please have a look at this pic

Nihoa · #1 02-20-2009, 06:18 PM

we had ick and brooklynella in our tank and i have not seen any sypmtoms on our twinspot hogfish or our yellow watchman goby but i have been finding these fish-shaped slimes in the tank every few days. i suspect the hog as i am finding these slimes outside a rock he sleeps in.

the pic below is one i just removed from the tank. they are about 3" long and an inch wide, mostly translucent but have yellowy crap in it as well. i do not know if the yellow crud is caught up in it later or what. i was unable to pull this out out to its full length and in the pic it is a bit mushed up.

im thinking if this was coming off my fish i should be able to see it building up on him but i also know that when it struck our ocellaris clowns they were clean before bed but totally gooed in the morning.

christyf5 · #2 02-20-2009, 07:03 PM

Some fish create a mucous web that they sleep in, its a protective mechanism. This may not be because he has cooties. I know wrasses do this, don't know about hogfish but if you see this often I would suspect that they make them too

Nihoa · #3 02-20-2009, 07:09 PM

are you jerking my leg??? thats frigging cool!!! hogs are pretty much a wrasse so thats definitely plausible. seems there are surprises at every turn with saltwater tanks.

High tide · #4 02-20-2009, 07:48 PM

Yeah, definitely a mucous sac from a sleeping Labrid....isn't it cute!

Nihoa · #5 02-20-2009, 08:08 PM

thank you both very much for helping me solve this mystery! i was worried it was the brooklynella trying to take him.