Weird Clown behavior - what does it mean?

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cyates

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Mar 20, 2004
Messages
29
Location
Ohio USA
Hello,

We have an oscerellis clown that seems to have developed small white spots on the very tips of its fins. There are no spots anywhere else, and all the other fish are fine. It has been like this for going on a week.

For the past 2 months the clown basically stays in one corner of the tank, however today he has been slowly backing into our saddle valentini puffer. At a couple points the clown was rubbing up against the puffer and the puffer didn't seem to mind.

At one point tho the clown kept slowly backing into the puffer and the puffer took a quick nip at it's fin, which I've never seen him do.

Could it be the spots are irritating the clown's fins and the clown is intentionally trying to get the puffer to nip them? Or is it something else?

Thanks.
 
Maybe he's trying to scratch himself on somethin rough. Maybe he has some kind of velvet or skin parasite.
 
I''d look up marine velvet or oodinium. It spreads and kills qwik so you need to act fast. Is the clown flashing against the rocks or sand also?

Got a QT tank? :soap:
 
He's been flashing against the sand for two months, but mostly only at night..we can tell because he moved all the sand from his corner out. I haven't seen him do it against rocks yet.

Nope, no QT tank, it's our tank at work.
 
It doesn't seem to be marine velvet, after searching for it on the net.
 
The clown has been trying to snuggle with the puffer all day. The puffer just ignores him though. If they are still doing it tomorrow I'll upload a video of it, my co-worker is going to bring in his camera.
 
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