Need help! BROKEN JAW

[squirrilah fish]

Came home from work and someone had given my Sulpher head a massive beating. I can't tell who because no one else has a mark.
The Sulpher head was tumbling in the air bubbles. I immediately pulled him out and put him in the Hospital tank.
He is jacked up, his eyes are cloudy, and his jaw is staying open. He's breathing rapidly, but his mouth isn't moving at all, just hanging open.

I don't know what to do? He is staying up right now. Just staying in the corner. He's still breathing hard, not as hard, but hard. I think his Jaw is broken.

Any advice?

 

[squirrilah fish]

Could I try to reset it? Is it something that will heal. Good it just be sore so he's not closing it?

 

[MeCasa]

That sux

There's nothing you can do other than lots of Oxygen and time. You could do more damage not to mention stress him if you play with him.

We've all been here, they either recover or they don't

Calm down, walk away and hope for the best.

 

[squirrilah fish]

What's most annoying is I can't figure out who did it! No one else has a scratch.

 

[squirrilah fish]

I want to know who it is so I can take it out, until everyone grows up, it wouldn't have helped my Sulpher head he's an adult. But I have a Fusco, and a few others that will be bigger and can put whoever it is in it's place.

 

[squirrilah fish]

That sux

There's nothing you can do other than lots of Oxygen and time. You could do more damage not to mention stress him if you play with him.

We've all been here, they either recover or they don't

Calm down, walk away and hope for the best.

His jaw is moving a little bit now. It sucks. I figured is have a few fish get killed with my all male set up, but I never expected him to get it.

I guess it makes sense he's been in the tank the longest so whoever is trying to move up in the ranks would have to go through him.

I think it's the Makobe island super red, but I've never seen him being aggressive. The only fish I haven't seen is the electric blue hap, but he's the dominant fish, and hides in the rocks most of the time.

 

[squirrilah fish]

Ok he's swimming around more, and I saw him playing with it. He did get it shut. But it's still mostly hanging open. I'm going to turn off the lights and leave him be.
So glad I have a hospital tank on hand ready to go.
If you have an all male tank, a side tank is a must!

 

[squirrilah fish]

Realizing I need to start rearranging rocks more. I have been doing it once every week to two weeks. I need to be doing it every week, and more drastically.

 

[MeCasa]

Unfortunately this is one aspect of cichlids that's not always good. I chuckle when I see a couple of fish sparring over a good location but I'm not smiling when I come home and see a beautiful fish obviously hurt.

All part of it

 

[squirrilah fish]

He's much much better this morning. I think he's going to be ok. I just hope no one else becomes a target.

I've narrowed it down the albino socolofi, and the Makobe island super red.

 

[squirrilah fish]

Unfortunately this is one aspect of cichlids that's not always good. I chuckle when I see a couple of fish sparring over a good location but I'm not smiling when I come home and see a beautiful fish obviously hurt.

All part of it

Yep, and I know I shouldn't get attached to anyone at this point, I understand the all male tank process. I just never expected that fish to get chewed up. Never underestimate Mbuna, or a Nyererie I guess.

 

[MeCasa]

Never estimate any cichlid. You haven't seen fury until you see a 6" pissed off Jack Dempsey or Green Terror

Didn't get those names for nothing

 

[squirrilah fish]

Never estimate any cichlid. You haven't seen fury until you see a 6" pissed off Jack Dempsey or Green Terror

Didn't get those names for nothing

I have seen a pissed off Jack. That was one of my first fish. And yes, that is a force to be reckoned with. Lol

 

[Freakgecko91]

Never estimate any cichlid. You haven't seen fury until you see a 6" pissed off Jack Dempsey or Green Terror

Didn't get those names for nothing

You've obviously never seen red festae, beanii, hatiensis, umbie, or dovii pissed off. Compared to these, those fish are nothing

 

[squirrilah fish]

I've seen videos of Dovii, they're pretty mean. The guy at the fish store was telling me his Pacu chewed through the pond wall too.

My all male tank is still in it's infancy. I just got it down to all African cichlids a few months ago. Pretty much all but 4 of the fish are under 3"

 

[GreenLily]

Glad to hear that he is doing better today. Plenty of water changes to keep conditions pristine will help aid in a faster and better recovery.

 

[squirrilah fish]

Got home, and his mouth is shut, and he's got some color back. Still not eating by the looks of it. Imagine I'll keep him in hospital for a week or so. Safe to say I over reacted, but that freaked me out. He's my favorite.

 

[mistersmith]

Never estimate any cichlid. You haven't seen fury until you see a 6" pissed off Jack Dempsey or Green Terror

Didn't get those names for nothing

Or a 12" Oscar mine tries to chew my face off if I go near the tank

 

[squirrilah fish]

He's recovering well. Eye cloud is gone, mouth looks fine, he's eating flakes again. Still has some torn fins, and missing scales, but I think I'll put him back on Sunday.

 

[Gillie]

You've obviously never seen red festae, beanii, hatiensis, umbie, or dovii pissed off. Compared to these, those fish are nothing

I used to have dovii and a cuban years back. When you have to make a device to push them to one end to protect you during maintenance things are out of hand

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