Possible disease/injury

Christopher Davis · Feb 6, 2017

Today I noticed a strange spot on my clown fish I'm not sure if it's an injury or if it's some disease. Recently they have started hosting this carpet so is it just the anemone stinging them causing injury?

melypr1985 · Feb 6, 2017

yes. Most likely hypermalinization ( i still can't spell it!) It will go away on it's own as the clown gets used to it's new host and it's sting.

Hyper-Melanization

Common in clownfish, this appears as brown spots or ovals where a stinging coral or nem as come into contact with the fish’s skin. Typically nothing needs to be done to cure this as the clown becomes accustomed to it’s new host’s sting. This can occur with other fish, but again no action needs to be taken. It will heal up on it’s own.

timnem70 · Feb 6, 2017

It got Stanged..... lol. Juveniles need to build up a slime coat and get used to the Nem it's in. Battle wounds happen just watch for infection. Happy Reefing.

Christopher Davis · Feb 6, 2017

Okay good! It's pink and bloody looking that's why I thought I would run it past the disease squad! I will keep an eye out for infection!

Christopher Davis · Feb 6, 2017

Christopher Davis said:
Okay good! It's pink and bloody looking that's why I thought I would run it past the disease squad! I will keep an eye out for infection!

Fish doesn't seem bothered by it at all! Just looks painful! Kinda imagine it being like a paper cut or scrape! Ouch

Maritimer · Feb 6, 2017

Or like catching a splinter while building your home . . .

~B.

melypr1985 · Feb 6, 2017

Christopher Davis said:
It's pink and bloody looking

Wait wait. What? The picture doesn't look pink or bloody. This could be something else.... most likely an injury or infection (or both).

Christopher Davis · Feb 6, 2017

It's hard to get it to show up but it looks like scales have been ripped off? It's pink around the edges

Christopher Davis · Feb 6, 2017

Here is a closer look

melypr1985 · Feb 6, 2017

Christopher Davis said:
Here is a closer look

I take back my hypermalinization.... I now think this is an injury of some sort that may be mildly infected. You can do a couple things for this. Add vitamins to his food (selcon, vitachem as examples). Feed wtih antibiotics like Kanaplex coupled with Focus to bind it. Or just wait it out and see what happens. I like the vitamin route personally. If it gets worse, then antibiotics will be needed - preferably dosed in the water in qt since they will work better that way.

Christopher Davis · Feb 6, 2017

I will try the vitamin and medicine in the food I usually use the kanaplex might have to go that route!

melypr1985 · Feb 6, 2017

Christopher Davis said:
I will try the vitamin and medicine in the food I usually use the kanaplex might have to go that route!

Just be sure to add Focus to it to bind the kanaplex to the food and make it reef safe. I would also run carbon - if you don't already- just to be safe.

Christopher Davis · Feb 10, 2017

Hey guys so now I actually do have a case of hyper-melanization, I purchased a green carpet today and my little buddy clearly didn't have a strong enough slime coat

He looks pretty messed up in a bad way! Should I be worried/do I need to intervene here? What to do

Christopher Davis · Feb 10, 2017

Here is the new carpet what an evil thing this one is

melypr1985 · Feb 10, 2017

That doesn't look like hyper melanization in my opinion. It looks like a fish with tons of flukes would look after a FW dip. Odd. @Humblefish I could use your eye on this one.

Christopher Davis · Feb 10, 2017

melypr1985 said:
That doesn't look like hyper melanization in my opinion. It looks like a fish with tons of flukes would look after a FW dip. Odd. @Humblefish I could use your eye on this one.

Nonot flukes! Promise I watched it happen 100% positive on that! That's stings from the new carpet! Swam right in and almost got stuck!

Christopher Davis · Feb 10, 2017

Christopher Davis said:
Nonot flukes! Promise I watched it happen 100% positive on that! That's stings from the new carpet! Swam right in and almost got stuck!

Fish was perfectly healthy! Could even see the scales on the carpet

Humblefish · Feb 10, 2017

That's a B&W Ocellaris, right? Weird those usually pair up with mags & gigs.

However, under the circumstances I would remove both clowns and give them a M Blue bath: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/methylene-blue.257467/

They will also probably need antibiotics (Kanaplex) in a QT afterwards.

Christopher Davis · Feb 10, 2017

Humblefish said:
That's a B&W Ocellaris, right? Weird those usually pair up with mags & gigs.

However, under the circumstances I would remove both clowns and give them a M Blue bath: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/methylene-blue.257467/

They will also probably need antibiotics (Kanaplex) in a QT afterwards.

They are pretty juvenile still, so I'm guess that's what caused it? The other one is perfectly health and fine both are eating. Why do you suggest removing both curious? Thank you for your input!