Spots on clown.

[dburr]

Here's a pic of my false perc. He hase had black spots for a year but today their seems to be more of them and bigger. The fish does not seem to be bothered by them but I would like to know what they are.
I have heard from Eric Borneman That sometimes flat worms are the culprit. (strange but true)
He did have popeye 2 years ago with no treatment and it went away.
I feed every 2/3 days from flakes to mysis and other stuff. It is a reef.
Temp 70/80
PH 7.9/8.0
SG 1.025
Here's a pic, should I worry?
It's a little blurry, let me know if you need a better one.

 

[beth]

You should feed your fish every day, 2x a day. Also, that diet is not exactly the best. Why are you not feeding your fish every day?
If there are no other symptoms and the fish is otherwise normal, it could just be that this fish has discoloration. With the breeding going on, you do see variations.

 

[dburr]

Thanks Beth.
I have 2 fish in a 90. Lots-O-pods running around.
With the breeding going on, you do see variations.
:notsure: I only have one F.Perc.
So, they do have coloration deformities? (is that a word?

)

 

[beth]

Bang Guy breeds percs, so I'm trying to see if I can get his attention.

 

[beth]

Originally posted by dburr
Temp 70/80

What does this mean?

 

[thomas712]

Sounds like the black spot that tangs can get, but this type can be introduced to other fish if it is indeed introduced to the aquarium.
I would agree with Mr. Borneman. Look up the Turbellarians, a group in the flatworm Phylum Platyhelminthes.
For this some say freshwater dip, matching ph and temp, others say Formalin dips.
Thomas

 

[fishman830]

i had somthing like this .. i think on my red sea sailfin, it cleared up in QT, same salinity, i added garlic, for a time, she would go to the power head to help her breathe, and then, she just cleared up

 

[beth]

This does not look like black spot disease which is what I think Bornman was referring to. Below is a pic of black spot disease on a tang. You can see it looks nothing like that. However, the results of the turbellarian infection is hypermelanization [Noga p. 93] which is also what you are seeing here but without parasites being the cause. Basically the clown is producing more melanin than it should. Why? Do you have a reef tank by chance and has the fish been hosting in non-anemones? What is your alk? Look for environmental or health factors with the fish, rather than parasites in this case. This fish has had this problem for quite awhile, which, to me, precludes a serious parasitic problem that caused those kinds of spots.
Also, I disagree with you that your feeding schedule is anywhere near adequate. Even in a healthy tank with pods, the demand will quickly out run the supply if the main food source is what your tank will produce on its own. Especially if you are not feeding your tank. What are the pods eating to proliferate?? :thinking:

 

[dburr]

Temp 70/80
This is a type-o 78-80
Do you have a reef tank by chance and has the fish been hosting in non-anemones? What is your alk?
Reef, no hosting of any kind that I see. Just swims all day. My alk is always driving down. It is now about 130/135 ppm. It goes down to 60 ppm if I don't watch it. And I dose 15ml of B-Ionic everyday. My calcium is constant at 450.
Also, I disagree with you that your feeding schedule is anywhere near adequate.
Well, let me clear something up.
Also, that diet is not exactly the best.
I mentioned a couple of things I feed, infact their are 4 or 5 different things I feed. I think the diet is well rounded. I will get some garlic so soak the food if you think that will help.
Especially if you are not feeding your tank. What are the pods eating to proliferate??
I have a 55 gallon sump/refuge. Really, I do see pods all over. The tang doesn't eat'm.
Thanks for the replies.

 

[bang guy]

In my opinion it looks to be just a normal darkening Ocellaris sometimes get when they are using a host that has nematocysts. If so then it will just slowly get darker.

 

[dburr]

OK, sounds like I may be OK. I will watch him for awhile though.
Thank you all.

 

[ecook]

I would take a skin scraping and put it under a micropscope.
That would rule out parasites.
I would freshwater dip him, then put him in a SW methylene blue bath and see if anything changes.

 

[dburr]

I would take a skin scraping and put it under a micropscope.
Yeah right, spend $50 for a vet to check out a parasite on a $12 fish.

I would freshwater dip him, then put him in a SW methylene blue bath and see if anything changes.
Hmmm, a blue and orange fish.

 

[beth]

He's not talking about a vet. Some EXTREME hobbyists actaully have microscopes. However, I would not take any scrapings off any live fish except if the fish was very sick.
This fish is doing perfectly fine even though he is not perfect. Enough said.

 

[ecook]

Yep. Some people have microscopes. (I would be one.)
I use them in diagnosing rare clownfish that come into my care. I would be lost without mine, as it tells me the specific parasite that I am dealing with....or if there is no parasites, which means its bacterial or fungal.
And by the way, I'm a woman. A 20 year old woman. And damned proud of it.

 

[beth]

ecook, I'm sure you understand that taking a tissue specimen is not something that your average hobbyist can do, or should do since they lack ability and knowledge in this area.
In any case, I don't think we need to biopsy this fish as it appears to have an adequate diagnosis without it.

 

[sly]

Originally posted by ecook
Yep. Some people have microscopes. (I would be one.)

I have one too. How do you know when your looking at a culture what you're looking at?
I'm a 26 year old man and damn proud of it...

 

[beth]

Originally posted by Sly
I'm a 26 year old man and damn proud of it...
I guess we're all proud of who we are, etc., etc., the point here is: Are we making our fish tanks something to be proud of? :thinking:

 

[sly]

Originally posted by Beth
I guess we're all proud of who we are, etc., etc., the point here is: Are we making our fish tanks something to be proud of? :thinking:
Dood! I'm just makin' a response to the peculiar post above. I've taken my fish very seriously. Say it with me now "Fish are friends, not food". (quote from finding Nemo)

 

[beth]

I know.