orange clowfish turning black

[Guest hippyreefer]

Hello,

I have a pair of orange clownfish who seem to be turning black. They are occupying a carpet anemone. I read in "Clownfishes" that a certain anemone changes the color of some clowns. I thought it also might be from their food which is a color enhancer. Is this natural?

 

Thanks in advance.

[davelin315]

There's a lot of different variables that could be at play here. First, if you have true perculas, the black line between the orange and white stripes tends to get bigger as they grow older. Some also get speckled a bit with black spots (whether that's from an anemone or not, I don't know). Some clowns are also a melanistic version - meaning they turn black as they get older. What kinds of clowns do you have?

[Guest hippyreefer]

Thanks for the response! They're Misbar Ocellaris.

[BrendanG]

Sometimes when clowns have alternate hosts, non anemone's they are subject to stings, which can cause a bruise, or that black spot ur seeing, Do you have a mixed reef, this is usually seen as a result of clowns hosting zoas or mushrooms.

 

I have a Orange ocellaris with 1 or 2 black spots, that isn't hosting anything as well, but is seemingly healthy. I would say that as long as the behavior isn't changing, that your clown is feeding and doing well, i wouldn't be alarmed, perhaps its just an increase in melanin? but I wouldn't raise alarm over it..

[traveller7]

Hello,

I have a pair of orange clownfish who seem to be turning black. They are occupying a carpet anemone. I read in "Clownfishes" that a certain anemone changes the color of some clowns. I thought it also might be from their food which is a color enhancer. Is this natural?

 

Thanks in advance.

S. haddoni carpets frequently trigger a darkening, melanistic response, in clowns. I would not worry about the coloration changes.

 

fwiw: S. haddoni has also been known to eat a clownfish, or three. IMHO, such an event is more likely to occur if the clown is sick.

Edited December 8, 2007 by traveller7