Missing lower lip on Diamond Goby

[Jeter22]

Here are some pics of my Diamond Goby. Last Monday I noticed that his lower lip was all mangled. It might be hard to see in these pics but his lower jaw is still there but it just doesn't have the lip around it. I've been treating the tank with Melafix.
The Diamond Goby is eating the Rods Food that I feed the tank at night and swims around. He even opens his mouth up wide like he's yawning our trying to scare my Lemmon Peel Angel fish if he gets too close.
Does anyone know if his lip will regenerate around his lower jaw bone? Also, has anyone seen or heard of this before??

 

[alLexX]

that looks bad,i dont think the bone will regrow. what are his tankmates?

 

[Jeter22]

The jaw bone is still there. It's almost like his lower lip caught some sort of skin eating bacteria. CRAZY!
His tank mates are, Lemmon Peel Angel, Blue Jaw Trigger & Red Legged Hermit Crab.

 

[paulace2372]

Does he appear to be eating at all? My bet is either the trigger or the crab having a nip at him!

 

[Jeter22]

He is eating the Rod's Food. He just can't sift through the substrate. The Trigger & crab have been great tank mates. I can't believe after all these months they went after the goby. Plus the goby is faster than them.

 

[paulace2372]

No perhaps they haven't then, he could have caught it on something sharp or even punctured it on substrate, i had a lawnmower rip himself open on a piece of rock before. Melafix is good for regeneration of fins and skin repair - if the jawbone is intact then this may be your best option. This may just have to go down as one of those mysteries! I hope he survives!

 

[Jeter22]

Thanks for the info! Do you think I should take out part of my substrate & replace it with a finer substrate?
Sorry to hear about your lawnmower!

 

[alLexX]

The jaw bone is still there. It's almost like his lower lip caught some sort of skin eating bacteria. CRAZY!
His tank mates are, Lemmon Peel Angel, Blue Jaw Trigger & Red Legged Hermit Crab.

well,if the bone is still there it should grow back.just keeo the wter very clean

 

[Jeter22]

After the week is up for the Melafix treatment, and water change, do you think I should do another week with the Melafix?

 

[amosora]

I hope he's okay now.

 

[Grizz]

Thanks for the info! Do you think I should take out part of my substrate & replace it with a finer substrate?
Sorry to hear about your lawnmower!

Id QT him with the melafix and would add some fine grained sand in there he will sift so it's best to have it If you remove the substrate you may cause a mini cycle as you stir the detritus, if you go that route be ready for a few PWC's to get things back in line.

 

[Jeter22]

Cool Thanks again! Hopefully I'll start to see regenerated tissue forming soon.

 

[crister13]

Ya you should change substrate to fine aragonite or sand. He should be able to sift it through his gills EASILY.