Clownfish With Weird Scale?

[elm03]

Hey! So usually when I walk by my tank or look at it for a quick second, my clownfish run to me like dogs. I just noticed that my black clownfish has one weird scale? It’s like a small clear scale slightly raised off if his left side of his body. I have another clownfish in my tank but he looks perfectly normal. They are both acting normal. I’ve had my tank for a little over a month now and everything has been going smoothly. I tried to grab some pictures of it but he is literally insane and keeps moving lol. Any help is appreciated. If I need to check parameters I can, but my ammonia reader says ammonia is safe. Thanks!

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I'm struggling to see anything in the pics - if the fish is eating well and behaving normally (for a clownfish anyway) I suspect this is just a damaged scale. There is a parasite called a fluke that can sort of look like a dislodged scale, but only one on a fish isn't serious (yet) so you don't need to rush into treating for that yet.

Dark colored clowns show all sorts of damage to their skin very clearly, and it often looks worse than it really is.

Jay

 

[elm03]

I'm struggling to see anything in the pics - if the fish is eating well and behaving normally (for a clownfish anyway) I suspect this is just a damaged scale. There is a parasite called a fluke that can sort of look like a dislodged scale, but only one on a fish isn't serious (yet) so you don't need to rush into treating for that yet.

Dark colored clowns show all sorts of damage to their skin very clearly, and it often looks worse than it really is.

Jay

Yea I’m so sorry for the pics, my glass isn’t the cleanest and he won’t sit still lol. Thank you

 

[vetteguy53081]

You answered your question partially as to how excited they get. They also tend to run into objects from excitement and its likely an small injury in which the scale got damaged and it will heal and new one will push the old off and it will fall off sooner than later.
keep an eye on it to assure it does not develop into an infection, but I see chances to be Very slim

 

[vetteguy53081]

I'm struggling to see anything in the pics - if the fish is eating well and behaving normally (for a clownfish anyway) I suspect this is just a damaged scale. There is a parasite called a fluke that can sort of look like a dislodged scale, but only one on a fish isn't serious (yet) so you don't need to rush into treating for that yet.

Dark colored clowns show all sorts of damage to their skin very clearly, and it often looks worse than it really is.

Jay

Guess we were writing at the same time . .. LOL