Clown fish has black spot in mouth

Hi all!

I've had my tank set up for several months now and we actually got it from a friend who had it running for several years prior to giving it to us. It has 2 clowns (not really sure which species), a atlantic tip and rose bubble anemone, a sea apple, various corals, pepper mint shrimp, emerald crabs, and a brittle starfish.

Recently my female clown has been eating less than normal and not being as active as she used to be. Usually when I do work on the tank she is always swimming up to my hands and getting in the way, but now she just stays on her coral rock (we tried to get the pair to host in an anemone but they refuse). She barely eats and I have noticed a little black mark on the inside of her lower lip. She doesn't seem to be able to close her mouth all the way. The other clown is fine and behaving normally.

Thanks for any help!

 

Welcome to 3reef.

Two things come to mind, one hypermelinization, this is caused by clown fish mouthing some corals that sting. Usually it harmless and resolves, sometimes you can see these marks on the body of the fish as well.

Black Ich is another option, this is a parasitic worm, the black spots are actually blood beneath the skin. This also usually shows up on the body of the fish as well.

If you can post an image of the entire fish and it's mouth that might help as well.

 

The tank is at my boyfriend's house. I'll get some pictures as soon as I can get a hold of some one there.

The corals we have are: fuzzy mushrooms, hammerhead, trumpet, a zoa frag, and another hard frag that I can't remember the name of (it's pink with a green center). We do have 2 anemones that we got for the pair of clowns to host it, but they wont. They are really dark orange clowns though, so I haven't noticed anything on either's body.

 

How long have you had the clowns?

If recent purchases sometimes it takes a while for them to start eating.

Is the clown hanging around the Hammer?

 

We have had them over 4 months and before that they were owned by the same man for 6 years. We got the tank and the fuzzy mushrooms and the clowns from him all at once.

And not in particular, the hammerhead is down toward the bottom of the tank, but we were out of town for a week and she might have been hanging around it. It isn't a very big hammerhead, the clusters are no larger around than a quarter.

 

Ok, well get an image if you can.

You can also try some Melafix.

For foods perhaps try some foods soaked in Selcon or garlic. Mysis shrimp and cyclops are good choices as well. Rod's Food which is a frozen is always good as well.

Good luck to you and the clownfish.

 

Thanks!

I used melafix this afternoon when I first noticed the black spot. I'll try treating for the black ich if there is no change by tomorrow morning.