# White scales peeling?



## bettasareawesome (Jul 9, 2012)

Okay, I'm not sure what information to put in here, but the tank is a 10 gallon with 5 fancy guppies, some moneywort, a heater set around 80-82F a filter and a bubbler, some of the fish I think have ick and maybe fin rot which I'm treating (I got them from a pet shop a few days ago) and I'm not sure if this is related but one of the fancy guppies has scales on the top of him that are turning white and peeling, he also is starting to look tired when he swims. Does anyone know what this is? I could use some help and cant find anything on it.


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## bettasareawesome (Jul 9, 2012)

He also seems to be swimming at or near the top most of the time.


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## sandybottom (Nov 29, 2012)

can you test water parameters?could be ammonia poisoning.have you done any water changes lately?


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## bettasareawesome (Jul 9, 2012)

Yeah, everythings fine, nitrite was a little higher than usual but still in the safe zone, I've done 3 20% water changes every day now. One of the fish died but now another has the exact same symptoms scales turned white and flaky and being lazy at the top of the water like its trying to get air, even though the bubbler is on.


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## sandybottom (Nov 29, 2012)

nitrite should be at 0.any nitrite is bad.


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## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

Nitrite definitely needs to be at 0ppm. Anything higher than that and you need to do a water change to bring the level back down. These are the symptoms of nitrite poisoning:

Fish gasp for breath at the water surface 
Fish hang near water outlets
Fish is listless
Tan or brown gills
Rapid gill movement

It can cause the fish to suffocate due to its effect on the blood. 

I'd make sure my ammonia and nitrite were definitely at 0ppm (are you using strips or a liquid test kit?) because poor water quality can cause a whole host of problems and may just be the root of yours.


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## bettasareawesome (Jul 9, 2012)

They're strips, I dont have any liquid tests. I'll change the water and test again soon. The fish with the white scales is in a quarantine tank in case it is a disease. Thanks, I'll post the full test results soon.


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## bettasareawesome (Jul 9, 2012)

I just noticed, part of the guppy's tail has lost all color and turned transparent.


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## bettasareawesome (Jul 9, 2012)

I'm sorry, I had Nitrite mixed up with Nitrate. Nitite was 0

Quarintine tank
Nitrate: 20ppm mg/L
Nitrite: 0ppm mg/L
Total Hardness: 150 GH ppm
Total Alkalinity: 120-180 KH ppm
pH: 7.2-7.8

10 gallon 
Nitrate: 20-40
Nitrite: 0
Total Hardness: 150-300
Total Alkalinity: 120-180
pH: 6.2-6.8


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## sandybottom (Nov 29, 2012)

no ammonia test?


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## bettasareawesome (Jul 9, 2012)

Sorry, I dont have one.
UPDATE: The guppy with white scales seems to be trying to swim with his face pointed almost vertically down, and his face nearly vertically up. I know he's still alive and he's attempting to swim.


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## bettasareawesome (Jul 9, 2012)

He died sometime last night, but I still want to find out what it was so if I see it again or any of the other fish show symptoms I'll know what to do.


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