Fact: DEET for Fish

Fact: the littlest sister recommended that I use some blog posts to write about fun facts I learn. She also promised she'd read them if I put them together so here we go! 

Fact: Parrot fish quite possibly have their own version of wearing bug spray or a mosquito net. During the night, Parrot fish envelope themselves in a cocoon made of mucus. For years, it had been supposed that this might serve as a deterrent to predators but experiments done in the last decade suggest that its primary purpose might be to keep biting parasites away. In fact, when researchers looked at the difference in parasite attacks between fish with and without their homemade sleeping bags, the difference was huge. While only 10% of fish with a cocoon were attacked, over 94% of those without the layer of mucus protection were. 

A Parrot fish photographed in the Philippines.
It was taken during a night dive, although you
can't see the cocoon in this photo.

Source: http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/65567/description/DEET_of_the_sea