My clown fish can't close it's mouth.

[Laura51]

About three days ago, I noticed that my clown fish seemed to have his mouth stuck open. It looks like he can't close his mouth at all. He seems to be swimming around ok. He is not breathing heavy, gasping for air or have any other marks on him. He hangs out on my pagoda coral and mushrooms, in a 156 gallon reef tank. This tank has been set up for four years so it's well established.Today, I watched to see if the fish was eating. He sort of swam towards the food but turned around and swam back to it coral. I will keep watching to see if he is eating. I have had the pair of clownfish for over a year. The female stays near the top corner of the tank most of the time and appears to look healthy. All other fish seem healthy as well. Does anyone know what is going on with my fish? Any help would be appreciated.
Thank you.

 

[ndrwater]

Have had that happen to a couple different fish over the years. Usually works itself out after a few days.
A few days without food isn't a catastrophe by any means.
Best of luck to you and your clown!

 

[Huskymaniac]

Usually fixes its self in a few days. You can try epsom salt as it may reduce swelling.

 

[Laura51]

Have had that happen to a couple different fish over the years. Usually works itself out after a few days.
A few days without food isn't a catastrophe by any means.
Best of luck to you and your clown!

Thanks. I hope it does.

 

[Laura51]

Usually fixes its self in a few days. You can try epsom salt as it may reduce swelling.

Usually fixes its self in a few days. You can try epsom salt as it may reduce swelling.

Thank you, I will set up a quarentine tank and try that.

 

[Terri Caton]

What happened to your fish? I have an Anthias that did this all of a sudden today. Otherwise fine. Looks interested in food but doesn't eat. Have had him for a couple of months with no problems.

 

[Robert M]

What happened to your fish? I have an Anthias that did this all of a sudden today. Otherwise fine. Looks interested in food but doesn't eat. Have had him for a couple of months with no problems.

I know the OP doesn’t care at this point, but the clownfish looks like it might have a tongue-biter isopod parasite. It’s a parasite that attaches to the fish tongue until it falls off. The isopod then bites onto the old tongue stub. The fish can’t close it’s mouth and it uses the isopod as it’s new tongue. Crazy parasite.

 

[Terri Caton]

I know the OP doesn’t care at this point, but the clownfish looks like it might have a tongue-biter isopod parasite. It’s a parasite that attaches to the fish tongue until it falls off. The isopod then bites onto the old tongue stub. The fish can’t close it’s mouth and it uses the isopod as it’s new tongue. Crazy parasite.

Really? I've never heard of that. Can the fish live like that? What do you do about it?

This fish is out of a trio of Anthias and one of the females just had a super strange thing happen. White spot on it's head for about 6 weeks and seemed to be much improved. All of a sudden a couple of days ago it got larger and something burst out of it leaving a large hole! No one seems to know what that could have been. Now this. I'm a little paranoid at this point about them.

 

[Crabby48]

Really? I've never heard of that. Can the fish live like that? What do you do about it?

This fish is out of a trio of Anthias and one of the females just had a super strange thing happen. White spot on it's head for about 6 weeks and seemed to be much improved. All of a sudden a couple of days ago it got larger and something burst out of it leaving a large hole! No one seems to know what that could have been. Now this. I'm a little paranoid at this point about them.

I read that the isopod eats the food and it starved the fish. Hope it’s not true and everything is ok in a couple days.