Help identifying brown spot on clownfish head

[ngiovas]

I have two clownfish that I added to my quarantine tank 1 1/2 weeks ago. I am dosing the tank with copper. Both fish have looked fine, but this morning I noticed a brown patch on the top of the head of one of the fish. Can anyone help me identify what this might be and how to treat it? By the way, the white spots in the water are actually water spots on the glass.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I have two clownfish that I added to my quarantine tank 1 1/2 weeks ago. I am dosing the tank with copper. Both fish have looked fine, but this morning I noticed a brown patch on the top of the head of one of the fish. Can anyone help me identify what this might be and how to treat it? By the way, the white spots in the water are actually water spots on the glass.

This is bruising likely from injury but can also be bacterial. Best treatment as I see fish is in QT tank is Seachem Neoplex or Kanaplex with added aeration

 

[ngiovas]

Thanks, if it is bruising, how long does it typically take for it to heal?

 

[F i s h y]

@Jay Hemdal this appears to look like uronema? what do you think?

 

[MnFish1]

Actually - I don't think it's possible to say 'what it is' - however, there are instances reported with clowns having this pinkish coloration - for which no one really knows the cause. @fishy - I do not think its uronema due to the species and the location. Red always worries me - and to me it suggests injury followed by an infection. I agree would like to hear @Jay Hemdal 's opinion!

 

[MnFish1]

Thanks, if it is bruising, how long does it typically take for it to heal?

This is not bruising... IMHO

 

[Jay Hemdal]

I have two clownfish that I added to my quarantine tank 1 1/2 weeks ago. I am dosing the tank with copper. Both fish have looked fine, but this morning I noticed a brown patch on the top of the head of one of the fish. Can anyone help me identify what this might be and how to treat it? By the way, the white spots in the water are actually water spots on the glass.

Is there a chunk taken out of the fish’s second dorsal fin? Looks like it to me. That means there is some aggression going on here.

The head lesion could be an injury, but it could also be this syndrome:

Clownfish bruising/lesion?

All, Over the past two years or so, I've come across dozens of cases on the fish disease forum here of an issue with clownfish that we have not been able to identify. I've never seen it on any clownfish I've had myself, but the issue seems most common on designer clowns, which I don't work...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[ngiovas]

Just to give everyone an update, when I originally noticed the markings earlier today, the fish was swimming normally and seemed to be eating. I went to check on the fish a short while ago and he was dead. No sign of life at all. I wonder if it was aggression from the other fish. I tried to look at it closely and it looked like maybe there were some bite marks, but really hard to tell (they weren't obvious). Either way, he went from fine yesterday, to the brown markings this morning to dead this afternoon. It would be nice to know exactly what happened, but I don't think this mystery will be solved.

Should I avoid getting another clown (trying to have a pair) just in case it was aggression? I'm ok if it is better to have only one at this point.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Just to give everyone an update, when I originally noticed the markings earlier today, the fish was swimming normally and seemed to be eating. I went to check on the fish a short while ago and he was dead. No sign of life at all. I wonder if it was aggression from the other fish. I tried to look at it closely and it looked like maybe there were some bite marks, but really hard to tell (they weren't obvious). Either way, he went from fine yesterday, to the brown markings this morning to dead this afternoon. It would be nice to know exactly what happened, but I don't think this mystery will be solved.

Should I avoid getting another clown (trying to have a pair) just in case it was aggression? I'm ok if it is better to have only one at this point.

I'd let this one be by itself for awhile. I always wait a minimum of 14 days after a fish loss from unknown reasons before adding anything new to a tank.

Pairing up clownfish is risky though - adding a new one later is a bit risky. You can mitigate that risk by installing a tank divider for a week or so and then releasing the fish together. If they fight to much, you can put the divider back in and try again later.