Fish Jaw Gone??

[Paser00]

My bloodfin tetra recently has looked like it has lost is bottom jaw. He swims around with his mouth open, basicly in an O shape. He hasn't been eating and spends most of his time hiding from the other bloodfins who have now singled him out. Could it be some kind of fungus?

[cichlidgirl]

a picture would be helpful if you can. If there is nothing stuck in the mouth and no fuzzy looking stuff in the mouth area i would only be guessing here but it is possiable he could have a injury to the jaw. I am confused if part of the jaw is actually gone or just in the open postition . If its all still there and just "locked" in the open position then it is possiable to attempt (NOTE is say attempt ) to place the jaw back into alignment. I think i read somewhere that you are supposed to gently grab the lower jaw and gently apply steady pressure opening the mouth until you see or feel the jaw pop back in. I dont know the success rate on this treatment since i have never done it before. If it works no further treatments are needed and the fish will be back to normal in a day or two , if it does not work and the fish was not eating and indanger of dying anyway you have nothing to lose. Good luck and let us know what you find. (Check carefully if the entire jaw is present that there is nothing stuck in the mouth, i once had a oscar that was a bigtime "Digger" get a large pebble stuck in his mouth, i had to remove it with tweezers .)

If the jaw is missing and you have a area to treat him i would remove him (this will also prevent the other fish from harrassing him to death while he is recuperating. fish have a tendency to "kick their buddy when they are down") choose one of the following treatments:

1.remove him to a hospital tank and add salt to the water as per directions on box and over time he may improve enough to eat and resume daily life.

2. remove to hospital tank and treat with melafix until wound heals. Remove carbon during treatment.

With out pics and more info this is the best advice i can give you.