yellow tang mouth stuck open help

[jtq713]

Hi I did a water change on Sunday noticed today that my yellow tang mouth is stuck wide open. I took a water sample to me LFS and they check it and everything check out good

 

[Humblefish]

Any chance he ate a bristle worm or got stung by a coral or nem?

 

[jtq713]

It's a fish only tank haven't seen any bristle worms

 

[Humblefish]

It's a fish only tank haven't seen any bristle worms

From a disease standpoint, he could have a growth inside his mouth or possibly an infection. Or it could be swelling. However, that is all just pure speculation on my part. I think your best bet right now is to take the "wait & see" approach.

Now if you want to be proactive, there are two things I can think of you can do which may possibly help:

1. Dose Epsom salt @ 1 tablespoon per 5 gals - this will only help if swelling is occurring. Epsom salt is just magnesium sulfate, making it both reef and FO safe.
2. QT the fish and treat with a mild antibiotic such as Kanaplex. This will only help if infection is occurring. Dosing antibiotics in a FO is doable but not recommended.

 

[Shahin Ruyani]

Hi I did a water change on Sunday noticed today that my yellow tang mouth is stuck wide open. I took a water sample to me LFS and they check it and everything check out good

Poor thing. It's a grazer! It's very possible it has a rock stuck in its mouth. Do what Humblefish said, dose the tank with phyto and blended krill or silversides so it can get nutrients. If it persists you'll have to remove it, get it on the table, take a look, anchor it to the table with something not too heavy and take a look. Use tweezers while holding its head carefully down. It's extreme but if it's mechanically blocked that's the only option. (Watch that tail thorn.) ~Shahin Ruyani.

 

[Shahin Ruyani]

Hi I did a water change on Sunday noticed today that my yellow tang mouth is stuck wide open. I took a water sample to me LFS and they check it and everything check out good

I saw a video once where a big goldfish got a pebble stuck in its mouth in a chinese resterant. They had to pull the pebble out with a tweezer like tool. Just remember the slime layer on the fish's body. It will be difficult.

 

[Mgoc]

I would wait a day or two while keeping a close eye on it and if it didn't get any better, I would probably numb him using clove oil, look for something stuck in his mouth or any swelling or signs of infection so that I could use and adequate treatment or remove the foreign object. But that's only my opinion...