Clear Jelly

[eliotgorman]

Hi fellow reefers. Have a new tank cycling up, and over past few days have had 2 cases where a clear jelly has shown up in the DT.

Unable to tell where it comes from, but a large hermit crab was completely encased. It is perfectly clear jelly, no color at all.

Any suggestions?

TIA

 

[Chris.Reef]

Probably just a bacterial thing. I wouldn’t be too concerned with it being a new tank.

 

[eliotgorman]

Thanks Chris…

 

[dz6t]

Is it possible to post a photo?

 

[eliotgorman]

I removed it all but if it appears again I’ll get a photo.

Thanks

 

[eliotgorman]

Here are a few pics of the jelly, just appeared again. Difficult to see, has some particles of sand caught up in it.

Interestingly, a very large blue legged crab was covered in it both times, could he be source?

 

[eliotgorman]

For anyone interested, turns out it was a 2” fighting conch defending itself against large hermit trying to steal its shell.

Conch would jet itself a couple inches (never saw that before) then secrete the clear jelly, covering the crab which then had to abort it’s attack.

Crab has since been relocated to the sump…