Jack Dempsey Open Mouth part 2

Question
QUESTION: Hi
My jack dempsey still has an open mouth...it is wide open and has not been able to close it at all. his lower lip is still blackish colored. His tankmate is not agressive at all (and smaller) so I find it highly unlikely they were fighting. If it is a bacterial infection, what meds do you recommend? And, can I just add the meds into the water without removing the other fish? Thank you.

Lynette

ANSWER: Hi Lynette,
 I do not see how a bacterial infection could cause a fish to have an open mouth.  It is much more likely to be a case of jaw dislocation.  If it was jaw dislocation, then the jaw would not close at all, ever (as in not even once).  Is that the case?   

  If so, the solution is tricky but possible.  Basically what happens in jaw dislocation is that the bones become overextended.  By this I mean that there are a whole lot of bones in the mouth of a fish and these connect in complex ways.  Think of these sort of like a folding lawn-chair.  Rarely, but it does happen, the jaws get stuck in a position which is too far open.  The solution is to open them just a little more, and hope that they realign as they close.  
This is not a trivial thing to do, but it can be done.  It is also pretty risky because if you pull the jaw open too hard you will break the jaw, so go carefully.

-- Ron
  rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
  Cichlid Research Home Page <http://cichlidresearch.com>


-- Ron
  rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
  Cichlid Research Home Page <http://cichlidresearch.com>


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Ron
Thank you for your thorough and quick response. I think you are right about his jaw dislocation. His mouth is stuck too far open and I have caught him hitting his mouth against the filter a few times.
I took him out of the big tank and placed him into a smaller one. While holding his body, I attempted to carefully open his mouth with a tea strainer (I know...not the best tool but I felt it was the best option because it opens gradually when I squeeze). I applied vertical pressure about 10 times, but his mouth continued to remain open. Do you have any other ideas about how to relocate it? I wonder if a fish/aquarium specialty store could help me out..
Thank you so much for your advice. He is still hanging on but getting weaker by the day.

Lynette

Answer
Hi Lynette,
  I have to say the idea of using a tea strainer is brilliant -- I never would have thought of it but you are right that it would provide relatively even pressure.  

  If it has been dislocated for awhile (weeks???), the bones may have fused in the open position.

  Most likely the problem is with the upper jaw and not the lower jaw (it kind of goes along for the ride given the way these things are put together).  

  As a last ditch effort, you might try the following.
Use the tea strainer to open his mouth extra wide (you have to hyperextend it) and then with your third hand (you may need a friend to hold the fish) about halfway back along he upper jaw on both sides GENTLY push slightly in and up and that might realign the bones.  It's worth a try...

I have heard of this sort of thing happening to cichlids but it is usually the long-jawed African types, e.g., Dimichromis compressiceps, not usually Central American cichlids.  With those fish the jaws already extend forward quite a way from the body when the fish eats and I have heard people being successful by GENTLY pulling them forward a little more and then allowing them to collapse back into their proper position.

-- Ron
  rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
  Cichlid Research Home Page <http://cichlidresearch.com>