Mucous mask on Target "Yellow" Mandarin help?????

[TexasTbear]

I have never posted here before but i have a question .I have a Mandarin he was fine.I have had him for along time.But he has a mucous mask over his face.I talked to some one at alamo aquatics he said he might be getting a new mucous coating coming in.I have a pink tip anenome. I asked if he could have been stung.He said thats possible or maybe he is stressed for some reason.He told me to take him out and try to wipe his face off.Do any of you know what this could be or what to do??????




Thanks
Teresa

[Reef69]

Im not surprised alamo said something like that...really..

the mucous is a substance the mandarin produces as a defense...you will notice that if you try to catch him, or her, will release a lot of it...its a toxic coating the mandarin has. I would bw worried about it..but please, dont try to wipe the face off...

[Reef69]

yeah, wrasses, like the cleaner wrasse, build a bubble for protection..

[Richard]

Mandarins have a unique slime coat. They are not immune to external parasites but it is rare for them to have problems.

When you say pink tip anemone I'm guessing that is a condylactus. I think it is likely the mandarin got stung by it. Condys can sometimes snag and eat fish like mandarins.

Mandarins are sensitive to most medications so I would avoid treating him with anything.

[Richard]

Oh...I dunno about the wiping his face off thing either. I wouldn't.

[Reef69]

lol, i kept wondering about the phrase.."take him out and wipe his face"..lol, and also, they dont shed or molt mucous..whoever told you that at alamo?

[MikeDeL]

Wipe your fishes face???? Thats a little too obsesive. Reminds me when I was a kid and my mom would lick her thumb to clean something off my face LOL.

[Reef69]

exactly!!!....i hope alamo sells fish wipes...who would recommend taking a mandarin out...stressing him..he would probably produce more mucous..and wipe the face off...whats next?...bibs for tangs?!

[TexasTbear]

I just wanted to let all of you know he didnt make it through the night.Thanks to everyone who responded and tryed to help.



teresa

[Ram_Puppy]

sorry to hear that teresa, they are beautiful fish. How long did you have him?

[TexasTbear]

I had him for a little over 6 months .He was doing GREAT then out of nowhere this happened.I still dont know what it was.



teresa

[NaCl_H2O]

Too bad Teresa - sorry to hear that! I have one I have had for almost a year (Green Mandarin) that I would really hate to lose - beautiful fish!