Anyone know what this is?

siffuz · Nov 7, 2022

Hi everyone,
Can someone help ID what these black circles are on my Elegant Foxface?
I have my fish in QT in copper treatment for 3 weeks now after picking up an Ich outbreak. I’ve also given 2 doses Prazipro 7 days apart.
I noticed them before the the fish that brought in Ich, after adding a couple of Lawnmower Blennies. I had the fish for a year without ever seeing anything like them before. No other fish have the same problem (clowns, angel, scopus tang, lawn mower blennies). They come and go, both sides of his body. At first thought was black Ich because also saw black dots (not in the circular shape). All fish are now looking great, no other signs of diseases.
Not seen anything similar online.
Thanks

AstroMelly · Nov 7, 2022

We have a magnificent FF also. I would say these are remnants of his stress-pattern. Since he is in QT with meds I imagine he is constantly experiencing low stress levels. I see similar small circles on ours sometimes. I would not worry about it.

siffuz · Nov 7, 2022

AstroMelly said:
We have a magnificent FF also. I would say these are remnants of his stress-pattern. Since he is in QT with meds I imagine he is constantly experiencing low stress levels. I see similar small circles on ours sometimes. I would not worry about it.

Thanks mate, that’s good to hear, It’s so weird they are so perfectly circular.
I love “Spikey”- so much personality!

AstroMelly · Nov 7, 2022

Haha - we have an urchin who is Spike. Our FF is Vivian even though we think he is a boy. I was thinking about it a bit more. We also have a white tail kole tang (a bistletooth) who is constantly pecking at the algae/bacterial film which covers everything in out tanks. I read another reefer refer to this as 'be-bop-ing' which is quite apt for the action. Sometimes I have seen her actually do this on other fish - our starry blenny for example - and they do not even seem to mind so it can't hurt. But I have seen the very same marks that ruby the white tail leaves on the (dirty) glass on the fox face although I've never caught the act. This tells me the FF skin is probably pressure sensitive and any sort of impact will leave an impression on the skin as a darker area. These marks do not seem to last however I am wondering if you have seen where Spiky is resting/sleeping as he may be impressing himself on some scenery or pipework - the marks look very clearly circular in nature - is there anything in the QT that might match the diameter of the marks?

Jay Hemdal · Nov 7, 2022

siffuz said:
Hi everyone,
Can someone help ID what these black circles are on my Elegant Foxface?
I have my fish in QT in copper treatment for 3 weeks now after picking up an Ich outbreak. I’ve also given 2 doses Prazipro 7 days apart.
I noticed them before the the fish that brought in Ich, after adding a couple of Lawnmower Blennies. I had the fish for a year without ever seeing anything like them before. No other fish have the same problem (clowns, angel, scopus tang, lawn mower blennies). They come and go, both sides of his body. At first thought was black Ich because also saw black dots (not in the circular shape). All fish are now looking great, no other signs of diseases.
Not seen anything similar online.
Thanks

That looks like bite marks to me. Lawnmower blennies can open their mouths pretty wide, but the marks seem too large. The only disease that grows in a circular pattern like that is some bacterial infections. However, those grow as a circle, not a ring like this.

Jay

Panicked Reefer · Nov 7, 2022

Definitely looks exactly like the bites my stary blenny gives mine.

siffuz · Nov 7, 2022

AstroMelly said:
Haha - we have an urchin who is Spike. Our FF is Vivian even though we think he is a boy. I was thinking about it a bit more. We also have a white tail kole tang (a bistletooth) who is constantly pecking at the algae/bacterial film which covers everything in out tanks. I read another reefer refer to this as 'be-bop-ing' which is quite apt for the action. Sometimes I have seen her actually do this on other fish - our starry blenny for example - and they do not even seem to mind so it can't hurt. But I have seen the very same marks that ruby the white tail leaves on the (dirty) glass on the fox face although I've never caught the act. This tells me the FF skin is probably pressure sensitive and any sort of impact will leave an impression on the skin as a darker area. These marks do not seem to last however I am wondering if you have seen where Spiky is resting/sleeping as he may be impressing himself on some scenery or pipework - the marks look very clearly circular in nature - is there anything in the QT that might match the diameter of the marks?

Well- I did initially blame the new Lawnmower Blennies because it happened shortly after they arrived and they have such huge mouths and are aggressive feeders- but I’ve never seen them bite other fish and they are apparently very peaceful, so I’ve let-off blaming them for the moment...
Apart from that, I honestly haven’t seen him doing anything in the environment to account for it.
At least I can stop chasing a disease cause down the rabbit-hole
Thank you

siffuz · Nov 7, 2022

Jay Hemdal said:
That looks like bite marks to me. Lawnmower blennies can open their mouths pretty wide, but the marks seem too large. The only disease that grows in a circular pattern like that is some bacterial infections. However, those grow as a circle, not a ring like this.

Jay

OMG- my first thought was the Lawnmowers are biting him- but I’ve never seen them do it and they’re supposed to be peaceful?
Thanks, as long as it’s not disease that’s awesome- my partner may not like it- but I’ll rehome the Lawnmowers If necessary

threebuoys · Nov 7, 2022

Do you by chance have a wave pump set to pulse forward and backward?
I have a convict tank that twice in the last 6 months had a similar marking on it's side. I swear it looked like a tattoo or a stamp or branding even to the point that very faint letters seemed to be inside the circle. Each time, the marking faded away within a day. The marking appeared so mechanical and perfectly shaped the only idea I came up with was that the fish swam too closely to a wave pump and was briefly sucked into the housing where some circular forms were present.

siffuz · Nov 7, 2022

threebuoys said:
Do you by chance have a wave pump set to pulse forward and backward?
I have a convict tank that twice in the last 6 months had a similar marking on it's side. I swear it looked like a tattoo or a stamp or branding even to the point that very faint letters seemed to be inside the circle. Each time, the marking faded away within a day. The marking appeared so mechanical and perfectly shaped the only idea I came up with was that the fish swam too closely to a wave pump and was briefly sucked into the housing where some circular forms were present.

Yeah, I do in my DT, but not my QT, and the marks are still coming/going. I am leaning to blaming the Lawnmower Blennies- I have one that is huge, and I think he could definitely have the mouth to give that size mark

Bucs20fan · Nov 7, 2022

Lawnmower blennies can be incredibly territorial, and as stated can open their mouths really wide. They literally have no fear, unless said fish can consume them. Looks exactly like blenny bites from sandpaper lips.