Black patches on my clownfish?

[Cheebs]

Hello,
I've had a maroon clownfish in my 75 gallon tank for a few weeks now with a cleaner shrimp as the only other resident so far. Anyways, all levels are great, nitrate is low, and both the fish and inverts seem very healthy. However, I've noticed, when I look closely at my clownfish, that there are some areas on the orange part of his skin that seem darker that than others. Not necessarily black, but certainly darker than before. It doesn't seem like any kind of rot or disease, it almost seems like a fresh layer of skin, and the top one is shedding off?

Is this what's happening? Or should I be worried? Otherwise he is very healthy and swims everywhere, eats well.

thanks,

Cheebs.

 

[Noise]

you didn't mention having an anemone, but sometimes when a clown is acclimating to an anemone the initial stings can cause black spots.

Could just be aging. My female maroon got darker as she aged, and I have read that females are typically darker than males, at least for the first 5 years or so of their life.

There certainly could be other causes, but I can't speculate on that right now.

 

[MarinaP]

Re: Black patches on my clownfish?

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11153674#post11153674 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Cheebs
there are some areas on the orange part of his skin that seem darker that than others.

You mean on the stripes?

 

[Cheebs]

Hmm no anenome yet so it would't be that. Thanks though


MarinaP, no not on the stripes, on, or under the orange skin. The stripes are still flawless. I'll do some more water tests just to double check, and as soon as I get some batteries I'll try and take some closeups.

Cheebs.

 

[MarinaP]

Maroons do not have orange skin. What species of clowns do you have?

Pics will help

 

[Cheebs]

Sorry perhaps more of a dark orange or red. Most would call it red I suppose

It's a maroon for sure.


Here's an older pic, kind of blurry though:

Thanks.

 

[Cheebs]

Heres a recent pic with the flash on, you can see the darkness im talking about a bit.

 

[MarinaP]

Good looking maroon.

Nothing to worry about. He rubs against those zoos >>> melanism.

 

[Cheebs]

Thank you!