Fish Stuck In Fish Mouth

[dazbud]

I noticed yesterday that my firemouth, who is only 2.5inch long himself, had half of a neon tetra poking out of his mouth. Not sure if he had caught a live one or picked up a dead one.
 
His mouth looked over extended and he was holding it tight. I thought nothing of it and assumed he would let go later or find a way to crunch the neon up. This morning I noticed that he still had hold of the dead fish and was looking a little tired.
 
This evening when I came home from work, some 24hours after I first noticed him holding the fish, I noticed that he was laid in a plant with the fish still in his mouth and his gills were showing abnormal rhythm. So I netted him and gently pulled the neon out of his mouth. It didn't loosen easily.
 
He has been returned to the tank, but is now swimming around with his mouth permanently open, extended wider than seems normal.
 
Has anyone experience of this? Will he recover? Is his mouth dislocated? Can he feed like this? Should I euthanize him?
 
 

 

[RRaquariums]

Are you talking about a firemouth cichlid?

 

[dazbud]

yes. He is only very small yet though. The neon was far too big for his mouth

 

[fluttermoth]

I would see how he goes for a day or two, now the fish is out, before deciding on euthanising him. There is a possibility he'll recover, so it's worth giving it a chance.
 
Make sure your water's in tip condition, but also try not stress him out any more.

 

[looking-glass]

greedy little blighter! he could have done some damage to his mouth but check its not stopping him eating , if hes still eating then he should be fine

 

[dazbud]

he certainly couldn't eat yesterday as his mouth was permanently wide open after the removal. However, this morning I am pleased to see that the gap is closing and it doesn't look painfully extended, just kind of not fully closed. So I think he must have regained his muscle control.
 
talk about choking on a fish bone !

 

[looking-glass]

ha ha good to hear as long as he's eating he should be fine and hopefully a little more wiser for biting off more than he can chew

 

[DreamertK]

The only thing I want to know is - Why didn't you get a picture for us???

 

[dazbud]

Ha, sorry there was no picture. This evening his mouth is fully closed again and he is grazing normally on plants. So crisis over.

 

[looking-glass]

glad hes back to normal again

 

[Ch4rlie]

sorry, made me laugh!
 
Glad the little guy is ok and on the mend.
 
Hope he has learned his lesson and probably will never look at another neon in the same way again! lol