"Lockjaw" Oscar

[Brhino]

At my LFS store they have a large tank filled with what I assume are rescued fishes, because they always seem to have injuries that look to be healing like shredded fins, HITH, etc. Today I noticed they had a large oscar with its mouth permanently wide open. The price sheet referred to it as a "lockjaw" oscar and it was deeply discounted. I assume this is the result of some sort of injury.

I was curious... what will the fate of this fish be? Will it be able to eat, or is it doomed to starve to death? Can an injury like that heal? Do you think it's irresponsible of the store to attempt to sell a fish like that, and if so what should they do with it instead?

[CassieLEO]

Did they mention if it could eat at all?? Did you ask? Thats awful :(

[Fisharefriends27]

oh no hope he's fine

[Aeonflame]

If its a large oscar, then I can assume that it is able to feed. Some deformities appear too late for the fish to be culled as fry. Some breeders/sellers just dont care

[Alasse]

Some time lockjaw can be fixed. I know of a fishkeeper that had this happen to their large angel, it could not eat properly so they removed it from the tank and 'clicked' the mouth back in. Was swollen for a week but soon settled and fish went on to live a long life.

Dependant on if this oscar dislocated it or it is a permanant defect. If it were mine i would take it to a fish capable vet and ask their advise. Most though would not bother, but how horrid for the poor thing to be stuck like that.

[Lady Hobbs]

We're told as fish keepers to not buy ill or deformed fish and then the store sells them that way? I find nothing kind or romantic about anyone who keeps fish that are deformed or not able to live a normal life under the guise of "rescued".

[CassieLEO]

I feel so bad for the poor fish...What normal fish keeper would be able to handle that? I wouldnt know what to do for the poor thing...

[Rue]

Fishkeeping is also an odd hobby...I still haven't figured out quite why some fish are considered fully disposible (even if healthy) while others garner so much interest in keeping them (even if sick or injured).

[Lady Hobbs]

You're so right, Rue. I can yank a mean or ill fish from the tank in a heartbeat until I comes to one of my blood parrots. I would spend $30 on medication if it meant making him well. But I sure wouldn't dream of spending $30 on medication to keep a couple tetra's alive.

[CassieLEO]

Yeah, thats true, I never thought about it that way. I went to this fish place I saw to check it out, and all they had were shiners. I never thing twice about hooking a shiner to a hook to go Bass fishing, and if I caught a big enough one I would keep it as a trophy without thinking twice about it...

[skullduggery1]

I never thing twice about hooking a shiner to a hook to go Bass fishing..
And a school of shiners can be a sight to behold in their own right,as can so many other native fish.Look at the lowly snail shell dwellers and convicts who breed so much.I just use them in tanks as a renewable fish food source.As some people would relish being able to keep these fish.

[CassieLEO]

OMG, I totally hear you. Im a huge fan of the Sunfish and Perch up here in Massachusetts. People hate catching them as they are seen as trash fish, and I am delighted to catch them just to look at them. I put them into buckets in the shade and while me and my daughter eat our food we packed for our fishing trip we look at how pretty they are.

[Sandz]

Yeah, thats true, I never thought about it that way. I went to this fish place I saw to check it out, and all they had were shiners. I never thing twice about hooking a shiner to a hook to go Bass fishing, and if I caught a big enough one I would keep it as a trophy without thinking twice about it...

Due to that whole thing I never used live bait. There are HUGE fines for using live bait in Oregon. The closest thing I came is when I am going salt water fishing in Florida I get fresh dead shrimp and use lures with cures and scents.

Down south in Florida and Texas its common practice to get a bunch of shiners then BREAK THEIR BACKS so they trigger response from fish. That always irked me...

I have done bass tourney's for years and have hooked and caught thousands of fish. The only times I would keep a fish is to feed my family or if I accidentally mortally wounded the fish. Hell... I even keep a needle on board to deflate swim bladder issues. Im not perfect but I try like hell to be responsible to my impact to the enviroment.

[CassieLEO]

I dunno, I think its how you are raised too. I was raised to think of shiners as a food source for the other fish and to be used as bait. So, its just how ive been doing it for 30 years. My daughter wont put the shiners on and freaks out that I do. She used the trout marshmallows and catches all the pretty sunfish and perch. I use those and catch the big guys (and mostly small guys LMAO!) I never catch anything big with those...
I do release the shiners at the end of the day back into the river I fish in. They are caught from the same river so im not doing anything bad by doing that. So while it sucks for the ones I actually use, some end up making it back by the end of the day...

[Sandz]

Yeah at least there is a light at the end of the tunnel for those who can swim fastest in a bucket lol. But then again I was raised and tought to skin catfish alive to preserve the meat.. grousome thought.

In my experience with actually fishing, crank baits and spinner baits or weightless worms will catch you more and it is a more engaging sport than bait and wait.

[skullduggery1]

At my LFS store they have a large tank filled with what I assume are rescued fishes, because they always seem to have injuries that look to be healing like shredded fins, HITH, etc. Today I noticed they had a large oscar with its mouth permanently wide open.
My wife and eldest son went to browse the store and saw your lockjawed oscar.The store manager said he is going to let it live out It's life as well as it can.She said it was quite a sight to behold.On another note,they bought two fish from there and every fish they asked about,the manager would tell them ."I can go lower than that price"So they got a juvenile lamp. brichardi,and a brick red hi-finned lyretailed swordtail for 14 dollars.Nice store