Foxface??

saltfisher

saltfisher

Member
My Foxface often releases some sort of slime of it's body that floats around the tank and looks like a jellyfish. I sometimes notice it on him before it comes off...when he darts, he's able to make it release into the water. Anyone one seen this happen on their fish?
I thought this was coming off my anemones before I saw it attached to the fish.
 
S

saxman

Guest
What your foxface is doing is shedding its cuticle, which is perfectly natural. The cuticle is a thin "outer skin" that prevents waterborne critters from settling onto the fish. Every so often, the fish will simply shed unless it's infested. An infested fish will "overshed" its cuticle in an effort to rid itself of the parasites, so this is an indication that the fish is ailing. Scorpaeniformes also have this ability.
Here's a vid showing a P. volitans that has just shed its cuticle:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JoSyrkOQzPI
As for mandies, they actually have a poisonous slime coat that they shed every so often, which is actually also toxic to them in tightly enclosed spaces.
 
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