Discus Lockjaw?

Oh no! Sick fish?! Come here and see if someone can help!
Forum rules
Read this before posting!!

Since this board has been up, we have found there are several questions that routinely get asked in order to help diagnose problems. If you can have that information to begin with in your post, we'll be able to help right away (if we can!) without having to wait for you to post the info we need.

1) Your water parameters - pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates and salinity (if appropriate). This is by far the most important information you can provide! Do not answer this with "Fine" "Perfect" "ok", that tells us nothing. We need hard numbers.

2) Tank size and a list of ALL inhabitants. Include algae eaters, plecos, everything. We need to know what you have and how big the tank is.

3) Feeding, water change schedule and a list of all products you are using or have added to the tank (examples: Cycle, Amquel, salt, etc)

4) What changes you've made in the tank in the last week or so. Sometimes its the little things that make all the difference.

5) How long the aquarium has been set up, and how did you cycle it? If you don't know what cycling is read this: Fishless Cycling Article and familiarize yourself with all the information. Yes. All of it.

We want to help, and providing this information will go a LONG way to getting a diagnosis and hopeful cure that much faster.

While you wait for assistance:
One of the easiest and best ways to help your fish feel better is clean water! If you are already on a regular water change schedule (50% weekly is recommended) a good step to making your fish more comfortable while waiting for diagnosis/suggestions is to do a large water change immediately. Feel free to repeat daily or as often as you can, clean water is always a good thing! Use of Amquel or Prime as a dechlor may help with any ammonia or nitrite issues, and is highly recommended.

Note - if you do not normally do large water changes, doing a sudden, large water change could shock your fish by suddenly changing their established water chemistry. Clean water is still your first goal, so in this case, do several smaller (10%) water changes over the next day or two before starting any large ones.
PufferGrrl
Dwarf Puffer
Posts: 94
Joined: Sat Apr 19, 2008 9:02 am
My Puffers: F8 Puffer - Nibbler
GSP Puffer - Bubbles
Location: Milwaukee, WI
Contact:

Re: Discus Lockjaw?

Post by PufferGrrl »

Just a quick update, he's still hanging in there. I think I see more jaw movement in him this morning. I don't think it's just wishful thinking I'm seeing. We'll see how the day goes! I still wish I knew what was wrong with him, but whether it was injury/dislocation, or whatever it was, maybe it's healing itself.
tiff393

Re: Discus Lockjaw?

Post by tiff393 »

Hi PufferGrrl, Jeni asked if I could come help you out with your discus problem, but I'm pretty stumped on this one I've never heard or seen a discus with lockjaw nor has any one I've talked to. With a discus diet I really don't see them getting lockjaw but its not impossable. The best advice I can give you after seeing the video is that it most likely ran into the glass because it does look hurt. I would just wait it out and add some salt to your tank after water changes and see if that might help. Sorry I can't help you more.
User avatar
Pufferpunk
Queen Admin
Posts: 32976
Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
Gender: Female
My Puffers: Puffers I have kept:
T lineatus
T miurus
A modestus
T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
C lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles
Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
Location: Greenville, SC
Contact:

Re: Discus Lockjaw?

Post by Pufferpunk »

Thanks for pitchin in, Tiff! I'd go with Melafix rather than salt though, since discus prefer soft water & won't appreciate salt.
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...

"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
PufferGrrl
Dwarf Puffer
Posts: 94
Joined: Sat Apr 19, 2008 9:02 am
My Puffers: F8 Puffer - Nibbler
GSP Puffer - Bubbles
Location: Milwaukee, WI
Contact:

Re: Discus Lockjaw?

Post by PufferGrrl »

Thank you so much for jumping in here. I have good news, last night during feeding he ate for the first time since Thursday evening, and his jaw movement is getting better. They haven't had dinner tonight yet, but I'm hoping the same will happen. I truly appreciate everyone's thoughts and suggestions.
User avatar
LilGreenPuffer
Former Staff Member
Posts: 5301
Joined: Sun Jan 25, 2009 11:26 pm
Gender: Female
My Puffers: Dwarf puffer - Thumbelina (only mine in my heart now; she lives in CT with my friend)

RIP Inigo Montoya, Fezzik, and Vizinni.
RIP James Bond.
Location (country): United States
Location: Kentucky

Re: Discus Lockjaw?

Post by LilGreenPuffer »

Yay! Good luck!
"I will give you a talisman. Whenever you are in doubt, or when the self becomes too much with you, apply the following test. Recall the face of the poorest and the weakest man whom you may have seen, and ask yourself, if the step you contemplate is going to be of any use to him or her. Will she gain anything by it? Will it restore her to a control over her own life and destiny? In other words, will it lead to freedom for the hungry and spiritually starving millions? Then you will find your doubts and your self melt away."

Found among the papers of Mohatma Gandhi


Image

Come and visit http://www.thetriopsforum.com!

I AM A DUDETTE!

NEED NITRIFYING BACTERIA FOR YOUR NEW TANK? PM ME!
Post Reply