Jaw abnormality

[SkarloeysMom]

I seem to remember reading about a similiar problems on this forum but I can't find it in the archives. Has anyone ever had a fish that seemed to have a problem with his jaw hanging open? I bought some Rasboras on Friday and today one of them looked to have some kind of white stuff on his lower "lip" and seemed to kind of have his mouth hanging open slightly. Within a few hours the white was gone but his mouth was definitely stuck wide open and he was obviously dieing. I finally had to euthanize him and after he was gone his mouth closed.

[RobbieG]

Sounds like mouth fungus. Its usually caused by poor water quality - probably picked it up while he was being shipped.

[tropfish]

so when he died it closed, like he was holding open, or was it stuck as in like a peice of gravel was stuck in his mouth?

[SkarloeysMom]

I got the Melafix you suggested and treated the whole tank. The directions said to treat for 3 days after adding new fish. Do you do that?

BTW- I absolutely love the smell of Melafix. I know it has tea tree extract in it and that's what's in my hair products. I guess that's why I love it so much. It smells a heck of a lot better than the smell of Swahala wood tannins.

On a happy note, the 4 rasboras I have seem to be liking the new digs. I notice a couple of them dancing and shimmying around each other and thought maybe they were breeding!:41: I looked it up and looks like they're already doing the happy dance in the 20g! I doubt any fry will come of it but its interesting to watch anyway.

[SkarloeysMom]

so when he died it closed, like he was holding open, or was it stuck as in like a peice of gravel was stuck in his mouth?

I have no idea. The thought crossed my mind that maybe he choked a NLS sinking pellet but is that even possible? I never saw anything in his mouth. I did think it was weird that his mouth closed when he died.

[tropfish]

the pellet whould most likely have broken apart in his mouth. Maybe it was a preventative measure the fish used so that it wouldn't directly infect the rest of his mouth.

[RobbieG]

I got the Melafix you suggested and treated the whole tank. The directions said to treat for 3 days after adding new fish. Do you do that?

BTW- I absolutely love the smell of Melafix. I know it has tea tree extract in it and that's what's in my hair products. I guess that's why I love it so much. It smells a heck of a lot better than the smell of Swahala wood tannins.

On a happy note, the 4 rasboras I have seem to be liking the new digs. I notice a couple of them dancing and shimmying around each other and thought maybe they were breeding!:41: I looked it up and looks like they're already doing the happy dance in the 20g! I doubt any fry will come of it but its interesting to watch anyway.


I do - but I have only been doing it for a few months now - so I am not overly certain that it helps - I had some baby platies in my quarentine tank for quite a while - they are gone so all of my new fish get two weeks of solitary confinement with a preliminary bath in melafix/pimafix to get rid of whatever they brought with them. Its so hard to spot the early signs of illness with the smaller fish that its easier just to treat them all for it.

Glad to hear your rasboras are liking their new home - good luck with them:19: