The echeneis is a fish, half a foot in length, that clings to ships and delays their passage. When this fish attaches to a ship, even in the high winds of a storm the ship will not move, but seems to be rooted in the sea. The echeneis is found in the Indian Sea.

The ability of the echeneis to hold things back or slow them down is the basis for its use in a love charm, as well as in a spell to hinder judgments in court. It can also be used to stop fluxes in the womb of pregnant women and to delay birth until its proper time.