Black Small Smudges on your Anemonefish?

[leebca]

Hyper-Melaninization

Those small black smudges on the Anemonefish are reactions of the fish coming into contact with a marine lifeform that is irritating their skin. The result is the condition known as Hyper-Melaninization. You can find sample photos of fishes with this condition on the Internet. What you may not find is proper guidance about what to do about it.

Talk about irritation! There seems to be some confusion about what the fish is going through. There are hobbyists, which I must admit irritate me, that say, 'Ignore it and it should go away.' That irritates me because the fish is being harmed by the contact it has with some lifeform in the aquarium.

Anemonefishes have a wonderfully thick mucous coating with allows them to handle the stinging tentacles of their host anemone. They rarely have an adverse reaction to their host anemone. However in the confines of a reef aquarium the Anemonefish faces a lot of different lifeforms unnaturally found in a small space. The Anemonefish has a strong instinct to form a relationship with an anemone and lacking this will attempt to find a 'home' in the lap of another lifeform. Even when there is an anemone available, the Anemonefish may still not host it, but try to host with one or more of the other aquarium lifeforms.

The fish isn't equipped to handle the stings of other lifeforms. Natural Selection has produced an Anemonefish that hosts with a narrow range of anemone lifeforms -- not all of which are right for each fish. So when the fish tries to host with another lifeform, one that harms it, the result is Hyper-Melaninization.

The irritating part is this: Hobbyists often pretend this isn't a problem. But the fish is being stung. Does the fish have to die to convince the hobbyist it is being hurt? Wake up! There is a chance that the fish mucous coating will prevail and protect the fish OR there is a chance the fish will learn to keep away from the stinging lifeform OR there is a chance the fish will continue to be harmed (in part by its need to host). Here's the guideline to follow.

1. Note the date when Hyper-Melaninization is first noted;
2. Watch fish carefully, if those black smudges spread to cover over 90% of the entire body (not including fins and eyes), move the fish out or move the offending lifeform out of the aquarium (you can try A.);
3. If 2. doesn't come about (that is the smudges don't spread to cover more than about 90% of the fish), then leave the fish in the aquarium no more than 10 days with the signs of Hyper-Melaninization;
4. At the end of 10 days if the signs of Hyper-Melaninization are not gone totally or diminished to some marks are faded and barely visible, then move the fish or offending lifeform out of the aquarium (you can try A.);
5. If after 3 weeks from 1. there is still even the smallest of smudge on the fish, then move the fish or the offending lifeform out of the aquarium -- for the rest of their lives.

A. You can try putting the two back together after all signs of Hyper-Melaninization have left the fish, but if Hyper-Melaninization is noted again, give it up and keep the two separated for the rest of their lives.

Remember, those stings were meant to irritate or kill other fishes. They are not something to ignore. They are not something to treat likely. I wish humans could understand what the fish is going through. It is like we were 'bit' by mosquitoes, but we are not allowed to put on repellent or to get away from the mosquitoes. It isn't 'nothing' to that fish.

[BigAl07]

And again I've learned something new. Now it ALL makes sense!

Thanks Lee

[new reefer 03]

great thread Lee! i have a false percula that has hosted a shroom, zoas, torch, and now a hammer head. do other species of clowns also get this irritation?if so, i think my clown may have it.
sorry the pic is kindove blurry, but you can still see the black marks

[lcstorc]

I don't know what you mean by other types but I am fairly sure this is true for all anemone fish.
I suspect LPS such as Hammers and torches etc would be the most likely since they are know to have a potent sting in general.
Would it be likely to have a clown stung by xenia, shrooms or other softies?

[BigAl07]

I'd bet it's your Hammer! I've seen them from Torch Coral (cousin to Hammer)

[leebca]

That's a good photo to go with this thread. That is most likely hyper-melaninization.

The drive for the fish to find a host is very strong. The fish really doesn't do a good job of it when in the confines of an aquarium. In the wild, the fish would keep searching for a proper host.

All Anemonefishes try to host -- this is how those Damselfishes got their 'sub name.' Each species has their own sense of urgency at this, and some specific fish have different levels of interest to hosting. In the wild, there (used to be) are just so many available hosts. The other fishes -- extra fishes without hosts -- just don't have that chance. Now with collections from the wild so high and on the increase, there are many anemones available for the 'extra fish.' The fish are so easily collected because they refuse to leave their host, even with the threat of a diver nearly touching them. Usually just the fish is collected, but sometimes the anemone with its host fish is collected. The result is anemones without hosts.

Nature gave them a great mucous coating to handle their host's stings, but that coating has evolved to specifically protect the fish against the stings of a very few acceptable host anemones. The coating just doesn't do its whole job with the other aquarium lifeforms. I've heard that Hammers are one of the most offensive and yet attractive.

[new reefer 03]

alright, thanks!
i thought that the clown would just get used to the stings and build up an immunity, but ill probably give it another week or so, and see is they go away. If not i dont reall know what i would do, i like the clown, and hammer lol.

lynn by different species (types) i meant like a saddleback, tru perc, false perc, etc. i just realized that all clowns would be considered anemone fish due to them liking anemones lol

[Clutch]

My issues is with a new host Rose BTA. The 4 clowns never hosted anything until put the Rose BTA in. Now after 5 days, 3 out of the 4 are showing black specs! I thought the Rose BTA's were the Anemone of choice for clowns? I hope this goes away?

[Clutch]

While I understand your concern on what you "think" may be happening or what it MAY be feeling?? What scientific or formal background are you basing this on? I am also a 25+ year vet in fish tanks but cannot speak from a biologist stand point on relevant subject matter.