Clown Fish & Black Ick.

i just got back from the LFS to find my lovely clown pair has what appears to be black ick :( the gal is going to freshwater dip them tomorrow and said that it is a parasite that typically falls off after a dip... i'm not so sure thats the case after reading what i've found...

what should i do? i don't want it to spread to my mandrin or damsels... anyone know or have had any experience with the black dots/? i've been in so many times to see this pair and at only $40 for a mated, its a steal...

i know the pics are horrible, i didn't have my good camera today just my moms lil one, you can sorta see the black spot up by the top dorsal fin..


they are a lovely pair though and very friendly :) swims right up and nibbles on my fingers lol

I would say don't bring them home and risk the others' health. Do you have a QT? Could the LFS keep them until they get well?

They will probably be ok but dont put them in your tank unless they have been fully treated and recovered. A freshwater dip doesnt fix the problem it only provides temporary relieve to the fish. Some of the dots will fall but not all. They need to be treated in copper for at least 3 weeks. Are they eating?

in tank uv sterilizers are only about 80 bucks and will help a lot. it kills the lice/ich not on the fish, but when they emerge from the substrate...so it will reduce infections to other fish. and it will save you from having to use harsh chems that will prevent you from ever being able to keep things like snails and corals should you decide to progressively stock your tank

cthegame said:

They will probably be ok but dont put them in your tank unless they have been fully treated and recovered. A freshwater dip doesnt fix the problem it only provides temporary relieve to the fish. Some of the dots will fall but not all. They need to be treated in copper for at least 3 weeks. Are they eating?

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i thought copper was fatal to clownfish?

I have a qt tank they can go into... the lfs doesn't really want to keep them any longer because people keep asking for them and they already have them on hold for me... they are rude because they won't let me pay for them saying if they get a better offer they are gonna sell em... and once i pay for them they won't hold them there :grumble:

its stupid... they are just wonderful fish tho :(

I say since you havent paid for them, let the LFS keep em. no point in purchasing a fish with visible signs of disease. Clown fish are pretty common (at least around here) so more should show up. I think it is kind of irresponsible for the LFS to offer them for sale if they know they are sick. Some unknowing parent is going to end up buying Nemo for there kids.

Brian

bjohanson1234 said:

I say since you havent paid for them, let the LFS keep em. no point in purchasing a fish with visible signs of disease. Clown fish are pretty common (at least around here) so more should show up. I think it is kind of irresponsible for the LFS to offer them for sale if they know they are sick. Some unknowing parent is going to end up buying Nemo for there kids.

Brian

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agreed leave them ....and no copper in the correct amounts is not harmfull for most fish just inverts. but if the levels get to high than yes it can be bad for all fish

I would leave them. It is pretty lame that the LFS is even offering them for sale with visible signs of ich. Unless you want to set up a quarintine tank, let the LFS deal with them.

Ich is an invertebrate that will die from a fresh water dip as well as from copper. Both of which are stressful to clownfish. With a dip it may take more then once to attack because you dip for no longer then 7 minutes.

+1 james.

Copper is used to treat fish but in the right amount.

I also say dont buy the fish if you see ich on them. If you buy a large & a small clown chances are they will mate eventually but if you;re set on those two, then have the LFS treat them first. I find it irresponsible of them to sell the fish to people knowing they are sick at the moment.

There's no reason to knowingly buy sick clowns. They are the most common type of fish sold for this hobby. It's not like they are a one in a million find...