What looks like microfibers on surgeonfish?

Mark Novack · Mar 23, 2022

Hello,
Baby hepatus has very strange looking tufts of bristles. Flanks, mouth, they come and go. Sometimes just one or two bristles, sometimes a few more. Too fine to photograph. They are glass fiber thin and perhaps ¼" long Pathogen or external irritation? Any ideas?

Thanks,
Mark

Steve and his Animals · Mar 23, 2022

My first guess (without seeing any pictures) is the hippo probably got spiked by some bristle worms while it was hiding in the rocks (as they do). Probably not a huge cause for concern, just probably means you have a good population of them. If that bothers you, my recommendations would be get a bunch of clean up crew to compete with the bristle worms (hermits, brittle/serpent stars, shrimps, urchins, cucumbers, etc.) and physical removal (use tongs/tweezers to pull out big ones you see and/or set a trap, like a glass bottle with food in the back).

vetteguy53081 · Mar 23, 2022

Can you provide pics under white lights for assessment?
Hard to guess or suggest anything without such

Mark Novack · Mar 24, 2022

Steve and his Animals said:
My first guess (without seeing any pictures) is the hippo probably got spiked by some bristle worms while it was hiding in the rocks (as they do). Probably not a huge cause for concern, just probably means you have a good population of them. If that bothers you, my recommendations would be get a bunch of clean up crew to compete with the bristle worms (hermits, brittle/serpent stars, shrimps, urchins, cucumbers, etc.) and physical removal (use tongs/tweezers to pull out big ones you see and/or set a trap, like a glass bottle with food in the back).

This is what I have been thinking. It sleeps near the home of some 3" polycates, and although they are a normal bristle worm and not a famous firey one they still have defensive measures. I thought it may have received a mouthful of bristles if it tasted the worm. It may need to learn to swim withouth rythm to not attract the worm. I can remove the worms. They come out pretty easily with feeding.