[monk21]

So today was the day that I decided to redecorate my aquarium. While I am doing that I notice this fish I have in my tank and I was shocked! What could have happened to it? The truth is that his mouth was always a bit misshapen but nowhere near that! I have no aggressive fish in my tank. There is only tetra and 5 rosy barbs!

 

[Tino]

Looks to me like some sort of infection, could be fungal or could be from an injury. Either way, I'm afraid this little guy will soon be dead.
Keep an eye on the remainder of your stock I would also add 1 Tbsp of aquarium/sea salt for every gallon.

 

[monk21]

Thanks for the advice. Anyone else seconds the aquarium salt? I have never used it

Update,

He is not the guy I knew had a weird mouth. He is a new one, so now I have two fish with almost the same problem. Both lamp eye tetras. any ideas? Should I put them in a small container and wait for them to die or put them back in the big tank?

 

[Tino]

If you have a quarantine tank, go with that for the one with the deformed mouth.

To be honest the one in the pic looks like his mouth is gone completely, making feeding impossible.
Do the humane thing. Put him in a cup of water and add some alcohol to put him down.

 

[JamesHurst]

+1

Feeding is likely a struggle with there being essentially no mouth left, pain aside - don't let it die a slow painful death.

Aquarium salt and "Stability" dosing are the basic steps to take when a fish is unhealthy or showing signs of an infection or disease, I +1 this as well.

But honestly, I doubt that mouth will ever heal based on the way it's looking currently.

If you have a quarantine tank, go with that for the one with the deformed mouth.

To be honest the one in the pic looks like his mouth is gone completely, making feeding impossible.
Do the humane thing. Put him in a cup of water and add some alcohol to put him down.

 

[monk21]

So alcohol (pure store bought we use for our hands alcohol is ok?) is the best way to go? How about the other guy? The other guy has a lot more mouth left and is like that for at least a month or two now. Should I put him back in? I don't have a QT set up. IS it possible that he will infect the others?


Also, what will stability do except for adding bacteria? Can you also explain how the salt works?

 

[Tino]

Yes, store-bought alcohol will put the fish down humanely. Putting it to sleep beforehand with clove oil is also good too if you can get some. I usually put 25-30% alcohol, it doesn't take long and the fish seems somewhat comfortable in the end.
The salt will help the fish relax (in case it's stressed) and allow it to "breathe" easier. It may also neutralize any relatively weak parasites/bacteria that could hurt a stressed out fish.
Take a pic if you can of the other one with the "deformed mouth" and post it here so we can make a better recommendation

 

[mistersprinkles]

I also think you should euthanize that fish. It's whole face is missing, either due to an attack or some sort of fungal infection, but the fish is beyond saving. It's entire mouth appears to be gone.

 

[monk21]

Here they are together.

 

[JamesHurst]

Whoa man.....

That's not looking so great. I wouldn't put any other fish with them if it were me. I might try to quarantine the one, but they both look pretty rough.

At this stage of damage, euthanization may be better for them. I'd wait for some of the other fresh-water guys to reply though, I'm somewhat unfamiliar with what this fish's face looks like when not degraded.

 

[monk21]

that's how it looks

 

[JamesHurst]

K, then yeah, to me it looks infected. i'd try a quarantine on the one that's still got some mouth left.

 

[Kimchi24]

I dont think its infectious. The reason being is that i had red eye tetras as well and ALL of them had some sort of facial damage. I dont know if its due to faulty genetics or if its due to anything on my part of bullying from other fish but they all got it and now I only have one left. the one that was least infected. the rest of the tank is fine though so i dont think this is a problem for other fish but for the red eye... yes. And i have not seen damage that sever. I dotn think they will live so i highly suggest that you do euthanize.

 

[JamesHurst]

I'm not familiar enough with these particular fish, I'd go w/ what kimchi said.

 

[Tino]

Both of these fish seem to be goners in my opinion. Euthanize them as I don't think there's any way for them to recover at this point.

I would also investigate your aqua-scaping, tetras are fast swimmers and love to chase each other. If you have any rough or sharp edges in your decorations you will see more and more injuries.