# Black Spots on Clown (RESPOND ASAP)



## gdwb10101 (Apr 14, 2006)

I just noticed several black spots on the clownfish. I'm going out of town tomorrow and won't be back for 11 days. My brother will be taking care of the tank while i'm gone. My camera is already packed somewhere in my suitcase and my phone is dead, so no pics yet. Any solutions or do I need to take a picture of it? The only possible problem in the tank would be that the nitrates are a little high, about 10-15. 

I have a QT tank that he could set up if it is serious. I don't know about many fish diseases except for ich and this doesn't look like it. This also may be normal as the clown is growing bigger. Let me know what to do, and treatment if necessary.

PLEASE RESPOND TODAY BECAUSE I'M LEAVING EARLY TOMORROW


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## Reefneck (Oct 15, 2005)

This is not normal. It could be a sign of Brooklynella. Brook is a clownfish disease that is usually fatal. Don't panic.....This is only a possibility. What type of clown? False perc or ?? Tank bred or wild caught? If tank bred and no other wild caught have been in with it I doubt it's brook. If wild caught or has been with a wild caught then it's possible. I lost over 12 clowns to brook before I found out what it was. Treatment is very difficult and not always successful. QT with the tank sides all covered to create darkness and treat with copper if you think it could be brook.


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## gdwb10101 (Apr 14, 2006)

Also the clown isn't sluggish and is still eating well. Can't get a clear picture of it, sorry.


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## leveldrummer (May 27, 2005)

describe the spots a little better, how big? how dark? where at on the fish? are they pin head size? or dime size? do the edges fade around.


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## gdwb10101 (Apr 14, 2006)

The spots are a more faded black, rather than jet black. They are the size of pinheads. And there are about 7-10 on its body.


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## leveldrummer (May 27, 2005)

that just seems like regular spots, are they growing or anything? are more showing up? my clown had a couple like that, are you sure they werent there before and you just didnt notice?


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## Guest (Jul 30, 2006)

I'm not seeing anything about black spots being signs of Brooklynella....I've looked it up and all im seeing for Brooklynella is a sliming white coating covering the fish and small lesions...
here's one of the sites:
http://www.hisreef.com/brooklynella_experience.html


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## Reefneck (Oct 15, 2005)

I never said that it WAS brook! I am speaking from personal experience with a couple that did develop black spots and died of Brook. I just said that it COULD be.


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## gdwb10101 (Apr 14, 2006)

No slime or anything. I am so mad that I wont be here to monitor this but i need to leave. I don't think its brooklynella, but then again like i said, I don't know much about diseases except for ich and it isn't ich. Should I put in QT or should i just leave it alone in the tank. It is the only fish in the tank at the moment so i'm worried about it spreading. 

HOLD UP. I just found a post about it on WWM. One guy said his clown have "brown spots" (i think they are black) and the picture he posted looks just like mine. The recommendation was to do more frequent water changes. 
I guess i'll just tell my brother to do that while i'm gone. He said he believes that it is minor and just color variation. Hope he's right! Thanks.


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

If not that, it's likely just blackspot disease, which is pretty harmless, really. Little worms, turbellarians, crawl on the skin and burrow into it a little bvit. Yellow tangs are notorious for this, but that's mainly because they are so easy to see on them. Plenty of other fish get them, too. It's generally harmless.

So, either way, there's no reason to worry. Your fish are either getting a tan, literally, or they have a minor problem at worst.


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## gdwb10101 (Apr 14, 2006)

Is there something I can do to get rid of this or is it comepletely harmless. I'm getting back in 3 days and my brother said that the spots look like they are fading on one side and have not multiplied. I don't know to what extent he speaks of or if it is even true. If i get a cleaner shrimp or neon goby, which i plan on doing anyway, will this possibly clear out the disease?


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

No. Cleaners are next to worthless. They'll probably give it a good try, though, and maybe help a little, but don't count on it. Blackspot is a very slow-growing, slow-spreading type of thing which often just goes away on it's own eventually, and is usually not worth worrying about at all. However, any of a number of anti-worm or anti-external parasite stuff should work if you really want to bother.


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## gdwb10101 (Apr 14, 2006)

Well im back home and would like to say that the clown is fine. In fact he has grown quite large. Is it possible that he could have changed sex to female while I was gone and a symptom could have been the black spots? Thanks for everything.


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## Reefneck (Oct 15, 2005)

The black spots have nothing to do with sex. And if the clown has been by itself for a few months or more it is definately female.


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## gdwb10101 (Apr 14, 2006)

Okay thanks, i'm not worried about the black spots anymore, temporary i guess. It has been alone, but only for about 3 weeks. Who knows


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