Oscellaris back turning black

[mnofziger1]

I have an oscellaris clown and she appears to be turning black from the top down. I thought it was the lighting at first but she is about half black now. Otherwise seems healthy.
Thoughts?

 

[AydenLincoln]

I think it’s actually a black photon clownfish and that’s normal! It’s a cross between a Darwin Ocellaris and Onyx Percula Clownfish. Can you post a photo under white light? https://cultivatedreef.com/product/black-photon-clownfish/

 

[mnofziger1]

That’s interesting. I’ve had her for about 2 years and she has just started “changing” in the last few weeks. I’ll check that out.

 

[i cant think]

I think it’s actually a black photon clownfish and that’s normal! It’s a cross between a Darwin Ocellaris and Onyx Percula Clownfish. Can you post a photo under white light? https://cultivatedreef.com/product/black-photon-clownfish/

Definitely not a black photon, here’s my true black photon, as juveniles they aren’t orange and start as a brownish almost caramel colour.

Do you have any photos of yours as a juvenile or any white light photos of his eye?

 

[ReefLife_Guy]

Yeah picture under white lighting would be helpful, just to ensure this is healthy pigmentation and not some disease process making the fish appear more dark. Not sure what she looked like 2 years ago but typically clownfish coloration only changes within their predefined patterns but shouldn't bleed over into the other colors. Clownfish can get something called hypermelanization (usually seen as darker spots rather than large dark patches) which they get from getting stung by corals like those in the euphyllia/fimbriaphyllia group of corals.

 

[mnofziger1]

This is from when I got her as a bonded pair about 18 months ago.

 

[mermaid_life]

Mine were like that. Sold to me as mocha clowns.

 

[i cant think]

This is from when I got her as a bonded pair about 18 months ago.

To me it looks like you got a Percula and not an Occelaris.
Do you have a white photo currently? One that involves a clear photo of the eye as well?

 

[Sharkbait19]

It’s turning to the dark side…
Same happened to my mocha - one day it was brown and the next it was black

 

[AydenLincoln]

Definitely not a black photon, here’s my true black photon, as juveniles they aren’t orange and start as a brownish almost caramel colour.

Do you have any photos of yours as a juvenile or any white light photos of his eye?

Hmm. Now I see the color under white light. It was hard to see the original photo.

 

[ReefLife_Guy]

Hmm. Now I see the color under white light. It was hard to see the original photo.

This is not OPs fish, I think @i cant think was just showing their black photon which looks different than what OP posted.

 

[AydenLincoln]

This is not OPs fish, I think @i cant think was just showing their black photon which looks different than what OP posted.

I know! OP posted another photo though.

 

[mnofziger1]

To me it looks like you got a Percula and not an Occelaris.
Do you have a white photo currently? One that involves a clear photo of the eye as well?

Yeah. I’ll get a better pic tonight. Eyes have always been dark.

 

[mnofziger1]

Better pic

 

[HBtank]

Looks like a True Percula.

 

[i cant think]

Looks like a True Percula.

+1 to this

 

[mnofziger1]

Do they turn black?

 

[i cant think]

Do they turn black?

Sometimes when mature they do gain more black than orange.

 

[Kellie in CA]

I think it's normal. I had one that matured and did this. She was even darker than yours.

 

[mnofziger1]

Right on. Thank you all.