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View Full Version : A whatizzit question

rbmount
08-17-2004, 02:59 PM
:?: This morning I looked in my tank and there was a white thing about 1/16th inch around and 3 inches long. It almost looked like a thin silicone string(for lack of a better description). When I pulled it out with an algae scraper it stuck and turned hard when exposed to the air. I haven't used any silicone near the tank. And naturally you don't think about a picture at 5:15 AM.

In this tank, I have 2 clowns, 1 neon damsel, 1engineer goby, 1 royal gramma, An arrow crab, 3 camelback shrimp, and a tiger tail cucumber.

I've never seen anything like this before and am really curious.

Any ideas??? :?:
MikeS
08-17-2004, 05:51 PM
a lot of different critters on LR secrete sticky strings, mainly for feeding...I'd guess this is what you saw...

Mike
rbmount
08-17-2004, 06:41 PM
Yeah, but this thing was as thick as a weedeater string!
MikeS
08-17-2004, 09:51 PM
hmmm.....hard to say, but I'd stick with my orgional guess on what you saw....maybe some others will have some guesses as well....

Mike
Zack
08-18-2004, 02:58 PM
Could it have been coral mucus (sp?) I am trying to think what it could be if it was so thick. Any glue that you have used for frags or such?
rbmount
08-18-2004, 11:54 PM
Nope, there aren't any coral in this tank. I haven't used any glue or silicon hear the tank at all. Someone on another board said that it may be a molt from the cucumber, but this thing was the same sixe as weedeater line. Next answer, no kids in the house. Does an arrow crab molt look like it does, you know like when a shrimp molts it's shell looks like it does? I'll learn next time to rub the sleepout of my eyes and get the camera!
Zack
08-19-2004, 01:17 PM
I really am stumped. I will research this and get back to you.
EXVISOR
08-19-2004, 02:40 PM
I wouldnt worry about it, chances are if you did not pull it out ,it would of became fish food
rbmount
08-19-2004, 06:30 PM
I know, but curiosity is killin' the cat. It looked just like the piece of airline tubing I'm holding, same coloring, just a little smaller in diameter. :thinkhard:
icereefer
08-22-2004, 12:42 AM
it probably had some thing to do with your cucumber
rbmount
08-26-2004, 10:12 AM
I figured it out this morning. This time it had a shape to it. it was an arrow crab molt. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v299/rbmount/moltSmall.jpg
FishinInTheDark
08-26-2004, 10:20 AM
Congratulations on solving the great mystery!

Conni
Sugar Magnolia
08-27-2004, 08:54 AM
I love the look on the clowns face in the pic of you holding the airline tubing up to the tank. hehehe....wonder what that fish is thinking.

congrats on your solve!
Zack
08-27-2004, 12:13 PM
Wow, now it all makes sense, good find!