EVERYDAY SCIENCE

Detailed explanation-1: -Most fish are also covered in a layer of mucus or slime which can protect against pathogens such as bacteria, fungi, and viruses, and reduce surface resistance when the fish swims.

Detailed explanation-2: -The body of every fish is completely covered by a mucus layer known as the slime coat. A fish’s first-and best-defense against disease and parasites lies in the slime coat; it acts much like a human’s top layer of skin by keeping out harmful substances and regulating the fluids within the body.

Detailed explanation-3: -Slime is vital for fish and amphibians to survive. Besides aiding the fish in drag resistance in swimming, the slime also protects them from parasites and infection. When germs or parasites try to attach themselves to the fish, they can’t because it’s too slippery, or they suffocate in the slime.

Detailed explanation-4: -Hagfish, of the class Myxini /mɪkˈsaɪnaɪ/ (also known as Hyperotreti) and order Myxiniformes /mɪkˈsɪnɪfɔːrmiːz/, are eel-shaped, slime-producing marine fish (occasionally called slime eels). They are the only known living animals that have a skull but no vertebral column, although hagfish do have rudimentary vertebrae.

Detailed explanation-5: -The slime is actually a substance called glyco-protein mixed with water and is produced by the skin cells of the fish in what is evidently an inexhaustible supply, which is important as it’s a critical protective layer for the fish.