Yawning and Jaw Chomping

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sly2kusa

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jul 29, 2006
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USA
I have 4 Tiger Muskies who from time to time will do what I can only describe as a yawn - and I mean they open up really big (didn't know their mouths could be so big already at fingerling sizes).

My question is this: Is this due to a lack of oxygen or some other potential problem with the water? All 4 of them do it from time to time, and they also will do this thing where they chomp really fast about 10 to 20 times with their jaws (almost like a muscle spasm or something).

Anyone have this behavior in their natives? Or even more specific - any from the Pike class of fish?

Much thanks in advance
 
Check water parameters first. If you don't findanything there I would take a peek at the gills.
 
Fish yawn, it's perfectly natural, all backboned animals do it. If they are constantly breathing heavy I would worry about O2. Like teleost said I would check the water paremeters, especially if they are constantly doing it.
 
It's not a real frequent occurance, but enough of one that I see them all do it at least once a twice a day (maybe more sometimes).

Regarding the gills - one of them does appear to have his gills a little more flared out than normal. This happened after he engulfed a rather large feeder one time.

I am going to get a 10g tank to begin to quarantine feeders in for a couple of weeks prior to feedings. Problem is that this is going to take some time to do, and I will still have to feed them feeders in the meantime.

I just recently ordered a water test kit that should be here in a couple of days along with some evaporated sea salt for when I start doing water changes (have not done many yet as the tank is still relatively new - only setup back on the 17th of May).

The only thing in the water right now that is kind of suspect is the Nitrites (running between 0.25 and 0.50 since the end of June). My water temp is colder than most (around 66-68 degrees as their rand is 60-75). This was by design in case when I am out of town if there is a power outtage or if for whatever reason the AC in my apartment goes out then they are already at the lower end of their rand and not the higher end).
 
They are probably fine. My bass and bowfin do this from time to time. I think they are just stretching out or something. Also it could be aggresion possibly. Not to sure how tiger muskies are on that subject.

Chad
 
Chad55 said:
They are probably fine. My bass and bowfin do this from time to time. I think they are just stretching out or something. Also it could be aggresion possibly. Not to sure how tiger muskies are on that subject.

Chad
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fisher has a sm and a lm bass and when they are in the tank together the lm flares out his gills time to time like cichlids do..in agression
 
There is no agression between the two if that is what you were saying. When they "yawn" they usually aren't even near eachother. If there was agression I think the bowfin would just chomp the bass. Bowfin is big enough to.

Chad
 
Chad55 said:
There is no agression between the two if that is what you were saying. When they "yawn" they usually aren't even near eachother. If there was agression I think the bowfin would just chomp the bass. Bowfin is big enough to.

Chad
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lol except when they do it they fight for about 10-15 seconds straight lol..i dont think they do it much anymore though since they have been moved to a bigger tank
 
My sm does that little spasm w/ its jaw somethimes, but not nearly as much now that I stopped giving it live minnows. It has been on krill and Im trying to get it on pellets.
 
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