Adorned Wrasse Jaw Issues

[Pickle_soup]

I have never seen this before in a fish, but the jaw of my adorned wrasse is melting away. When I received it on 10.08.23 it was fine. A couple of days later, it would swim with its mouth open. It didn't close. It's active, living a regular schedule and it's eating fine, but that lower jaw keeps shrinking. What's going with it?

 

[vetteguy53081]

I have never seen this before in a fish, but the jaw of my adorned wrasse is melting away. When I received it on 10.08.23 it was fine. A couple of days later, it would swim with its mouth open. It didn't close. It's active, living a regular schedule and it's eating fine, but that lower jaw keeps shrinking. What's going with it?

May be mouth rot as I can’t open video on my device
Often they don’t heal 100 percent and if they do, show gross deformity
You can attempt treatment with Maracyn 2 - not Maracyn oxy or seachem kanaplex
If fish is eating which is often difficult with this- offer brine shrimp which it can inhale
Some causes are poor water quality- injury and injury from fighting with another tank mate

 

[Pickle_soup]

May be mouth rot as I can’t open video on my device
Often they don’t heal 109 percent and if they do, show gross deformity
You can attempt treatment with Maracyn 2 - not Maracyn oxy or seachem kanaplex
If fish is eating which is often difficult with this- offer brine shrimp which it can inhale
Some causes are poor water quality- injury and injury from fighting with another tank mate

Do I need to treat the entire tank? I am treating it with Focus and Kanaplex, but using mysis. I'll try frozen brine.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Do I need to treat the entire tank? I am treating it with Focus and Kanaplex, but using mysis. I'll try frozen brine.

Mysis just as soft
Focus is a binder and not needed and kanaplex good- don’t add it to food but to water as it’s absorbed well by fish

 

[Pickle_soup]

Mysis just as soft
Focus is a binder and not needed and kanaplex good- don’t add it to food but to water as it’s absorbed well by fish

I have only used Kanaplex with food, how does it impact inverts?

 

[vetteguy53081]

I have only used Kanaplex with food, how does it impact inverts?

I would not use it with inverts but use caution and read package on invert warnings if any

 

[Pickle_soup]

I would not use it with inverts but use caution and read package on invert warnings if any

Thank you.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I have never seen this before in a fish, but the jaw of my adorned wrasse is melting away. When I received it on 10.08.23 it was fine. A couple of days later, it would swim with its mouth open. It didn't close. It's active, living a regular schedule and it's eating fine, but that lower jaw keeps shrinking. What's going with it?

It appears from the video, that the wrasse had some sort of infection on its jaw and the bone has been eaten away. Most likely, from bacterial action. I've not seen this with a fish that will still eat food, so that's good.

It won't be contagious to other fish, it only infects a fish at a site where there had been an injury. However, to treat it, you'll need to move the fish to a treatment tank and dose it with a broad spectrum, gram negative antibiotic like Kanaplex or Neoplex.

It is also possible that the infection will stop on its own - it doesn't look really active in the video, but that is hard to tell.

Jay

 

[MnFish1]

I also can't see the video - one caution - I would avoid using kanamycin with food (mixed with food) - it is impossible to know the levels that are in the fish (how much is being absorbed, how much the fish is actually 'eating', and how much kanamycin is actually in each bite. Some medications can be mixed with food (with difficulty) - however, kanamycin is relatively more toxic, and may not be absorbed orally (through the GI tract) - It should be absorbed by the gills, and possibly the skin. I would tend to dose it in a hospital tank only, BUT - since you're having success, might as well keep it up. Kanamycin is normally limited to 7-10 days treatment time.

Note - posted more for general information as compared to this specific fish

Sorry to hear about the fish -

 

[Pickle_soup]

It appears from the video, that the wrasse had some sort of infection on its jaw and the bone has been eaten away. Most likely, from bacterial action. I've not seen this with a fish that will still eat food, so that's good.

It won't be contagious to other fish, it only infects a fish at a site where there had been an injury. However, to treat it, you'll need to move the fish to a treatment tank and dose it with a broad spectrum, gram negative antibiotic like Kanaplex or Neoplex.

It is also possible that the infection will stop on its own - it doesn't look really active in the video, but that is hard to tell.

Jay

Thank you very much! I'll try to get him out, but it won't be easy.

 

[Pickle_soup]

I also can't see the video - one caution - I would avoid using kanamycin with food (mixed with food) - it is impossible to know the levels that are in the fish (how much is being absorbed, how much the fish is actually 'eating', and how much kanamycin is actually in each bite. Some medications can be mixed with food (with difficulty) - however, kanamycin is relatively more toxic, and may not be absorbed orally (through the GI tract) - It should be absorbed by the gills, and possibly the skin. I would tend to dose it in a hospital tank only, BUT - since you're having success, might as well keep it up. Kanamycin is normally limited to 7-10 days treatment time.

Note - posted more for general information as compared to this specific fish

Sorry to hear about the fish -

Thanks for the feedback. I always mixed Kanaplex with food, I'll try the other approach. Thanks again.