Dark spots on clowns???

Boca Kris · #1 11/25/2007, 07:33 PM

I have 2 clown fish that have several darkish spots on them. It started off maybe 4-5 wks ago, with just 1 or 2 spots, and now they both have maybe 10 or so on each side. They are overall healthy and eating well, and the other chromis seem fine as well as my mandarin goby. All parameters seem pretty normal.

I hope to get some decent pictures of it soon, but until then does anyone have any idea what this might be?

Any help of advice would be great!

Thanks in advance!!

BangkokMatt · #2 11/25/2007, 08:15 PM

The dark spots are nothing to worry about. It is pigmentation colouring usually caused by them hosting in a something other than an anemone.
To be on the safe side still add a pic in case its not the usual black spots.

Boca Kris · #3 11/25/2007, 08:31 PM

Ok, that would make total sense cause I dont have an anemone! I'll see about getting some pics tomorrow with the lights on!

Thanks for the response I appreciate it!

BangkokMatt · #4 11/25/2007, 09:52 PM

Your welcome

Boca Kris · #5 11/26/2007, 05:31 PM

What is the easiest type of anemone to take care of? I was thinking about adding one, but I've heard horror stories of tank crashes due to dying anemones! I have a new TX5 unit coming from Aquactinics in a couple weeks or so, so lighting shouldnt be a problem. I have a sun coral, so I can target feed if I need to....any recommendations? Someone told me a rose anemone is pretty and easy to take care of...

BangkokMatt · #6 11/26/2007, 06:50 PM

None of them are easy but a RBTA is one of the easier. Its best to add if you haven't got many corals as they move around until they find somewhere they like. Different clowns naturally host in particular anemones. What clowns do you have.

slumpysix · #7 11/26/2007, 08:38 PM

my clowns have the dark spots as well. No anemone but they host in the xenia, zoos, green toadstools. I read somewhere it's probably the zoos. Nothing to worry about.

Boca Kris · #8 11/26/2007, 08:44 PM

Well, my clowns have nothing really to host in at all.....so maybe its worth trying to add something? Will clowns take to somethingadded to a tank a long time after they've already been in there?

slumpysix · #9 11/26/2007, 09:34 PM

I think it's in their nature to just do it. Some may never host in anything. But like in my tank, the big bush-o-xenia makes a nice home for them. Kinda funny sometimes as the toadstool will lean into their spot and they try to bounce it the other way. Sometimes they knock it for a loop. crazy stuff.
Mine took about six months to host and the clowns were added about the same time as the xenia.

Boca Kris · #10 11/26/2007, 10:52 PM

It might be worth it then! Never thought of adding xenia though...is that easy to grow? hardy?

BangkokMatt · #11 11/26/2007, 10:58 PM

Mine host in an elegance coral

Boca Kris · #12 11/26/2007, 11:01 PM

Wow! Awesome pic!!!
I've seen a few people with that, and it always looks awesome! Is that pretty hardy stuff? Recommend it for a newb?

BangkokMatt · #13 11/27/2007, 02:09 AM

I have always had success with this elegance. Before I had it it belonged to a friend (Adtravels). He also had no problems with it.
However, many people struggle to keep them alive and some even say that you can't keep them in captivit (which, of course is nonsense as this hosted 2 year old proves).
With good water quality you should be ok but I would research them first and maybe put a thread up on them before you take the plunge.

Boca Kris · #14 11/27/2007, 05:17 PM

I'll definitely start a new thread and find out what people think. I would love to know which anemone would be good for clowns & which are also easy to keep!

Thanks for the tips!

tinmanny · #15 11/27/2007, 07:00 PM

I have a torch and one of my clowns has a big black spot on his sides because the torch is a stinger and the pet store said that some clowns are suicidal and will host in a torch sometimes he will rub it till the torch gives up and goes in. Nuts I say but he is funny the other clown hosts in a hammer
goog luck finding a friend for them to host in

Boca Kris · #16 11/27/2007, 07:03 PM

whats a hammer?

Chibils · #17 11/27/2007, 07:08 PM

Hammer coral.

Boca Kris · #18 11/27/2007, 07:55 PM

that thing is sweet!!

is it hard to take care of?

InLimbo87 · #19 11/27/2007, 08:13 PM

Mine hosts my hammer coral and gets these spots from time to time also.

Candi · #20 11/28/2007, 08:29 AM

How about anthelia? I've had several clowns host that (different tanks) and IME/IMO you can't kill the stuff... plus other reefers usually give it away for free. It's a good beginner item... just keep it away from ANYWHERE you don't want it, and watch it... I've found pieces growing clear on the other side of the tank from where I have it and it's not easy to remove, I keep a really big clump of it on a LR separated from my main structure so it doesn't spread and my clown pair host it happily.

Boca Kris · #21 11/28/2007, 05:07 PM

Just did a google search on it.....looks pretty cool....does it actually clean the fish like the other anemones do?

impur · #22 11/28/2007, 05:49 PM

My hosts in a frogspawn and had these spots for about 8m. They eventually just went away. Never saw any different behavior from the fish. The spots pop up now and then, just a few on her body. But she's still going strong 3 years later

Boca Kris · #23 11/28/2007, 06:04 PM

Wow, those spots are huge! On my clowns, there are many more spots, but they are all much smaller. That frogspawn looks great! im gonna research getting one!

Thanks for the pics! Glad to know the spots come & go and that they didnt harm them!

BangkokMatt · #24 11/28/2007, 06:50 PM

They are massive pigmentation spots. I've never seen them so big.

impur · #25 11/28/2007, 07:02 PM

Yah, i was really worried when they popped up. Its funny her lips are black too.

She's completely void of the spots today though