Mucus cocoon......Eewwwwww!!!

[unda_da_sea]

Boy, research really pays off. my tank is cycled and i'm looking at fish to
get. A clown fish first, and then 2 months later one more fish. It has been very hard to decide (finally figured on a dwarf hawkfish). But during my research i almost decided on a six line wrasse, that is until a read they make a mucus cocoon (Eewwwwwww!!!) every night when they sleep and then in the morning they eat it (Eewwwwwwww!!!) I mentioned this to my lfs (VERY nice store) and he said I would be surprised how many people buy these fish and then think their dead when they see the mucus cocoon (Eewwwwwwww!!!) He said some people actually dispose of the fish by mistake. I just thought this would be good info for people considering this fish. Yeah i know they are cool fish, but a mucus cocoon? (Eewwwwww!!!)

 

[newfound77951]

I have a 6 line, I've never seen him in his "cocoon", but I do know he goes somewhere to sleep at night.

Many fish, especially parrot fish make cocoons, they do this to mask their smell at night so that predators don't eat them. A lot of our animal friends do some things that may seem weird to us, but are actually quite interesting and important to them. (Humans do some weird stuff, too!) My 6 line is a really cool little fish with a ton of personality; I wouldn't discount one just because of an unusual habit.

 

[JG]

I have a six line - never seen him cocoon. Very cool fish , though... lots of personality.

 

[melosu58]

I`ve never heard anyone say that about a sixline. You learn something everyday.

 

[flanque]

I have a six line wrasse and I've never seen that. Though to be truthful, I've never seen him after lights out.

I'll try to look out for him now.

 

[plecoperson]

Geez, you'd think that would use up a lot of their calories to make all that mucus each night. But then they eat it again, so....

It is kinda gross, but extremely interesting. It's amazing how much there is to learn.

 

[Squado]

Yep, usually every morning after the lights kick in a small cocoon floats up to the top of the tank. At first I though it was some goo from my corals, but after a little research i new it had to be the six line. The cocoon usually winds up getting pushed around by ph's and then disappears. Very interesting...........

 

[schoeplein]

Many of the wrasse family create cocoons. Though not always with the consistency of say a parrotfish. Six-line and fairy...