What On Earth Has Happened To My Ram?

[Curiosity101]

As the title really, I'll try for pictures later but here is a brief description...

Her mouth is partly open the whole time in a sorta purse lips 'trout pout' kinda way (as in when a woman has too much botox).
She looks like I would expect her to look if a very small person punched her. No bruising or redness, and it doesn't look swollen... but at the same time it sorta does look swollen.
There is nothing lodged that I can see

Looks like she has started the whole 'yawn' thing that rams do but got stuck as she started. I've seen her pick at food but isn't eating it properly (usually she'd suck it up and then you'd see a plume of food come out of her gills as is usual for rams).

Any ideas? Pics will help but she's sticking to the back of the tank.

Oh also there hasn't been any bickering with the male ram plus judging by how she looks I can't see that it was the male that caused it.

 

[Curiosity101]

Pictures

 

[FreedomFighter]

No lip locking lately?

Has she been picking at the substrate?

I have to be honest with you, it looks like lock jaw.

 

[Curiosity101]

No more lip locking than usual, and she has been picking at the substrate... but again... it's nothing unusual. However it is a possibility I guess.

I really really hope it's not lock jaw... I think you're right though. Eugh. She was part of a mated pair aswell figures. And I guess it explains why they seemed to have fallen out.

She's no longer a suitable mate.

 

[FreedomFighter]

Well seperate them if possible, maybe try soaking some really small soft food in garlic, see if you can keep her eating, otherwise you may lose her.

 

[Curiosity101]

They're not fighting. They're not even interacting. He's keeping himself to himself and she's staying quiet in the back.

To be honest I don't see the point in making a special effort to feed her. She's got plenty of fat reserves, and if it doesn't resolve itself in a couple of days then I'll try to preferentially feed her. But if a fish has got lock jaw then the prognosis isn't good long term. And I imagine she's in pain... I wouldn't want to stretch it out un necessarily.

 

[FreedomFighter]

They're not fighting. They're not even interacting. He's keeping himself to himself and she's staying quiet in the back.

To be honest I don't see the point in making a special effort to feed her. She's got plenty of fat reserves, and if it doesn't resolve itself in a couple of days then I'll try to preferentially feed her. But if a fish has got lock jaw then the prognosis isn't good long term. And I imagine she's in pain... I wouldn't want to stretch it out un necessarily.

Basically, yes you're right.

 

[Curiosity101]

I am still interested in if anyone has actually specifically seen this before... my first guess was lock jaw, but it's one of those things where you'd like to hear it from someone else you know... especially cause it's such a poor prognosis.

 

[Curiosity101]

Good news, her mouth is looking ALOT better. It's not quite perfect but it's almost back to normal and I even saw her do the bolivian ram 'yawn' today. So fingers crossed she might be ok. I think it's bloodworm for dessert tonight!

Edit: And she's just eaten a cichlid pellet. I'm so happy. I really WAS NOT looking forwards to the possibility of having to euthanise.

 

[FishyWishie]

Good to hear Im loathe to euthanise even when its absolutely necesary Im just to soft

 

[Curiosity101]

Oh I'd have been a mass of tears afterwards. But it's a case of trying to think what is best for the fish. They've proven fish can feel pain, and she had her 'stress colours' on, so I couldn't have justified keeping her going and just starving to death in pain. However whilever she's 'happy' and eating. She will be cared for just like any other fish. I think the incident has broken the pair bond she had with the male though which is a shame.

I'm guessing they were literally days from spawning based on behaviour. But nevermind. I'd rather she were just healthy.

 

[scaeriefaerie666]

Out of interest, what did you do? It's always useful for people who have similar problems to look back, and if you've done something then we'll know what to advise next time.
xxx

 

[Curiosity101]

Just observed and left her to it. I figured if it was lock jaw there was nothing I could do and I didn't want to add extra stress. Now she's back to eating and acting normally (no sulking at the back with stress colours).

Her and the male definitely aren't a pair anymore but nevermind. Maybe they'll patch it up in the coming weeks

 

[FreedomFighter]

Good to hear she came out of it.

 

[karin]

Ya know, I feed a small hikari pellet to my fish and my cupid cichlids, about the size of a ram now, will grab a pellet and it is appears a bit big for them. But sometimes they have the same look as your fish as tey are waiting for the pellet to soften I think. Just a thought.