Tang can't close mouth.

[mickeysreef <*))))<]

Any ideas why my sailfin tang is having such a hard time closing his mouth?
he's been having trouble for about a week now but still eating a small amount. I didn't see him eat today and I can see he's lost weight and his color is starting to wash out. today he is reclusive and it's starting to look like he won't make it. like most sailfins he is usually a pig and biting at my fingers

I've had him for about a year and he's pretty big. sad to see a fish this big and fat slowly die

 

[Big G]

Could be it damaged it's mouth structure fighting or biting something. Or it may have a parasite in its mouth. Can you see into the mouth. There's an isopod critter that actually takes up residence within a fish's mouth.

 

[mickeysreef <*))))<]

Could be it damaged it's mouth structure fighting or biting something. Or it may have a parasite in its mouth. Can you see into the mouth. There's an isopod critter that actually takes up residence within a fish's mouth.

yeah I'm guessing he hurt it maybe fighting, against a rock... maybe he ate a small rock. I didn't see anything in there, but I'm going to try to look again if he'll come out today. he might be at the end, I was hoping it was just an injury that would heal up but it's not looking good as of last night.

 

[mickeysreef <*))))<]

Very sad. I found him this morning laying under a rock. I pulled him from the tank and have him in a bucket. I was trying to feed him but he cant seem to eat.

 

[mickeysreef <*))))<]

that's just some nori I was trying to feed him. I couldn't have caught him till now. anything I can do at this point? I looked in his mouth and didn't see anything. my wife says I should try to close his mouth

 

[mickeysreef <*))))<]

im going to cut off the tip of a syringe and try to force feed him some brine shrimp mixed with nori

 

[Redfoxtang]

Unfortunately when fish are laying on their sides it’s usually not going to end well. I have 2 yellow going through the same thing as well but this was due to them beating each other up. Hopefully yours makes it. Good luck.

 

[mickeysreef <*))))<]

Unfortunately when fish are laying on their sides it’s usually not going to end well. I have 2 yellow going through the same thing as well but this was due to them beating each other up. Hopefully yours makes it. Good luck.

yeah, ive been keeping salt fish for about a year and a half, so i've lost a lot of fish already but none because they couldnt close their mouth. he spit the food out and jumped out of my hand so ill give him a little time before i try again and see what happens hopefully a little got in there.

 

[Formidableone14]

I had a similar issue with a Yellow Tang, Im not sure what saved him but in the end I removed carbon I had running and also laid a piece of nori directly in front of him while he laid on the sand bed. Next morning he was up swimming normally like nothing happened(he was sick for approx 2 days). Unable to swim correctly and laying on the sand bed, he had turned mostly white, mouth was open and would not close and his belly was excessively dark. Best of luck to you!

 

[Big G]

For mysterious illnesses like this, my go to med is Furan2. Fish maybe suffering from an internal bacterial infection.

 

[mickeysreef <*))))<]

For mysterious illnesses like this, my go to med is Furan2. Fish maybe suffering from an internal bacterial infection.

i'll run out and get some now

 

[mickeysreef <*))))<]

my lfs had it, but of course he was gone by the time I got back. I'm pretty certain he broke his jaw and caught some kind of infection. the test of the tank looks fine but I'll keep a close eye on them for the next week or two. and I'll have something to treat them with if this thing breaks out. tough to catch them in my big display though