Female false perc. clown - a lil advice needed!!

[WinkeyWoneye]

OK ...now I know it will do no good without pics....but here we go...
I have a female False perc, which I have had a good year now, by herself. Never any signs of health problems, always ate, etc. She survived the tank swap with no problems also(37g to a 72g, 3 months ago). I recently, about a month ago, got a juvenile false clown for her to pair with. They paired up pretty quickly, they now tread water together at night, do the clown fish twitch thing, all signs of paired fish. About 2 weeks ago I noticed some small white spots on the female clown, looked to me the beginning signs of ich.
I am very familiar with ich, I have battled with it in the past...and even saved my boxfish I used to have from an impending ich doom w/out him nuking himself or my main tank... I used "copper power" on him in a 10g QT for 6 week duration. I loved that fish Lost him and all other fish, when I had to move my old tank a while back. Anyways....the clown... I have been target feeding her w/ selcon& garlic soaked formula1 pellets, as thats what she normally goes crazy for. She has been eating fine, breathing seems normal, and doesnt display any real signs of stress. Well at the same time I started noticing the white spots, I also noticed her sucking on and rubbing her face in my star polyps. The spots are only on her front side and belly directly under the gill openings....where she rubs the star polyps... As stated above I am very familiar with ich. I have been watchin her close now for 2 weeks, the spots go away a bit, and come back.... The spots though arent encased in that slimey mucus usually seen coating the ich cysts. They are just white spots on her, and it looks like she shedding skin almost at times.
I'm now thinking that the spots are actually stings from the star polyps?? I know usually stings show up on clowns as little black spots, which I also see on both clowns from time to time. I have read that star polyps can have quite the sting, was wondering if thats what is causing her white spots. Also, what prompted me to write this post...I just noticed her sucking on my mandarins dorsal fin!!! ROFL what a WIERD fish!! The clowns tread water in the same corner that the mandarin sleeps in the sand bed of. She was down right next to the mandarin sucking gently on his dorsal spike, with the mandarin completly unphased. Could this sudden Wierdness in the female clown possibly be caused by adding her mate? Any suggestiongs and or thoughts on the situation is greatly appreciated. I'm not really sure what to do with her since she showing no signs of distress.

PS This is also posted in the reef discussion forum, was suggested to post here.
Thanks for any info ya may have.

 

[Hattie B]

Hi winky.. Interesting. If you don't think it is ich, since you have dealt with it in the past, why don't you removed the GSP and see what happens?

I have a lot of GSP so I know that can be diffucult but if its only on one or two rocks you could remove it to see if the spots go away and then if they do and you replace it and they come back that could be a possibility..

Although, I have a pink skunk that is always swimming near/through GSP and don't have any problems, but then again I have never seen her put her face or suck on it either. =)

Best,
HB

 

[WinkeyWoneye]

Thanks Hattie.
I was considering taking the star polyps out to see what happens. The only thing is, if the clown is doing this as a comfort thing, or possibly getting herself ready to host them...I dont wanna mess that up. My false perc's are both tank raised so they are rather dumb and have no instinct to host either of the anemones I bought soley for them. If I could have them living in my star polyps, it is much better than the normal "treading water in the corner" that they do now.
I dunno hehe, think I'll let it go a bit longer with a close watchful eye. If I see any signs of stress, I will than interviene. Possibly putting BOTH clowns in a QT and treating them w/ copper and or formalin, to cover both ends...Brooke, or Ich.
Thanks again for the reply.

EDIT: Also would like to add, that *knock on wood* non of my other fish show any signs of this, not even the male clown, who is always rubbing up against the female. Figure if it was a parasite, the male would be the first fish it would spread too, being it is always close to her. Than again if a fish is healthy enough they will fight it off on their own too. Who knows, only time will tell I guess. Will update this when/if I figure it out.

 

[Hattie B]

good idea. I am a fan of not treating unless you know what you are treating for.

Sounds like you already are familiar with Ich so that is good.

I will be interested to know how it turns out. =)

 

[WinkeyWoneye]

The thing that really blew my mind was watching her suck on the mandarins dorsal spike last night, was funny as heck. The mandarin didnt even flinch, nor did he seem to mind what she was doing. It lasted a good couple minutes no less, wasnt a quick thing. Too wierd.

 

[Hattie B]

Ya, that is werid. I want a pic of that.. =))

My foxface, will follow my yellow head all around, do whatever he does. If he swims fast the FF will swim fast. If he hides the FF will hide. If he scoops some sand the FF will pick at the same part of the sand.

I attribute it to a little brother following around an older brother.. Its comical.

Let me know how the clown is.

Amber

 

[WinkeyWoneye]

I tried last night to get a pic of the clown, once again sucking on the mandarins dorsal spike! Pic didnt come out well, and the flash spooked the mandarin, so he moved...end of fin sucking.. LOL
I was watching this again for a few minutes b4 I tried to take the pic. She really had that spike down her throat!! It was like she was using it to pick her gills clean or something. Dont wanna jinx myself here, but she is looking much better this AM. Alot of the spots are gone, and the flakey skin is almost all off. *knock on wood*
I have a idea of what to do here. I'm really thinking she wants to nest, but being tank raised and semi-dumb, she is confused as what to do or where to go. PLUS the star polyps close up at lights off, so she has nothing else to suck on when they close. This may be adding to her confusion. Sooo my plan now, I haveta remove or relocate a anthelia frag I have on a old clam shell, to fit a incoming Green Nepitha (sp?)...I was thinking of putting the anthelia shell into the clowns corner. I have seen many a clowns hosting in anthelia. I'm hoping she will take to the newly placed anthelia and stop messing with the star polyps, OR just move to a new corner of the tank all together.
I'll keep ya posted.