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Do dolphins have stress coats? (I presume no, but I thought i'd ask)

i would think so because of the water

hmmm okay, but you know how if you like touch a fish you weaken the stress coat? (I think so ) So, if at those amusment park places where you can "pet" a dolphin, are you damaging its stress coat

My guess...and I'm TOTALLY going out on a limb here...is that you know how at most aquariums you can pet sting rays and small sharks too?

Those fish don't seem to have true scales, so that's probably going to have something to do when relating back to the stress coat.

I'm sure if significant damage was being done to these animals, they wouldn't be available for us to touch.


-Ferret

-Formerly known as the Ferretfish

I don't think so. As dolphins are not fish, but mammals. And they do not have scales, but more of a leather type of skin.

Though on fish, the stress coat (more accurately called the "slime coat" does help to protect them from things in the water, that is not its primary function. The primary function of the slime coat, is to allow the scales to slide easily across each other and the skin, when the body turns and bends. As well it allows the fish to be more stream lined when moving through the water, giving the body surface a more smooth surface and less rigid when water crosses/flows over the scales.


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There is always a bigger fish...

Agreed. I don't think they have slime coats.

Nemo

Okay thanks :%)

No slime coat