what's wrong with my clownfish?

[sillygoose]

Yesterday, my clown fish woke up with something on its side, actually more like its shoulder. I don't know if it is an infection or a wound. He/she is eating fine and not acting sick. My elegance is the host. I don't have a qt tank. Just in case it's not clear in the photo, the area it is blackish and the skin looks kind of abraded. Does anyone have experience to recognize the potential problem?

 

[Akimbo]

It might have been nipped by another fish or brushed into a rock while swimming and nicked itself open. I would keep a close eye on it and if its habits change or the spots seems to get worse I would take more photos and hit up the Clowns and Anenomes forum or the Fish Disease and Illness forum.

 

[Tucson Reef]

looks like a wound, should be no biggy if water is ok. Happens all the time and should heal fast if your water is half way clean. Fish looks healthy, so it will be fine, just watch for growths or any build up fuzz or slime. Always remember, in the Ocean they take care of them selves, in your tank it might be a little tuffer depending on tank conditions. But more people screw up by panic and bad advice, then just letting nature take care of it.

 

[dcantucson]

Good information Tucson Reef.

 

[sillygoose]

Thanks guys - that's what I was hoping to hear. It actually looks a bit better today. I do like to let nature take its time of possible. I just didn't want to let an infestation get out of hand. I'm also glad to hear of the clown fish and disease forums.

Incidentally, I have noticed my clown sucking on the elegance's "tentacles." It looks like it uses it as a pacifier. Has anyone seen this behavior in clown/host relationships?

 

[Tucson Reef]

Thats another point, although the clown hosting in your elegance is cool, keep an eye out for stress. Sometimes the Clown can worry a LPS Coral into closing and receding, sometimes not. I've had Clowns lay eggs on the stony base of Frogspawn Coral they were hosting on with no ill effects. Have also had them worry corals so much they would close and not open up till I got the clowns to relocate.

 

[Akimbo]

My clowns tried to host my Fungia scared the little plate so bad he started to recede. Had to move him into another tank.

 

[sillygoose]

This same clown "loved" my green bubble tipped anemone so much that it got sick. I moved it to another tank and it stayed about the size of a quarter for months. Now it is back in the same tank, but the clown ignores it. The GBT is about the size of a saucer now. I am keeping an eye on the elegance and so far, so good.