Injured Jaw Fish

[Todd Barket]

My wife and I have an injured jaw fish. Not sure how it happened but we found one of our crabs in her house. Had to chase him out and we think she may have injured her face and fin. She is gasping and lethargic. And an obvious stress we have moved her to a quarantine tank. But do not know if there is any kind of treatment other than keeping it quiet and giving her food. She is simply laying on the sand right now making no effort to dig a new home.

 

[Brew12]

My wife and I have an injured jaw fish. Not sure how it happened but we found one of our crabs in her house. Had to chase him out and we think she may have injured her face and fin. She is gasping and lethargic. And an obvious stress we have moved her to a quarantine tank. But do not know if there is any kind of treatment other than keeping it quiet and giving her food. She is simply laying on the sand right now making no effort to dig a new home.

Any chance you can take a picture of the injury?
#mods Can we get this moved to the fish disease forum?

@melypr1985 @ngoodermuth @Maritimer Injuries aren't in my wheel house. Can you guys help?

 

[Maritimer]

Quiet and clean are two big ones. Keep bacteria at bay.

Not too certain myself, but that lethargy concerns me. Hopefully, that's just a bit of shock, and she'll be right as rain in the morning, but given the injury to her face, I almost wonder if there could be spinal involvement. When she moves, does she move normally? Use the entire length of her body?

~Bruce

 

[ngoodermuth]

I believe it's methylene blue that helps with injuries, but mainly to ward off infection.

This just happened, so it was eating well and healthy before? How long have you had it? Any recent additions to the tank?

Honestly, since you've already got her in QT I would probably just observe and give it a little time. Soaking food in vita-chem/selcon might help. And keep your antibiotics at the ready in case you see signs of infection.

 

[melypr1985]

I believe it's methylene blue that helps with injuries,

If you have this^^, then do this in a dip. Otherwise, just let him rest where he won't be predated on by crabs and whatnot. vitamins and good quality water and time.

 

[Todd Barket]

Any chance you can take a picture of the injury?
#mods Can we get this moved to the fish disease forum?

@melypr1985 @ngoodermuth @Maritimer Injuries aren't in my wheel house. Can you guys help?

Best picture I could get. I honestly don't think she's going to survive the night.

 

[Todd Barket]

Best picture I could get. I honestly don't think she's going to survive the night.

As you can see she has pretty severe head injuries and her right fin was pretty badly mauled.

 

[Todd Barket]

Quiet and clean are two big ones. Keep bacteria at bay.

Not too certain myself, but that lethargy concerns me. Hopefully, that's just a bit of shock, and she'll be right as rain in the morning, but given the injury to her face, I almost wonder if there could be spinal involvement. When she moves, does she move normally? Use the entire length of her body?

~Bruce

She hasn't moved much and when she does it's not much. I just posted a pic in this thread. I think she's going to be gone by morning. Most of her color is gone.

 

[code4]

Sorry to hear. Jawfish are a favorite of mine.

Shelley

 

[Todd Barket]

I believe it's methylene blue that helps with injuries, but mainly to ward off infection.

This just happened, so it was eating well and healthy before? How long have you had it? Any recent additions to the tank?

Honestly, since you've already got her in QT I would probably just observe and give it a little time. Soaking food in vita-chem/selcon might help. And keep your antibiotics at the ready in case you see signs of infection.

She was eating just fine. With normal behavior. Then the next morning was the crab in her dug out.

 

[ngoodermuth]

Looking at the photo, her eyes look cloudy. Was that part of the injury? I feel like antibiotics would be a good idea if you can get them quickly. Kanaplex and/or Furan-2. An acriflavine bath could help as well, I can't tell you how many times a rally bath has turned one of my fish around...

 

[Todd Barket]

Sadly she did not make it more than a couple hours after that photo.

We lost a clown and a chromis as well from that tank then a brown tang. Found our yellow tang was intimidating every fish in the tank and stressing them to death. All our water tests are in normal range and feeding times are consistent. We moved the yellow to our time out tank and then back but it didn't help.

Seems she may have been in cohorts with our crabs. Traded her in for a small clown and a tiny blue tang.

Thank you all for your support.

On an unrelated topic. Our dog face puffer from our marine tank is dying. But it's the second fish from the same store that has died within days of purchase. They medicate the show tanks (their water has a very yellow coloration) and it takes a while longer to acclimate through drip method. I won't take a shot at them on the forums but won't go back either.

 

[ngoodermuth]

With that many fish losses, I suspect you *could* have something else going on here. Take a look at this list:
Fish disease diagnostic check-list

https://www.reef2reef.com/index.php?threads/Fish-disease-diagnostic-check-list.306975/

Were any of the fish that passed showing any of these symptoms?

I'm sorry you are dealing with this hopefully it was just the tang being a jerk and you won't have any further incidents.

 

[4FordFamily]

Those eyes look infected, and that's typically from parasitic infection. I agree with Ngoodermuth

 

[melypr1985]

I agree as well. It's much more likely something else is happening here than the yellow tang stressing everybody. Check that list and report back. Be sure to watch all the current fish for these symptoms... not just the old ones or the obviously sick one... all of them.