Clowns - Black Spots, And Itching

[lewiss]

Hi. I have two perc clowns. I've had them about 4 weeks. My tank conditions are gd. Altho nitrate's no3 are 10. No2 is 0. Amm is < 25. ph 7.8
temp is 79'

Recently I noticed a black spot on one of the perc's nose. Suddenly this morning they've both broken out in a mass of black spots. They won't eat nd look like they're itchy, they rub on the glass and against each other.

I'm worried about them. I have recently added two corals, a polyp coral nd a feather duster. I've read they might be stings, but ive also read about other diseases like black itch..

Can some advise? I dnt want to loose Nemo nd Marlyn!!!

Ps. I haven't seen them hosting the coral.

 

[-Nemo-]

My guess would be black ich.
Do you have a quarantine tank? I would suggest that to treat them, but if you cannot then I would suggest using a medicated dip with some form of formalin/formaldehyde medication.

Do you have any other fish?
What level is your ammonia exactly?...

 

[lewiss]

I have a tang nd a damsel with them. I dnt have a quarentine tank!! Can I treat it without?? X

 

[-Nemo-]

Use the medication as a dip then

 

[lewiss]

Use the medication as a dip then

Sorry to be thick but what do you mean by dip??

I went to my local fish shop, explained my problem but they said it was unlikely to be black itch nd more likely mispigmentation desease, ESP because the clowns have now black spots on their White parts, nd since the tang was uneffected. Well now my tang has a single black spot.

I bought some medicine for fungus which the shop said would get rid of black ich as black ich is a fungus (is tht even right?? I thought it was a parasite??) but the medicine will kill all of my live rock etc. So they said to use a quarantine tank, I don't have one!! So my question really is what do I do?

Can clowns live without lighting?? Was thinking maybe put them in a bucket with thermo?? I really dnt no? And is there better medicine?? The store aren't tht great for advice but they're all I've got near me!

Any suggestions would be appreciated....

Thanks in advance guys..

 

[-Nemo-]

A dip is like a bath. You put saltwater in a separate container (like a bucket) and add medication into the bucket. Then put the fish into the medicated saltwater for an alloted amount of time. Many medications that can be used as a dip/bath will have instructions for doing so. Like I said previously, a product called formalin or other products containing formaldehyde generally do well as dips.

 

[ColdwaterJosh]

But whatever you do for the love of god, DON'T put the medication into the main display tank as most treatments contain copper, and that'll be your tank pretty much nuked

Catch the fish and put them into a seperate little container as Nemo suggested to do, and then add the treatment to the seperate container!

 

[lewiss]

Thank you for your quick responses!! That makes sence and no I won't put it in my main tank!!

Do you know whether black ich is classed as a fungus?

 

[seffieuk]

No its not a fungus - I have answered in your journel lewis

Seffie x