Ocellaris Clownfish in QT with Dark patches

howme127

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 22, 2020
Messages
163
Reaction score
105
Location
Portland
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I have 2 young ocellaris clowns in QT and we are on day 4 of slowly raise copper for their initial QT. The Quarantine tank they are in is a 16 gallon bare bottom tank with mechanical filtration that has 3 bio balls pulled from the DT for bio filtration. There is also a dish of sand from the DT as well. The DT has nothing in it but was cycled for 5 months now. The QT has been running for 3 months. There are 2 clowns, 1 firefish, and 1 yellow watchman in the QT. All appear to be doing well. All eat, although the watchman likes to stay in he's spot and doesn't eat as much, and all swim around and breathe what seems like to me normally... no fast pace breathing. As I've raised the copper I've noticed black spots on my clowns. And as I've gotten to roughly 1.7ppm of copper (Measured with a Hanna Checker), there are quite a bit more spots. It looks like hyper-melanization but from what? I'm due for a water change today and I'm mixing and warming fresh saltwater now. The ammonia card is reading a small tinge of green but not much. I did a Red Sea test for ammonia and it came up with 0.4ppm. I'm unsure if Copper Power will affect this. Can anyone help me solve this issue and/or identify what might be happening?

IMG_0174.jpg IMG_0178.jpg IMG_0177.jpg IMG_0173.jpg IMG_0179.jpg IMG_0184.jpg
 

Jay Hemdal

10K Club member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 31, 2020
Messages
25,288
Reaction score
25,190
Location
Dundee, MI
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
The ammonia reading is from the copper power, and really isn't a concern, since no ammonia seems to be showing on the alert badge.

The dark spots sure look like hyper-melanization, but I can't tell you why, since usually, that is caused by contact with a stinging coral.

After the copper is done (I suggest 30 days) you should dose with Prazipro 2x over 7 days, just to help rule out flukes.

Jay
 

AlgaeBarn

Marine Aquariums Made Easy!
View Badges
Joined
Oct 14, 2013
Messages
2,416
Reaction score
3,509
Location
Denver, Colorado
Rating - 100%
1   0   0
Is it possible the spots were there before you had them and in QT and the copper is intensifying the darkness of the spots?
 
OP
OP
howme127

howme127

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 22, 2020
Messages
163
Reaction score
105
Location
Portland
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
The ammonia reading is from the copper power, and really isn't a concern, since no ammonia seems to be showing on the alert badge.

The dark spots sure look like hyper-melanization, but I can't tell you why, since usually, that is caused by contact with a stinging coral.

After the copper is done (I suggest 30 days) you should dose with Prazipro 2x over 7 days, just to help rule out flukes.

Jay
That's the plan.
 

Mastering the art of locking and unlocking water pathways: What type of valves do you have on your aquarium plumbing?

  • Ball valves.

    Votes: 73 51.8%
  • Gate valves.

    Votes: 72 51.1%
  • Check valves.

    Votes: 36 25.5%
  • None.

    Votes: 31 22.0%
  • Other.

    Votes: 9 6.4%

New Posts

Back
Top