost never contract diseases or parasites. It is important to
: note that a thin membranous lining called a cuticle covers lionfish. Since
: lionfish are sedentary fish, the cuticle is used to protect the lionfish
: from settling organisms. In fact, lionfish will occasionally shed their
: cuticle to remove any unwanted hitchhikers. A shed cuticle looks like a
: large mass of whitish stringy mucus, and this shedding occurs when a
: lionfish just start flashing around the aquarium, trailing white stringy
: mucus behind it. Cuticle shedding is also a sign of improper health in
: lionfish, as stressed lionfish or lionfish kept in poor water quality will
: increase shedding behavior. The most common disease problems I have seen are
: fin rot (a bacterial infection which is treated with antibiotics), cloudy
: eyes (also a bacterial infection) [Figure 20] and dinoflagellates. Lionfish
: do get ich, and this condition can be treated with hyposalinity or copper
: based medications. As far as other health issues, the major problems I have
: observed are starvation and lockjaw. Both occur suddenly, and usually in an
: established fish that has adapted well to captivity. In regards to the issue
: of starvation, the lionfish just stops feeding, and over a few weeks period
: cannot be enticed to eat by either live or prepared foods. Starvation is
: usually a result of long-term improper diet caused by the exclusive feeding
: of one type of food (freeze-dried krill is generally the most common cause
: because it's widely available and convenient). This diet can potentially
: cause a blockage of the gastrointestinal tract, or result in a nutritional
: deficiency, or result in the formation of a goiter. Lockjaw occurs when the
: lionfish's mouthparts stay fixed in the open position. I have observed this
: on many occasions. It is unclear what causes this problem, but I have
: observed lionfish unintentionally ingesting substrate during feeding or
: banging their mouthparts into rockwork when hunting food items and this may
: account for part of the problem. Over the course of a few days, fish with
: this condition were able to work their jaws closed again, but the alignment
: of the jaw was never perfect in any case, and their jaws would frequently
: dislocate.
:
: Information sources from :
: http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-11/fm/feature/
:
: Kind Regards,
: David
:
: "Billy" > wrote in message
: ...
: >
: > "David Burton" > wrote in message
: > k...
: > | All,
: > |
: > | I previously posted a note to ask what all these ghost like pieces
: > of 'skin
: > | like' material were floating around in my tank.
: > |
: > | I now know what it is, as I saw my lionfish last night shedding his
: > skin! he
: > | was even shaking his entire body to get it off of him.
: > |
: > | I have never read anything about this in online resources, books
: > etc. Is
: > | this normal / what does it mean?
: > |
: >
: >
: > Lionfish shed their skin to try and rid themselves of diseases, so it
: > is generally indicative of a problem, from what I have read. Do a
: > google for lionfish shedding and you'll get quitre a few hits.
: >
: >
: > ---
: > Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
: > Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
: > Version: 6.0.769 / Virus Database: 516 - Release Date: 9/24/2004
: >
: >
:
:

[Boomer]

"Does anyone have any ideas on what the heck the problem could be as I love
the fish and am concerned it is distressed in some way?"

It is almost always poor water quality. Do a couple of 25 % water changes a couple of days
apart. If it is a full blown reef tank with SPS this is another issue



Boomer

Want to talk chemistry ? The Reef Chemistry Forum
http://www.reefcentral.com/vbulletin/index.php

Want to See More ?
Please Join Our Growing Membership
www.coralrealm.com

If You See Me Running You Better Catch-Up

[David Burton]

Boomer,

Thanks for the reply but I cant see it being poort water quality, all
readings are v.good.

Nitrite : <0.3mg/l
pH : 8.3
Phosphate : V. Low
S.G : 1.022
Temp : 26 C

Is there anything else I should be testing for? I have a few mushroom corals
and some polyp rocks. Apologies for my ignorance but what is SPS ?

Kind Regards,
David

"Boomer" > wrote in message
...
> "Does anyone have any ideas on what the heck the problem could be as I
love
> the fish and am concerned it is distressed in some way?"
>
> It is almost always poor water quality. Do a couple of 25 % water changes
a couple of days
> apart. If it is a full blown reef tank with SPS this is another issue
>
>
>
> Boomer
>
> Want to talk chemistry ? The Reef Chemistry Forum
> http://www.reefcentral.com/vbulletin/index.php
>
> Want to See More ?
> Please Join Our Growing Membership
> www.coralrealm.com
>
> If You See Me Running You Better Catch-Up
>
>

[Billy]

"David Burton" > wrote in message
.uk...
| Boomer,
|
| Thanks for the reply but I cant see it being poort water quality,
all
| readings are v.good.
|
| Nitrite : <0.3mg/l


The fact that there is nitrite at all concerns me. In a properly
cycled tank, nitrite should be undetectable. What is your nitrate
reading?


---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.769 / Virus Database: 516 - Release Date: 9/24/2004

[David Burton]

Billy,

I use a TetraTest and it has two lower gauge readings for the colour of the
water being tested these are:

Yellow <0.3mg/l
Orange 0.3mg/l

As you can see it does not actually give me an actual exact reading .. I am
thinking I should buy another kit - but are there any ways of detecting
nitrite in 'exact' numbers ?

Kind Regards,
David

"Billy" > wrote in message
...
>
>
> "David Burton" > wrote in message
> .uk...
> | Boomer,
> |
> | Thanks for the reply but I cant see it being poort water quality,
> all
> | readings are v.good.
> |
> | Nitrite : <0.3mg/l
>
>
> The fact that there is nitrite at all concerns me. In a properly
> cycled tank, nitrite should be undetectable. What is your nitrate
> reading?
>
>
> ---
> Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
> Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
> Version: 6.0.769 / Virus Database: 516 - Release Date: 9/24/2004
>
>

[Boomer]

David

The readings you gave do not tell one much. There are a number of things in the water you
can't measure that could be the problem. I would not be to concerned with those NO2
levels, as NO2 is non-toxic to marine fish, although many have been mislead that it is.
The NO2 kit may be picking up some NO3 during the reaction, which gets converted to NO2
with the test.. However, the issue may be did you have any ammonia in the water before
this or have you measured for ammonia at all ? Lions don't care to much for ammonia. Even
if ammonia was there and is now not showing up but some NO2 is, it may be a posted delayed
ammonia effect on the fish

SPS = Small Polyp Stone corals


Boomer

Want to talk chemistry ? The Reef Chemistry Forum
http://www.reefcentral.com/vbulletin/index.php

Want to See More ?
Please Join Our Growing Membership
www.coralrealm.com

If You See Me Running You Better Catch-Up