onux20 July 19, 2013 July 19, 2013 I have a clownfish that can’t close its mouth. It looks like there is something stuck in there. The problem is he is still active and trying to feed which makes it hard to see what's in there or catch him. I may try tonight after lights out. However, what can I or should I do if I DO catch him?
Origami July 19, 2013 July 19, 2013 Geez. That's an interesting question. I suspect that the mouth is really small. If it's a foreign object, if you can see it you may be able to remove it. The problem is the mouth is so small. Maybe you can use a small set of tweezers or shape a pair from a bobby-pin?
onux20 July 19, 2013 Author July 19, 2013 I was thinking a straightened paperclip. My fear is lodging it further into its mouth.
Origami July 19, 2013 July 19, 2013 I was thinking a straightened paperclip. My fear is lodging it further into its mouth. Yes, it would be delicate, close-up work. I would want a hands-free magnifier of some sort. The natural course of events may just fix this but who knows really whether the outcome is favorable or not, and if intervention is really called for? Not me.
Coral Hind July 19, 2013 July 19, 2013 I have gone through the gills to push out a snail shell in a small grouper. Granted a small grouper is still much bigger than a clownfish, but if you can't get to it from the front the gills are an option. I would try to use clove oil to relax the fish.
swimmatte July 19, 2013 July 19, 2013 When you say he's trying to feed, are you sure he's not feeding? How long has it been happening? One of my clowns did this recently but was still active and was eating as well. After almost two weeks of his mouth being open it went back to normal.
onux20 July 19, 2013 Author July 19, 2013 When you say he's trying to feed, are you sure he's not feeding? How long has it been happening? One of my clowns did this recently but was still active and was eating as well. After almost two weeks of his mouth being open it went back to normal. Fair question. I fed yesterday and I saw him track down the food but never ingested it. Havent been spending a lot of time with tank this summer so may be longer but pretty sure just started this week. From the quick looks l get into its mouth, it looks like something dark is in there. Not even sure what it would be. What is odd it he seems to be just fine otherwise. Very active and swimming around.
swimmatte July 19, 2013 July 19, 2013 Fair question. I fed yesterday and I saw him track down the food but never ingested it. Havent been spending a lot of time with tank this summer so may be longer but pretty sure just started this week. From the quick looks l get into its mouth, it looks like something dark is in there. Not even sure what it would be. What is odd it he seems to be just fine otherwise. Very active and swimming around. See, mine looked dark on the inside as well but I figured that was normal as the clown on question was a black and white occ. I don't know, something about sticking a paper clip down a small fish mouth kinda sounds risky if the fish is acting normal. But hey, I'm just a noob . Any chance you have some micro pellets?
onux20 July 19, 2013 Author July 19, 2013 See, mine looked dark on the inside as well but I figured that was normal as the clown on question was a black and white occ. I don't know, something about sticking a paper clip down a small fish mouth kinda sounds risky if the fish is acting normal. But hey, I'm just a noob . Any chance you have some micro pellets? Agree. Mine is also a balck oc. I dont want to "operate" but I dont want to lose it either. I thought if it was a pellet, it would have dissolved enough by now to either swallow or spit it out. I guess I will wait it out. Thanks all for the advice.
YHSublime July 19, 2013 July 19, 2013 If you have a baster small enough have you considered just trying to suction it out? I would just wait and see what happens, but be prepared with a plan if you see the fish getting weaker or skinnier, acting funny, etc.
Squishie89 July 19, 2013 July 19, 2013 Is he holding his mouth open like that all the time?One time one of my fish had something on it, I went to catch her and by the time I caught it, it was gone. I have since deemed it old/loose scales. But maybe in the process of catching your fish whatever it is will dislodge.
onux20 July 20, 2013 Author July 20, 2013 Any chance it's one of these tongue eating/replacing parasites? Only thing I am sure of now is I am going to have nightmares about tongue eating parasites!!! Anything is possible.
Coral Hind July 20, 2013 July 20, 2013 Those parasites are creepy!! Here is the caption that goes to that image. Tongue Eating Louse (Cymothoa exigua) A pair of ocellaris clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris) are hosts to the tongue eating louse. The parasite enters the fish through its gills where they extract blood from the tongue. It then replaces the atrophied tongue, attaching its own body to the stub. The fish is able to use the parasite just like a normal tongue. This is the only known case of a parasite functionally replacing a host organ.
sachabballi reef July 20, 2013 July 20, 2013 Those parasites are creepy!! Here is the caption that goes to that image. Tongue Eating Louse (Cymothoa exigua) A pair of ocellaris clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris) are hosts to the tongue eating louse. The parasite enters the fish through its gills where they extract blood from the tongue. It then replaces the atrophied tongue, attaching its own body to the stub. The fish is able to use the parasite just like a normal tongue. This is the only known case of a parasite functionally replacing a host organ. OK that made me laugh...way to make lemonade fishes! Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2
paul b July 20, 2013 July 20, 2013 I would do the surgery as I have operated on quite a few fish and never lost a patient, but check out his insurance first, sometimes it doesn't cover the anesthesiologist.
swimmatte July 21, 2013 July 21, 2013 Any update? That's EXACTLY what mine looked like and it eventually went away.
onux20 July 21, 2013 Author July 21, 2013 Any update? That's EXACTLY what mine looked like and it eventually went away. Havent been able to catch him. The fish 'went away' or thr obstruction?
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