Black Spots on my Clown (1 Viewer)

[aqua-nut]

Hey, does anyone have any idea why my false percula (female) has developed large black spots on her fins and the orange parts of her body? They're too large to be parasitic... they look like the same black pigment of the rest of the black parts that are on the tip of her fins.

BTW, my male percula doesn't have these spots, and the rest of my fish are healthy and happy. Water quality is good and stable, temp is always at 78 degrees (heater/chiller in use) etc.

Any ideas as to what caused the fish to develop new markings?

PS - The pic just doesn't show it clearly, but she has a black spot about 1/8th inch in size just behind her center white stripe. You can see a bit of the shadow of it.

 

[FireEater]

My female perc has about 5 small ones, but they are orangy colored. She has had them forever so maybe it is a sign of maturing?

Mark

 

[Kabuto]

You have an anemone or something that stinks. Percs usually get black spots when stung. My Maroon gets a white spot. Also Females will change color some as they age.

 

[Guest]

If it doesn't appear to be a irritation, flesh is exposed or the fish isn't acting funny, I wouldn't be worried about it yet. If you want to be overly precautious, QT her for a few weeks, perhaps do a few FW dips. If it is just a black spot, it could be a change in the coloration due to age or genetics.

 

[FishGameRock]

Is it hosting a new coral/not an anemone? Not natural hosts will do it I know Fire eaters host in mushrooms probably the reason why nothing really bad about it.

 

[Trey]

I had a false Percula that did the same thing. I quarantined it, but it turn out that it would get them off and on its whole life. I was never able to isolate a specific cause. It never caused any problems for anything in the same environment.

Later,
Trey

 

[Kabuto]

Here is a small thread on RC:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=704647

 

[Guest]

As long as the spots aren't raised, it's most likely a response to corals that it might hosting, and is harmless. Zoa's always do it to my perc pair, as will other soft corals.

 

[Guest]

I had the same thing on my 2 clowns. I think it is from hosting as well. Mine host my hammer coral. I have noticed the small little black spots go away over time.


I have an off the subject question since we are talking about clowns.


I got 2 small clowns from karenb. One seems to be nearly double the size of the other, and im sure this is normal. The male is the bigger one right?

Secondly, they have been i guess fighting for dominance in the tank. They used to both host my hammer, but now the larger one has banished the smaller one. Is this normal?

 

[Kabuto]

Female is bigger. It is normal for the male to be banished from a host.

 

[incysor]

I had the same thing on my 2 clowns. I think it is from hosting as well. Mine host my hammer coral. I have noticed the small little black spots go away over time.


I have an off the subject question since we are talking about clowns.


I got 2 small clowns from karenb. One seems to be nearly double the size of the other, and im sure this is normal. The male is the bigger one right?

Secondly, they have been i guess fighting for dominance in the tank. They used to both host my hammer, but now the larger one has banished the smaller one. Is this normal?

The larger one is the female. Always.

And yes it's normal for the female to chase the male away from whatever they're hosting. Especially if they're still fighting, or if the coral/anemone isn't large enough for them to both fit easily.

B

 

[Guest]

Reverse sexual dimorphism is the term i believe.

 

[Guest]

yeah i dont think my hammer coral is big enough for the two of them.
She wont kill him right? I have noticed the agression is increasing as she is getting bigger and bigger.