Injured or rotted mouth

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wendy fm

Aquarium Advice Activist
Joined
Jul 8, 2017
Messages
136
Location
Vermont
While checking out my fish today I noticed that one of the male swordtails has either an injured or rotted mouth.
He swims well and looks healthy other than his mouth which is blunt and raw looking.
I’m thinking that I need to euthanize, and am thinking of ice in water as a method.

I tried catching him today, but just agitated the tank. Tomorrow I’ll try again.
We just got over a heat wave so trying not to stress out the rest of the tank.
Not sure parameters today, but when o checked two days ago after a water change they were all good.
Any other euthanasia suggestions?
 
I ended up doing a fifty percent water change and caught the Ill or injured fish and another questionable one and euthanized both. I have an overcrowded tank, so this will help.
Now my parameters are perfect.
 
I have since euthanized another male swordtail with the same mouth rot. All the others seem fine. I am now down to four female and two male swordtails, my resilient Molly my cat fish, one guppy and the pleco, plus a bunch of baby fish that I will remove when they’re a little bigger.
 
Hope all stays well. Overstocking has been a problem most have experienced.
Always factor in the size of the fish, along with the number of them and their sizes. Fish dropped into new digsan freakout at times and injure themselves too. I always advise doing a 25 o/o water change be done as well and a stress coating added to your water before adding new denizens.:fish2:
 
Three years ago , started out with a five gallon and a Siamese fighting fish and a vase peacefully fish combo. I wasn’t very successful. Then tried goldfish, then guppies and then went to a ten gallon and the swordtails and all of the rest and then on to the twenty gallon. I’ve learned over the last year with swordtails and until recently everyone has been healthy. But I opted for euthanasia over treatment because of overcrowding. Eventually I may go to a thirty gallon, but can’t go any larger than that.
 
Generally, you should be doing 35-40% water changes once a week minimum. Alot more if you're overstocked. If you could provide your tank size we can give you some advice on the stocking. If you are overstocked you will lose fish as they out grow the tank......in the process you will be fighting disease. Also, what is your water readings..... ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates?
 
I have a twenty gallon I do a twenty five to fifty percent water changer weekly nitrite is 20,nitrite is 0, my gh is 150,oh is 80 and ph is neutral. I am aware that I am overcrowded and am working on this.
 
Hi, I don’t really see why you euthanized the two fish. I hate to sound rude here but if he was fine besides the mouth rot, why not get a small hospital tank? Again, I’m trying not to come across as rude, just seeking to understand other fish keeping ways!
 
Ive seen mouthless fish swimming in tanks at my favorite LFS. The Cichlids evidently damaged their mouths during lip lock battles. Other fish lost their lips due to bacterial infections.
I was advised that once the mouth is damaged to that extent, it does not grow back. The injured fish is left with a gaping hole for a mouth, struggles to eat, and eventually starves.
 
Dumbo. It’s a reasonable question. I don’t have a hospital tank, my aquarium was slightly over crowded with too many male swordtail. He wasn’t improving and I didn’t want him to suffer.
 
Ok! Thank you for helping me. I know many people (me included) who are a bit squeamish about euthanizing fish. Thankfully I haven’t had to make that decision yet but I will someday.
 
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