Moe - common pleco

I have been researching online and it doesn't seem to have a lot of definitive answers. My pleco is still growing and appears to be peeling? It looks like to me he has a thin layer of skin peeling, but I have never noticed this before from 2"-11" there is nothing else wrong with him. The small red spot he had before the move on the 17th has healed. He is eating normal, swimming around, cleaning glass and other decorations. I have recently got him a new cave. It is a large turtle shell and he seems to love hiding in there during the day.

I am just wondering has anyone ever noticed their pleco peeling or have you ever heard of a common pleco shedding as they grow to 12"+

 

No, they don't shed their skin. It's probably producing excess mucus, which is usually a reaction to something in the water irritating them.

What are your parameters?

 

Tagged.

My pleco has always looked like he was shedding.

 

I asked the LFS woman that I talk to every time I go in. When we switched from the 55 to the 75 gallon I got finer sand. She said it was probably the sand covering him. I have noticed him moving the sand out from his cave. I have been watching him all day and it has seemed to go away. My water conditions are not ideal, each is still off. I have changed my filters again added a sponge ammonia remover to the filters. My ammonia is at .25 my nitrate and nitrites and elevated. I think that is the new filter still prepping. I have two 70 gallon bio wheel filters running on this tank. One was off of the 55 gallon. I had to clean out the other filter it was clogged with sand. Thinking my cycle has started cycling again. I will doing daily water changes until they are perfect once more. Thanks for the responses.

 

Cleaning filters (in tank water) won't harm them. Did you transfer your filter media when you upgraded? If you did, you shouldn't have a problem... if the filter was big enough... and properly cycled?