Oscar With Mouth Stuck Open

[Steve_B]

I came home from work last week to find my 5" tiger Oscar swimming round with his mouth stuck wide open and now 4/5 days later it is still open. He is still active and has a good appetite but just does not seem able to close his mouth. I have tried not feeding him for a day or so incase he had something stuck but this seemed to make no difference

Has anyone had this happen to one of theirs or herd of this happening and did it fix itself over time?

 

[shroob]

I came home from work last week to find my 5" tiger Oscar swimming round with his mouth stuck wide open and now 4/5 days later it is still open. He is still active and has a good appetite but just does not seem able to close his mouth. I have tried not feeding him for a day or so incase he had something stuck but this seemed to make no difference

Has anyone had this happen to one of theirs or herd of this happening and did it fix itself over time?

Its not uncommon to hear of this in oscars or other large cichlids, if the oscar is eating I wouldn't be too worried. Theres a number of posts on another forum (I'll PM you link if you want), where its happened to other oscar owners.

Do you know how it was caused? Any other fish in the tank?

 

[Steve_B]

Yeah there is a 4.5" red Oscar and a 3" JD in with him. Not sure how it happened as he was fine when I went to work and bad when I got home.

If you could send me some links Shroob that would be great

 

[shroob]

Yeah there is a 4.5" red Oscar and a 3" JD in with him. Not sure how it happened as he was fine when I went to work and bad when I got home.

If you could send me some links Shroob that would be great

Sent, hopefully it worked.

It could have happened if the fish were fighting, lip locking. Was there any aggression or interaction between the fish? I'd have thought that at the sizes they were might be abit too soon to be sparing with each other yet but its a possibility. An other option is that he rammed himself into a decoration or the side of the glass, dislocating his jaw. Someones red devil I know did this while they were 'glass banging'.

I think the best option is to give it time and see how it goes.

 

[Steve_B]

Got your message thanks

I have never seen them fight or show any aggression, but as you say they are probably too small at the moment I am guessing that he did it on the glass or a decoration.

 

[england]

Agree with shroob, if it's eating ok then hopefully it will replace itself.....maybe it tried moving one of your decor's like a big rock.....mine used to get really fustrated with a rock that was a good 6inch round, they would try with all there mite to push it out the way