Oscar jaw issue?
- Thread starter SwimShady
- Start date
If you press down on the jaw and it is seemingly frozen open, this is the atrophy caused by the bacterial disease columnaris (sometimes called flower horn disease, or duck lips). Besides the frozen jaw, the fish usually sits in one place, and won't eat.
If it snaps back into place, it may not be bacterial.
If it is.......
The disease is most virulent at water temps above 82'F.
Here is a shot of an advanced case.
The cichlid above died soon after the shot.
Once the jaw has atrophied there is little hope.
Are there other fish in the tank? it is very communicable.
If this disease occurs I usually euthanize the fish, break down the tank, and sanitize everything the water touched with bleach.
The bacteria can go dormant and stay in stasis in a smear of dry dirt, or algae and reinfect anything in the tank, once refilled.
I edited your pic to get a closer look at the jaw.
A sideshow might help with diagnosis.
If it snaps back into place, it may not be bacterial.
If it is.......
The disease is most virulent at water temps above 82'F.
Here is a shot of an advanced case.
The cichlid above died soon after the shot.
Once the jaw has atrophied there is little hope.
Are there other fish in the tank? it is very communicable.
If this disease occurs I usually euthanize the fish, break down the tank, and sanitize everything the water touched with bleach.
The bacteria can go dormant and stay in stasis in a smear of dry dirt, or algae and reinfect anything in the tank, once refilled.
I edited your pic to get a closer look at the jaw.
A sideshow might help with diagnosis.
No, I appreciate the questions. All my tanks are RO, so no conditioner. I add equilibrium as well as stability as necessary with WC. My filtration on that tank is a penguin 350 so the bio wheels are the main source of bio filtration. Tank is 37 gal so the flow seems adequate
If you press down on the jaw and it is seemingly frozen open, this is the atrophy caused by the bacterial disease columnaris (sometimes called flower horn disease, or duck lips). Besides the frozen jaw, the fish usually sits in one place, and won't eat.
If it snaps back into place, it may not be bacterial.
If it is.......
The disease is most virulent at water temps above 82'F.
Here is a shot of an advanced case.
The cichlid above died soon after the shot.
Once the jaw has atrophied there is little hope.
Are there other fish in the tank? it is very communicable.
If this disease occurs I usually euthanize the fish, break down the tank, and sanitize everything the water touched with bleach.
The bacteria can go dormant and stay in stasis in a smear of dry dirt, or algae and reinfect anything in the tank, once refilled.
I edited your pic to get a closer look at the jaw.
View attachment 1378426
A sideshow might help with diagnosis.
i can do that
Would it be advisable to add some prime to the tank just in case there is some traces of chlorine in the RO for the meantime?
I appreciate all the in depth info. His jaw is definitely not ina “frozen” state currently. He’s actually been moving it non stop for days. It just seems as though he can’t fully close it.If you press down on the jaw and it is seemingly frozen open, this is the atrophy caused by the bacterial disease columnaris (sometimes called flower horn disease, or duck lips). Besides the frozen jaw, the fish usually sits in one place, and won't eat.
If it snaps back into place, it may not be bacterial.
If it is.......
The disease is most virulent at water temps above 82'F.
Here is a shot of an advanced case.
The cichlid above died soon after the shot.
Once the jaw has atrophied there is little hope.
Are there other fish in the tank? it is very communicable.
If this disease occurs I usually euthanize the fish, break down the tank, and sanitize everything the water touched with bleach.
The bacteria can go dormant and stay in stasis in a smear of dry dirt, or algae and reinfect anything in the tank, once refilled.
I edited your pic to get a closer look at the jaw.
View attachment 1378426
A sideshow might help with diagnosis.
