Does my clownfish have black ich?

[old_lady_4am]

Today he’s developed the black/brown spot on his top left side and a few by his left gill. He never leaves the bta, so I didn’t know if those are sting marks or is it the beginning of black ich?

 

[Ben.QLD2]

That just looks like pigmentation. Turbellarians (black ich) will appear as dozens or so of black dots, like ground pepper.

 

[old_lady_4am]

That just looks like pigmentation. Turbellarians (black ich) will appear as dozens or so of black dots, like ground pepper.

Oh good I was so worried. Is pigmentation sting marks?

 

[Ben.QLD2]

They can be, almost like a freckle on a person from repeated UV exposure. It can also just be developing pigment with no real cause, or even scar tissue from an injury.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Hyper melanization - black spots are pretty common in clownfish. True black spot disease, as mentioned, is smaller and more numerous. Clownfish rarely get that disease.
One common cause of this in clowns is being stung by corals. Other times, the cause isn’t apparent.
Jay