Clown- Black Dots NOT AN INFECTION

[tunicata]

Hi Folks,
So, I have an occellaris or percular clownfish (do you tell by the band on the tail? If so, the white band goes all the way around) that is about 1.5 inches.

It was originally just orange/black/white in the typical way.

In the past 2 months, since its partner died I noticed that the original male now has black dots, like...freckles on its body- fins, body, face.

They are not raised/welts they are just black spots of pigmentation, like freckles.

I've just never seen that before on any other orange clown.

Is that normal?
Is it part of losing a partner?

(His partner jumped out of the tank. The original baby replacement of that partner ALSO jumped out...I've since added an extra barrier to the tank so there is no jumping through the back part of the canopy. Either way, that's a lot of personal loss for one fish...).

Anyway, this is one of the first fish in my tank. Eats well, isn't bullied and is cute.

 

[Arati]

if its hosting a coral it can be stung, its fine or the fish so like frog spawns or mushrooms or whatever.

just a guess

 

[tunicata]

He doesn't host anything.
He hands out at the top rim of the tank. That's been his hang out spot for the past 7 months. He doesn't hang with the other fish at all (he and his late-GF were anti-social).

It really doesn't look like anything is wrong with his skin, like a lesion or something.

Thanks for taking a guess though!

He moves to fast for me to get a good pic/vid with my phone.

 

[MIKE NY]

its a disease that clowns get ...mine has gotten many times over the years...doesn't seem to bother it any and clears up in a few days to a week normally...I forgot the name ...I got to search it again ..like a black ich...or as mentioned it could be getting stinged by something.

 

[piranhapat]

Check this site out and click on black ick. Does your fish look like this...



http://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/127010/diseased-fish-pictures.

 

[marrone]

if its hosting a coral it can be stung, its fine or the fish so like frog spawns or mushrooms or whatever.

just a guess

+1, very common and not much to worry about.

 

[marrone]

if its hosting a coral it can be stung, its fine or the fish so like frog spawns or mushrooms or whatever.

just a guess

+1, very common and not much to worry about.


Here's a link on "Black Ich"

http://www.manhattanreefs.com/forum/pests/99511-black-ich-black-spot-turbellarian-infection.html

 

[Silkyslim]

+1 it's rubbed up against a coral and stung it. It will go away after the fish builds a immunity to the coral.

 

[tunicata]

http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k56/MrsDoni/Fish/61Unknown-black_spots.jpg

He looks like that picture (not as many spots).

I looked up more pics like that and folks are still saying it comes from Stings rather than being black ich.

Hm...I never see him near coral though.
Like he hangs out near the overflow and the koralias.

Now I'm sad. I didn't think it was anything bad.
:sigh:

 

[tunicata]

It doesn't look like the black ich spots in the link Piran posted.
At least that's some relief.

I'm going to have to get one of those online computer video recorder things to record what the fish are doing during the day.

Maybe he does live some secret life....

 

[marrone]

All he has to do is swim by a coral or have it touch his body to have this happen. It's very common, especially with Clowns, but also happens with other fish in reef tanks that are heavily pack with corals.

 

[RARECLOWNSNJ]

im with marrone, spots like that are reaction to stronger nemocyts (sp) then the clowns is acclimated too.

Anything that can sting lps especcially.

Some clowns get darker coloration in certain anemones. mostly the stronger ones magnifica gigantea mertens haddoni.