Pop eye & mouth moving

[Smudgeboss]

I have a 10 gal tank with 3 black skirt tetras 1 white skirt and an oto. the white skirt is the oldest member and her mouth seems to have moved from the point of her face up her face toward the top of her head. The bottom Jaw flesh seems to have gotten bigger and the top lip receded so that it looks like she cannot really close her mouth totally. I suspected maybe mouth rot, but there is no white fuzz on her.

I had one other white skirt go this way until he started swimming on his side in vertical circles and doing stupid stuff so I euthanized him. Any ideas what I am dealing with? Could it just be an old age issue?

Her right eye seems to have eye pop also, but her left one is okay.

I have been changing the water weekly, but the water temp is a little high due to treatment for suspected ich. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks

Smudgeboss

 

[Zagz]

It might be an old age issue but more likely a bacterial infection. Is there any chance of a pic? What are the water parameters?

 

[Smudgeboss]

The water parameters are: ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, One problem might be the pH. the highest reading my test kit will give is 7.6. that was the reading, but it might mean that the pH is actually higher than that. Could that cause the problem? I have included a picture showing two of them with the mouth having moved up the face, one has since died.

 

[Zagz]

No I don't think your ph is a factor. A stable ph is better than trying to adjust to the perfect ph.Is the remaining fish still eating at all? Have you seen the fish poop at all? Is it normal or white and stringy? I'm thinking a bacterial infection still. Do you add dechlorinator into the tank when doing water changes? Does the fish breathe normally or gasp?

 

[Smudgeboss]

I observed this morning's feeding closely and this fish was the most voracious of them all. Went at the food quite all right. I have not seen it poop so can't comment on that . I do add dechlorinator, Jungle brand. 10 drops/4 liters. It seems to be breathing normally.

The pop eye was really bulging out yesterday, but seems to have gone down some today.

 

[Zagz]

Good news. Keep up with water changes and hopefully he'll recover completely soon.