black spots on clown

You guys will probably want pics but, there are little black spots on my clown. I noticed them Friday eve. He doesn't seem to be unhealthy. He's as spunky as ever. I researched on TCMAS a bit and looks like it could be stings from frogspawn or zoa's (which I do have of course) or black ick. Does anyone know anything about this? I guess I'll try not to worry unless he looks sick.

Hi Cammie, I found this in one of my books... and on RC I believe. Try researching "Paravortex tubellarian flatworm. It is a parasite commonly seen in tangs. Think treatment is freshwater dips.

Is it little bitty black specks? Usually when they blacken due to stings it's kinda blotchy and larger spots. Little black specks would probably be something else. Everything else in the tank looks alright? Clown isn't acting funny at all?

It's really small black flecks. Kinda like freckles. He really doesn't act strange at all and everything else seems fine too.

I saw a recommendation for freshwater dipping too but it seems so mean if there's nothing really wrong with it.

did you see that fourm site on tcmas some guy has the same thing (He has a pic of his clown) does it look like his. if so you can chat with him on what he has done.

Here is the link to the one on TCMAS
http://www.tcmas.org/forums/showthread.php?t=12156

Thanks guys. I printed out the info and will get to work on it this eve. I guess i'ts time for a quarantine tank eh?

I haven't done anything with our clown and it still looks healthy. Well, except for the spots. I think they are fading though. I know it's risky just leaving him be but he seems too spunky to fresh water dip. Wouldn't he be showing other signs of illness if it was something bad? That parasite described in the thread was supposed to drop off after six days and that did not happen. Also, the clown would begin having respiratory problems. I see nothing like that going on. I hope I don't regret it later but for now, we're just watching him really close.

why are you so against fresh water dips?

I'm scared. Never done it before. It seems mean. Dunno. He just looks healthy. You saying I should just go ahead and bite the bullet?

I dont really know if you should or not, just curious why you were afraid to do it. I have had to do it to my tangs before and it never really seemed to bother them, only made the ich go away.

Not much point in freshwater dipping unless you are going to put all the fish in qt right after. If there's a parasite in the tank it'll jump right back on once you put it back into the tank. It's a last ditch effort for fish dying of ich or flukes to relieve some of the stress.

Yeah. We do have a couple of empty 10 gallons we could convert into a quarantine tank for now but we don't have much else for equipment for it. That's part of the problem. I don't think I"d have to put the other fish in QT as they don't have any spots. ??

Time is another issue. I've been running around like a crazy woman. I've had water made up on my counter for a W/C for maybe 2 weeks now! I NEED A DAY OFF!!

If it is a parasite you'd have to take out all the fish, qt and treat them and leave the main tank fishless to kill it off. See the problem? As long as nothing else is acting sick I would keep water quality high and feed a lot. If you just took the clown out and treated it, as soon as it went back in the tank it would be re-infected. Personally I'd leave everything in the tank and hope the clown recovers on it's own.

I agree especially with your schedule...