Ocellaris "allergic" to Hammer?

[AJ_77]

I posted pictures recently of a female Ocellaris clownfish taking a Euphyllia sp. coral as a host. Now the fish is showing small abrasions, dots, a tiny rash and the like on her skin, and what looks like a mild rash around the mouth. (This fish is often taking the polyps in her mouth.) The marks are not widespread, you have to be closeby to notice, and they resemble clearly neither ick nor velvet from what I can tell. These visible symptoms have not worsened over the last 4 days.

Water parameters have been stable, changing ~25% weekly. No new additions. All other inhabitants doing well, growing. The coral involved is less than its fullest when the clownfish gets too cozy.

I removed a smaller male clownfish to another 10g nano-tank 2 days ago, as he has recently been allowed into the coral and was showing signs of stress and/or damage, but less so than the female. He is now looking better - there is not a host option where he is now.

My concern is that the coral isn't a suitable host, and the fish may be reacting to the potent defenses of the coral. In one of Terry Siegel's "Outer Reef Limits" columns he states, "There have been reports of aquarists developing a skin rash after contact with its polyps." While the clownfish is protected from anemones, this is a different animal. Perhaps it is getting a skin rash as well? The fish also swims among the branching skeleton, esp. when the polyps are retracted. This may be producing scratches/abrasions?

Here's a photo of the worst side (not great quality, doesn't really show the mouth irritation or the distinction between white marks):


I have seen and read of many examples of clownfish taking alternate hosts, soft corals mostly. I have not found good information on the problems associated with taking a potent LPS for a host, such as Euphyllia.

Does anyone have any information to share? Much appreciated, thanks in advance.

Alan

[ 28 September 2002, 13:31: Message edited by: AJ_77 ]