looks like burn marks on new clownfish

[im_a_clownfish]

Hi All!

Last week, I put a clownfish (and 3 other small fish) in my 65G salt aquairum thats been running for about 4 weeks now.

Ammonia is at zero, and my inverts are all still alive, but it looks like the clown has black ammonia burns on the tips of his front fins. I've seen this in freshwater fish where the ammonia levels are too high, but everthing is at zero. My inverts are also doing peachy, and I know they are usually the first to go when ammonia spikes. Any idea what that's from?

It also looks like hes not swimming around as fast (although doing fine) then he was when I put him in a week ago? Or was that probably because he was scared out of his wits due to being put in a new tank?

One last thing - he appears to rub himself (mostly his face!) a bit on the glass (no rocks or sand or anything) sometimes at night, but not in the day. And theres no white spots or patches to indicate ick or marine velvet. He's eating and swimming fine... Is he just playing with his shadow or thinking theres another fish there because of the reflection? Or does ANY rubbing indicate a problem?

Any ideas?

Thanks so much!

[TheOldSalt]

You do realize that clownfish fins are normally edged in black, right? Are you talking about something really unusual?

[im_a_clownfish]

Hi Oldsalt,

Yes, he's edged in black, but his front two fins look like they have ammonia burns on them - its not just the edges. Unless I'm crazy and they were there before. All my other fish are fine with no burns or anything.....Maybe I'm worrying over nothing.

What do you think about him rubbing against the glass at night?

Thanks again!

[TheOldSalt]

First of all, why do you think that ammonia burn looks black? If anything, it looks pale to tan-pinkish brown. Since your fish is otherwise fine, then I don't think he's been "burned" enough to to do any physical damage like that anyway, since the effects are lingering. Also, as you surmised, any ammonia level high enough to physically damage a fish would have wiped out the inverts well before that happened.

Clownfish do get suntans, though, and can turn very dark or even nearly all-black when exposed to too much light.

As for rubbing on the glass at night, maybe he's just trying to get through the glass? Your lighting arrangement may hold a clue to why. Is he trying to get to the darkness or to the light?

Nerve damage can cause discoloration, and necrotic tissue can also turn black. Do the fins look damaged in any way?

[flamingo]

Yeah like said it prolly isn't ammonia burn, personally I have never seen these happen and didn't really know it would change the color of a fishes skin...

A lot of clowns are just wierd and scratch and are just plain fidgety. Keep an eye on him though because I may be wrong and it may have something.