A Tragic (yet very odd) Morning

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salty27

Aquarium Advice Activist
Joined
Apr 5, 2004
Messages
116
Location
New York
I am stumped and amazed with this one:

1st, everything was fine in my community last night. I woke up this morning to find my Diamondback Goby had jumped during the night (that's what I get for letting my fish watch Prison Break). I kept him well fed, but I guess he was after greener pastures. Shame too, as he was a great addition.

But the most peculiar thing of the morning was my McClusker Wrasse. I found him this morning just sitting on the sand bed, not moving. He was alive, but obviously not looking too good. Upon closer inspection, I noticed an actual "bubble" or "web" of stringy slime completely enclosed around him! There was about an inch of space around the "bubble/web" and the wrasse. It looked like the string you might see corals emit when dumping waste or trying to catch food floating by, yet there he wasn't near any corals and all my pieces are stationary. I took a stick and broke apart the bubble, yet the wrasse remained motionless. I nudged him with the stick, and he slowly swam in between the rockwork, where I lost sight of him (probably for good...).

I tried taking a picture, but my camera couldn't pick up the bubble. Has anyone ever seen anything like this "bubble" before? What could have created it? Aside from my corals, I have a fire shrimp, peppermint shrimp, sand-sifting star, turbo snails, hermit crabs, and my clown and royal gramma.
 
Wow All this hearing about the Fish jumpining out scares me. I will cry if my little guys do somthing stupid
Sorry to hear it man
 
(that's what I get for letting my fish watch Prison Break).
:lol: :lol:

Your wrasse - that's perfectly normal. They "blow" somewhat of a coccoon/web like thing when they sleep at night. Often near the sand and a rock. They do this in the wild to keep predators from invading there space whilst they sleep. Keeps their scent also hidden.

The web is more like a mucos bubble. Pls don't bother him again when in that state. He'll come out in the day when he's ready and the mucos will be gone.
 
It think some Wrasses will build that web around them when they sleep at night. It's natural. It's probably just the first time you've seen it. I've seen my sixline wedge itself inbetween two rocks at night and it looks like it is dead but it's just sleeping.
 
Oh WOW, I had never seen the coccoon before. I feel terrible for disturbing the little fella now, but feel relieved that he might actually be OK and not ill. I'll be sure to let him be the next time. I used to have a 6-line, and had never seen it create such a thing.

Thanks for sharing the knowledge!
 
I agree, wrasses use the cocoon for protection, while they sleep. I would not suggest poking at him while he is sleeping. Sorry to hear about your other loss.
 
salty27 said:
I used to have a 6-line, and had never seen it create such a thing.

That is because not all wrasses do this. You may from time to time see the cocoon floating around in the water some early mornings before it gets picked up by your filtration. Looks kinda like someone dumped raw egg whites in the water.
 
Great info. Never knew that but am bound to come across it sooner or later. It would have scared me too. Now I know better when I see it.
 
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