Lineatus wrasse question

[mkoop]

Hello,

I have recently introduced my first wrasse (Cirrhilabrus lineatus) to my DT. While in QT he slept in a pvc elbow,since moving him to my DT he has found a spot in the rocks to sleep. I have never witnessed this but have heard about wrasse coating themselves in a slime / web. I never saw my Lineatus do this in QT but this morning I found a large amount of white/clear slime all around his sleeping area (almost as if something had died) but all of my fish and inverts are accounted for (aside from snails that I dont keep track of individually).

Do Lineatus wrasse also do this slime coat while sleeping? If this is what it is, should I suction it out with a baster or will my cuc / skimmer take care of it?

 

[snorvich]

All fairy wrasses do this; I simply leave it and it disappears.

 

[mkoop]

All fairy wrasses do this; I simply leave it and it disappears.

Thanks Steve, good to know. I knew some wrasse did this just wasn't sure which.

Do they tend to just do this randomly or is it a sign of stress or anything? I just found it odd that he spent 40 days in my QT, and a week in my DT before I ever saw him do it (or saw evidence). Maybe it just means he's getting comfortable! (There is some wishful thinking haha)

Maybe some day I will know 1% of what there is to know in this hobby, still learning every day. :dance:

 

[evolved]

Yeah; normal behavior. And with a tank packed full of wrasses, I can assure you its presence in the tank is nothing to worry about.

More than likely, this behavior was also occurring in QT. Does your QT tank have minimal flow? It may have settled to the bottom daily and went unnoticed.

 

[mkoop]

Yeah; normal behavior. And with a tank packed full of wrasses, I can assure you its presence in the tank is nothing to worry about.

More than likely, this behavior was also occurring in QT. Does your QT tank have minimal flow? It may have settled to the bottom daily and went unnoticed.

Thanks, great to know!

My QT does have significantly less flow than DT, just a small power head for surface agitation and a HOB. I'd like to think I would have noticed as I am fairly thorough with my QT checks, though I could have just missed it in the pvc elbow he slept in.

Either way, seems like I'll just leave it and let the CUC / skimmer handle it, thanks for the information gents.

 

[evolved]

It tends to "dissolve" in just a few hours.

 

[mkoop]

It tends to "dissolve" in just a few hours.

That might make a lot more sense then. Normally he is up and active when I head down for my pre-work checks / routine. I've had lights out / low acclimating some new corals and he was awake later than normal last night. I'd think that would mean he is also slept slightly later which I'm guessing is likely why I saw it today -- it just hadn't dissolved fully yet.

Thanks! Learning has occurred. haha

 

[jackson6745]

I noticed this when I first introduced my flame and lineatus males. What is the purpose of the mucus that they produce?

 

[dendrite]

the mucous is likely a protective mechanism both to physically protect the skin structures against gravel or sand aswell as possibly mask the scent of the sleeping fish against predators. I wonder if being alone in a QT as well as sleeping in a non irritative tube may have led to less mucous production

 

[snorvich]

I noticed this when I first introduced my flame and lineatus males. What is the purpose of the mucus that they produce?

Masks the ability to sense them (from predators who may wish to eat them). Some fish have nightly coloration which may also mask them from visible predation. Other fish, including some wrasses (leopards and others) go into the sand for similar reasons.

 

[mkoop]

I wonder if being alone in a QT as well as sleeping in a non irritative tube may have led to less mucous production

As I stated this was my first wrasse so I could have missed it, but I am fairly meticulous.

At this point I feel it is due entirely to what you posted -- smooth tube and no other fish. He has been doing it nightly in the display at this point.