Possible tongue eating isopod

[TheShrimpNibbler]

My royal gramma hasn’t been able to close its mouth in a long time. I don’t even know when I last saw it close it’s mouth, but it’s fat and seems happy so I assumed it’s jaw had gotten dislocated on a net at some point. Tonight I finally got a good look in its mouth and there was a pink, round object in its mouth that seemed to be anchored to the bottom. It looked almost like and isopod was in its mouth. I haven’t been able to get a picture yet, but I’ll try to. Does anyone know how this would be treated, or if I should just leave it? I’ve had the fish for a couple years and it’s been treated with copper if that makes a difference. Thanks

 

[Karen00]

My royal gramma hasn’t been able to close its mouth in a long time. I don’t even know when I last saw it close it’s mouth, but it’s fat and seems happy so I assumed it’s jaw had gotten dislocated on a net at some point. Tonight I finally got a good look in its mouth and there was a pink, round object in its mouth that seemed to be anchored to the bottom. It looked almost like and isopod was in its mouth. I haven’t been able to get a picture yet, but I’ll try to. Does anyone know how this would be treated, or if I should just leave it? I’ve had the fish for a couple years and it’s been treated with copper if that makes a difference. Thanks

Does this look like it: . I thought I remember reading another thread on here about this or maybe I stumbled across this while reading something else on one of these science papers.

 

[TheShrimpNibbler]

Does this look like it: . I thought I remember reading another thread on here about this or maybe I stumbled across this while reading something else on one of these science papers.

I can’t see what you linked, all that’s showing up is a white box.

 

[vetteguy53081]

My royal gramma hasn’t been able to close its mouth in a long time. I don’t even know when I last saw it close it’s mouth, but it’s fat and seems happy so I assumed it’s jaw had gotten dislocated on a net at some point. Tonight I finally got a good look in its mouth and there was a pink, round object in its mouth that seemed to be anchored to the bottom. It looked almost like and isopod was in its mouth. I haven’t been able to get a picture yet, but I’ll try to. Does anyone know how this would be treated, or if I should just leave it? I’ve had the fish for a couple years and it’s been treated with copper if that makes a difference. Thanks

In many cases when you net them or try to net them, they will spit food out to get to safe haven.

 

[TheShrimpNibbler]

In many cases when you net them or try to net them, they will spit food out to get to safe haven.

I didn’t net the fish, I just got a good look at it when it faced right at the glass with its mouth wide open, so I don’t think that’s what I saw. It’s mouth has also been stuck open for quite a long time so I assume there has to be some reason for that. I guess it’s always possible it just happened to have something in its mouth. Thanks for the help!

 

[Karen00]

I can’t see what you linked, all that’s showing up is a white box.

Edited: I removed the link I posted because it's not working for some reason. I posted another wiki link below and an R2R thread was also posted. There are scary things in the ocean. This one is a tongue eating isopod. Yikes,

 

[TheShrimpNibbler]

I had that happen earlier as well. Here it is again...

It’s still just a white box. Could you just link the website it’s on? Thanks for helping!

 

[Karen00]

It’s still just a white box. Could you just link the website it’s on? Thanks for helping!

It’s still just a white box. Could you just link the website it’s on? Thanks for helping!

I'm not having much luck today with URLs. Let's try wikipedia but if this doesn't work try searching "saltwater tongue louse".
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cymothoa_exigua

 

[Karen00]

The louse isopod is one of the creepiest things I have seen (it ranks up there with bobbit worms). It looks like it prevents fish from being able to close their mouths. If that's what your fish has I wonder how that got into your tank.

 

[CrimsonTide]

I wish I hadn't clicked on that Wikipedia. That thing is horrifying.

 

[i_am_mclovin]

Tongue eating isopod. Nasty as they get.

Tongue eating isopod

Most of you will never encounter something like this, but I figured I'd start a thread about it anyway. See links below for more info: http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2013/02/28/tongue-eating-fish-parasites-never-cease-to-amaze/...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Karen00]

I wish I hadn't clicked on that Wikipedia. That thing is horrifying.

Exactly! I didn't think "scary things of the ocean" could get scarier than the 4' worms people have pulled out of their tanks but "yep" there are scarier things. The other article showed a clownfish with one of these things. I won't sleep tonight!

 

[CrimsonTide]

Exactly! I didn't think "scary things of the ocean" could get scarier than the 4' worms people have pulled out of their tanks but "yep" there are scarier things. The other article showed a clownfish with one of these things. I won't sleep tonight!

These things eat off a fishes tongue and attach themselves where the tongue was. ..... what the heck??? That seems soooooo Extra!

 

[Karen00]

Tongue eating isopod. Nasty as they get.

Tongue eating isopod

Most of you will never encounter something like this, but I figured I'd start a thread about it anyway. See links below for more info: http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2013/02/28/tongue-eating-fish-parasites-never-cease-to-amaze/...

www.reef2reef.com

I think this is the thread I remember reading. Honestly the horrors never cease in this hobby. I don't even think it's this bad in freshwater.

 

[Karen00]

These things eat off a fishes tongue and attach themselves where the tongue was. ..... what the heck??? That seems soooooo Extra!

That's a good way of putting it.

 

[TheShrimpNibbler]

Thanks for the help everyone. It certainly looks like some of the pictures. Maybe I’m just seeing some organ inside of the fish? It doesn’t look like any picture of a normal fish mouth I’ve seen, but the hump is further back than a lot of these pictures. I’ll try to get a picture soon but she’s hiding in the rocks right now.

 

[HB AL]

Catch it and have some tweazers ready. If its a parasite yank it off.

 

[G Santana]

Cat got his tongue?

 

[drawman]

I wonder if a FW dip would drive it off?

 

[TheShrimpNibbler]

I got another look today and there is definitely something very large in its mouth, so either there’s a parasite or some major swelling happening in it’s mouth. I’m leaning towards the former considering how long it’s mouth has been stuck open.
Edit: just looked again and saw what looks like a pair of eyes.