Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My softshell has some strange marks on his shell. The spots are brown to black and are most noticable on the upper left of his shell. I wondered if someone knows what they are and how to remove them. I keep his water sparking clean all the time. The only thing I could think of is that they are natural. Thank for the help

looks natural to me
some hartwegi and eastern spineys look like this.

hmm lets see:

an eatern with those patchy marks

and:

what looks like a western with some of those blotches

Were the blotchesd always there? I wouldn't worry unless they have only appeared recentely.

What does everybody else think?

Looks to me like a female taking on it's normal adult coloration. In addition to growing much larger than males, females become mottled, not retaining the clear markings of males and juveniles. Is the tail long and thick, extending past rear edge og shell? If not, you probably have a female. Good looking turtle!