Clownfish: Black Ich or Coral Stings?

[Daniel Vickery]

Hoping for some help from the community. I have a pair of clownfish (2 months) and they have been doing great. This week i was away on buisness and when I returned both clownfish spotted with black blotches. I'm not sure if this is a sting from a coral or black ich. Would love some help and thoughts on next steps either way.

For context: recently added a maxi mini carpet anemone and a long tentacle plate coral (and as bunch of zoas).

My quarentine rank is currently occupied by a orchid dottyback and a blue spotted jawfish. With both of these being a tad more expensive i'd like to figure out a good strategy for everyone.

 

[deedubz]

Looks like hypermelanization to me.
I'd just keep an eye on it.

Edit-Sorry, that didn't make a lot of sense.
Keep an eye on the fish. Make sure it doesn't get much worse looking. Also, try to figure out what they're trying to be hosted by.

 

[User]

“Black ich”?

 

[Huskymaniac]

Thats definitly coral stings.

 

[melypr1985]

It's probably just hypermelinization, but a quick and easy way to be sure of that is with a freshwater dip. If the black spots (or most of them) are removed with the dip, then you have black ich and need to treat with prazipro. If they all stay, then it's just sting marks and they should go away on their own.