Parrotfish

Parrotfish employ a nightly defense ritual: they secrete a mucus sleeping bag that envelops their entire body while they sleep. This cocoon takes about 30 minutes to produce and may mask the parrotfish's scent from nocturnal predators like moray eels. Some researchers suggest the cocoon also deters parasites. When morning comes, the fish breaks through and swims away, leaving the cocoon behind.

The nightly investment is substantial - producing the cocoon consumes about 2.5% of the fish's daily energy budget. But the alternative (being eaten while sleeping) is permanent. The parrotfish has calculated that the consistent energy cost is worth the survival benefit. The defense is scheduled rather than reactive; the parrotfish doesn't wait to see whether predators approach before deploying the cocoon.

For business, parrotfish represent scheduled defensive investments for vulnerable periods. Security guards at night, redundant systems during peak load, or backup power during storm season all represent sleeping bag defense - investments made during predictably vulnerable periods rather than in response to observed threats. The cost is ongoing (2.5% of energy), but the protection is consistent. Companies that only deploy defenses after detecting threats may find themselves eaten while sleeping.