Black Spot Disease??

[Woodstock]

Ok... All of my fishes are extremely healthy. I have had my mated pair of clown fish for well over 5 years. They spawn regularly and eat like pigs. However, since they started living in my anemones (over a year now) they have developed black spots. I have read that anemone fishes will sometimes turn black or even get minutes spots "due to the contact with corals, corallimorphs, zoanthids and anemones with which they are not familiar. These spots tend to be larger and less uniform than those from turbellaria." I have quarantined both clowns today and am ready to treat... if I need to. None of my other fish have black spots...only the 2 clowns.

Has anyone else had this appear on their clown fishes?? Thanks in advance!

Is this Black Spot Disease??? She was getting ready to spawn, thus the large belly.....

[jcoopergd]

hmmm.....I have no idea...but im still a newbe...:-) ill see if i can find anything...

[sarah]

cant help you Doni Sorry hope every thing goes ok...keep us updated

Sarah xxx

[jcoopergd]

The following was cut and pasted from "Wet Web Media" at www.wetwebemdia.com/clndisfaqs.htm

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Black spots on Clownfish
Bob,
I've got a Clownfish with a problem. I've had this fish for over
a year and he's always been very healthy. In the last 2 weeks, I've
noticed some small black spots developing on the lower portion of
his body and fins. This part of his body is yellow and the spots
are jet black, so it doesn't fit the profile of ick or velvet.
He still eats well and doesn't seem to be in great distress, although
he's a little more jumpy and active than before. He hasn't been
flashing, but seems more interested in staying in the highest
current areas of the tank. He's probably trying to cure himself
but I think he needs help. It doesn't seem any better now than
a week ago and is actually a little worse.
Other animals in the tank include the typical "cleanup crew" mix
of hermit crabs and snails, a yellow mimic tang, a small pink
crab that came with a (now dead) birds nest coral, decorator crab,
black banded starfish, green star polyps, colt coral, yellow leather
coral, and button polyps, all of which are doing fine. Nothing new
has been added for over 6 months except what springs up in the
tank (hermit crabs and snails are reproducing, sessile worms,
feather dusters, etc).
The tank is a 40 Gal. with ~50 lbs. of live rock. It's been
running for over 1 year. Very little green algae, lots of
coralline algae. Alk/Cal are at 4/400, nitrates ~10ppm, phosphates
near 0, good water movement (2 MaxiJet 1000s, Knop Skimmer, Fluval
Canister w/spray bar), good lighting (2x96w Power Compact). Filter
contains Eheim coarse media prefilter, Kent "reef carbon", "bio-max",
and sponge. SG is ~1.023 and average temperature is 80F (ranges from
79-81). I do a 5 gallon water change monthly.

>The Clown's markings are almost undoubtedly nothing more than "regular"
>"age-spots"....not an infectious, parasitic problem, nor indication of
>environmental difficulties... I would do nothing to "treat" this dark spot
>condition... Bob Fenner

Bob,
Thanks a lot for your advice. At first I thought it was nothing
to worry about and then paranoia took over. The clown does seem
to be OK and eating well. I will leave well enough alone.
Thanks, Dave


>>
Ah, good... the "null hypothesis" (the "cost" of doing nothing) is often lost in the human experience... This is the best (i.e. "wait, look, and see") approach in this case... in my estimation.
Be chatting, Bob Fenner



I don't have a hospital or fish-only tank running right now. I can
start up a small hospital tank if needed. Any advice you can share
will be most appreciated. Dave


>>
The Clown's markings are almost undoubtedly nothing more than "regular" "age-spots"....not an infectious, parasitic problem, nor indication of environmental difficulties... I would do nothing to "treat" this dark spot condition...
Bob Fenner

-------

There you go! hopefully that helps!

[cheeks69]

What is Black Spot Disease?
Also referred to as Black Ich, this saltwater fish disease is caused by a small parasitic turbellarian flatworm in the genus Paravortex that takes up residence in the aquarium substrate. The adult worm attaches to a host for about six days, falls off into the substrate, then in about five days the adult body ruptures releasing a new population of young worms and the cycle begins again. It normally does not show up in the larger numbers as with other forms of Ich (Whitespot Disease and Coral Fish Disease) and is not nearly as dangerous. It is a disease that is fairly common with Yellow Tangs and Angelfishes, but can effect other fish species as well.

http://saltaquarium.about.com/cs/com...a/aa041701.htm

It should be noted that anemonefish may develop black spots on their skin through contact with corals, corallimorphs, zoanthids and anemones with which they are not familiar. These spots tend to be larger and less uniform than those from turbellaria.

http://www.petsforum.com/personal/tr.../blackich.html

[Woodstock]

Thanks for the links Cheeks, but I read all of that already. I just need to know what you guys think it is. Maybe someone out there has had a similar occurrence and can chime in?

[cheeks69]

My Perc would sometimes get black spots but they were larger and usually 2 ot 3 black marks it didn't proliferate the body as I see it in the pic. Did it show up before or after you added your new fish ?

[Woodstock]

The spots have been getting progressively worse over the last 12 months, but they're only on the clown fishes.

[cheeks69]

The ones my Perc had would show up then disappear they never stayed for long. I think Ivyvine went thru something similar with her Ocellaris but don't remember the link I'll try to find it. Maybe you can shoot her a PM.

[cheeks69]

here's the link Doni not sure if it will help....

http://www.reefaquariumguide.com/for...=black+s pots

[ScottT1980]

I will make a bold statement based on absolutly nothing but intuition. If your fish had that many parasitic worms, she would be in rough shape. I mean, that is almost complete body coverage... I would go with age spots if attitude seems normal...

Good luck...

BTW, I might be checking out *your* LFS this week. Looking foward to seeing what they are all about!

Take er easy
Scott T.

[Woodstock]

Thanks again cheeks! I'll check it out.

Scott: That is my thinking also... the male only has a few on him. Both are behaving normal. As a matter of fact, I interrupted their spawning to quarantine them today. I just want to make sure it is not serious.

LOL... You'll love AquaticConcepts

[brian_e]

doni looks just like what my perc in my 30 did now he os almost all black where it was orange

[mps9506]

I think it is chickenpox...
Ok that was stupid, that is what happens after pulling 12 hour shifts...

Since it has been occuring over such a long period of time and is in otherwise healthy shape I would say your fish is just getting old.

[gussy]

I have this thick book on fish diseases and the only thing that has small dark areas is diagnosed as encapsulated metacercariae larvae. However, it says that..."Fish can live to a ripe old age despite the condition. No treatment is needed."