Clownfish with mouth stuck...closed?

[YashaHashaMashaAZ]

Fish are currently in Copper QT tank for ich.

Background: I drained/moved tank to a new location and my firefish came down with ich after the move. I actually didn't notice it for a while as Im only home when blue lights are on, and you cant really see it under blues. Fish were not "flashing" when I would feed and watch the tank so it went unnoticed. I finally noticed when the firefish died. I pulled 2 stormtrooper clowns, cherub pygmy angel, and a molly.

All fish were eating just fine prior to being placed into QT.

QT tank contains heater preset at 79. 2 air stones. 10g of copper treated water (2.2-2.3 ppm verified via hannah checker)
Tank receives 100% water changes every 3 days, with tank and all equipment being scrubbed/soaked in hydrogen peroxide.

Fish no longer have any spots on their body after 10 days of QT and are all eating like pgs EXCEPT 1.

This clown attacks the food like it is hungry but it seems its mouth is stuck closed? I dont notice any bulges, discoloration, or obvious damage.
Ive searched and found a lot of information about mouths being stuck open, but never closed. What options do I have to save this fish?


Thanks!

Image is fish being pulled from display ta

nk

 

[vetteguy53081]

Fish are currently in Copper QT tank for ich.

Background: I drained/moved tank to a new location and my firefish came down with ich after the move. I actually didn't notice it for a while as Im only home when blue lights are on, and you cant really see it under blues. Fish were not "flashing" when I would feed and watch the tank so it went unnoticed. I finally noticed when the firefish died. I pulled 2 stormtrooper clowns, cherub pygmy angel, and a molly.

All fish were eating just fine prior to being placed into QT.

QT tank contains heater preset at 79. 2 air stones. 10g of copper treated water (2.2-2.3 ppm verified via hannah checker)
Tank receives 100% water changes every 3 days, with tank and all equipment being scrubbed/soaked in hydrogen peroxide.

Fish no longer have any spots on their body after 10 days of QT and are all eating like pgs EXCEPT 1.

This clown attacks the food like it is hungry but it seems its mouth is stuck closed? I dont notice any bulges, discoloration, or obvious damage.
Ive searched and found a lot of information about mouths being stuck open, but never closed. What options do I have to save this fish?


Thanks!

Image is fish being pulled from display tank

Its hard to assess a fish in a net but I suspect mouth injury which occurs from impact or squabbling between clowns. A video of this fish swimming would be more helpful in seeing what it may be

 

[Tamberav]

Which clown? The one on the bottom looks like its mouth is deformed and probably should have been culled. Assuming its face is really pushed flat like that and not just off photo from camera angle.

Obviously it was eating before but not sure if the face was like that before?

 

[YashaHashaMashaAZ]

Which clown? The one on the bottom looks like its mouth is deformed and probably should have been culled. Assuming its face is really pushed flat like that and not just off photo from camera angle.

Obviously it was eating before but not sure if the face was like that before?

Ah man why you gotta do that to this poor guy lol Yea he was eating just fine prior to being sick. But now that you mention it his face does look a bit funky.

Its hard to assess a fish in a net but I suspect mouth injury which occurs from impact or squabbling between clowns. A video of this fish swimming would be more helpful in seeing what it may be

Just added video, thanks!

 

[vetteguy53081]

Ah man why you gotta do that to this poor guy lol Yea he was eating just fine prior to being sick. But now that you mention it his face does look a bit funky.



Just added video, thanks!

There is sound but no picture. Please post you tube version video

 

[YashaHashaMashaAZ]

There is sound but no picture. Please post you tube version video

ok, think I did it

 

[Tamberav]

He is moving fast but I think he may have flared gills too (another deformity). Always hard to tell with the ones that have a lot of white on the face.

 

[YashaHashaMashaAZ]

He is moving fast but I think he may have flared gills too (another deformity). Always hard to tell with the ones that have a lot of white on the face.

So you think this is related to a deformity and not the ich? Im super unfamiliar with all this, Ive had the fish about 6mos. Is this something that once they reach a certain size it causes problems?

 

[Tamberav]

So you think this is related to a deformity and not the ich? Im super unfamiliar with all this, Ive had the fish about 6mos. Is this something that once they reach a certain size it causes problems?

Medications can suppress appetite but the fish is trying to eat you say but doesn't open it's mouth so that makes me think it could be a injury or mechanical problem.

I don't believe this would be related to ich 10 days in and fish is appearing clear now of spots which is expected.

I am more or less pointing out what I am seeing here to add information, perhaps "thinking out loud".

If he continues to not eat, you could move him after 14 days of therapeutic copper to a new sterile (re-use nothing) QT tank and see if he eats out of medication. This is cutting copper short but moving him to a new tank helps cut down risk of ich returning.

If this is an injury or mechanical issue, I doubt anything could be done.

I know sometimes internal parasites can cause fish to also be excited about food but not eat so this could be an other cause. General Cure is the treatment for that but I try not to mix it with copper.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

I see the one clown as being very thin, with flared gills. I can also see ich spots on the upper fish in the net. The flared gills and thinness are separate issues to ich. These could be from tankmate aggression, developmental deformities, or some internal disease issue. Can you continue to copper treatment, but drop in a tank divider to keep this clown isolated?

 

[YashaHashaMashaAZ]

Medications can suppress appetite but the fish is trying to eat you say but doesn't open it's mouth so that makes me think it could be a injury or mechanical problem.

I don't believe this would be related to ich 10 days in and fish is appearing clear now of spots which is expected.

I am more or less pointing out what I am seeing here to add information, perhaps "thinking out loud".

If he continues to not eat, you could move him after 14 days of therapeutic copper to a new sterile (re-use nothing) QT tank and see if he eats out of medication. This is cutting copper short but moving him to a new tank helps cut down risk of ich returning.

If this is an injury or mechanical issue, I doubt anything could be done.

I know sometimes internal parasites can cause fish to also be excited about food but not eat so this could be an other cause. General Cure is the treatment for that but I try not to mix it with copper.

Gotchya, thanks for your help, I didnt know gill flare was a thing.
It definitely has been going at the food, just doesnt seem to be opening its mouth to eat it. Its more of an intense nudge at the food until it floats away.

Maybe once I move it I can start the general cure?

I see the one clown as being very thin, with flared gills. I can also see ich spots on the upper fish in the net. The flared gills and thinness are separate issues to ich. These could be from tankmate aggression, developmental deformities, or some internal disease issue. Can you continue to copper treatment, but drop in a tank divider to keep this clown isolated?Ahh

Ahh, ok
Yea, I just have to search for a divider.
I wish I would've noticed the gills when I bought the fish.
Thanks for the help.