GIANT gouramis

[Tequila]

Thanks Tequila, It's just not that clear on the upper jaw, I can see what could be teeth on the upper jaw but can't make anything conclusive out. I just want to sort this whole teeth/ no teeth thing out, if an Exodon is the only GG to grow teeth I want to know the difference is that's all. George is growing external teeth which is what's expected, your big Redtail clearly has internal teeth, I need to know the difference especially now we have Gerogina

If the fish is headless(considering you ate it, it should be) It would be safer to email the pictures to save any problems on the board

Ok this is what I did and what I found and how. Last night I went home and threw the head into some cold water to thaw. When the head had thawed enough to open and close the mouth I went in search of the upper teeth. And this is what I found that the lower jaw closes so that it sits within the upper jaw, causing a scissor effect upon the fish closing it's mouth. Upon lifting the upper lip out of the way this is what I saw



There is just one distinst row of teeth in the upper jaw, just past the lip. And what appears to be teeth awaiting there turn to fill in an open space. But with the lips out of the way the RTGG mouth seems to resemble the mouth of a Piranha.

 

[Tequila]

Note that in the first photo that you can see some of the small "baby" teeth in the upper jaw. These are not the plate or bony disk that Yanbbrox was speaking of though, because there not sharp at all. Trust me on this I know where that plate/bony structure is or at least now I do.

Because in my attempt to find a good pose, onethat would show the mouth fully open and all. I stuck my finger from the other side through the throat and into the mouth. Photo later forgot to reduce it.

But following photo shows what happend upon pulling my now stuck finger out.

The bony sharp plate the Yabbrox refers too is in the back of the throat of the RTGG just before the food material would be swallowed. I know this because I ripped part of it out after removing my ripped up stuck finger. See below photo:

 

[Tequila]

Heere you can see where there is still part of the bony toothy plate still in place.

 

[Yanbbrox]

I never claimed to a be a taxidermist, dissecting dead fish it not a hobby of mine

Seriously though, thanks for the pictures, graphic but very educational, you can clearly see the upper teeth in those shots, unlike the previous, thanks for taking the time to post them.

At this rate I'll be dissecting George soon, he's acting very strange, keeps banging his head on the hood of the tank

 

[gtgg]

Tequila proved that RTGG have teeth. great pics.

RIP poor little guy

 

[Yanbbrox]

Tequila proved that RTGG have teeth. great pics.

RIP poor little guy

....and lots of them..

 

[Tequila]

I may split the head tonight to get a better look at everything. Because there was just as many razor sharp teethy things on the bottom of the throat as there was on the top. And actually the bulk of the teeth look as if they where still partially covered by flesh, not fully immersed yet.

 

[Yanbbrox]

I may split the head tonight to get a better look at everything. Because there was just as many razor sharp teethy things on the bottom of the throat as there was on the top. And actually the bulk of the teeth look as if they where still partially covered by flesh, not fully immersed yet.

This thread is getting more graphic by the day

 

[Tequila]

This thread is getting more graphic by the day

Hmmm... I would have thought that you and others would be interested in the workings of the RTGG/GG, especially with all the mis-information going around about them, huh go figure.

 

[Yanbbrox]

Hmmm... I would have thought that you and others would be interested in the workings of the RTGG/GG, especially with all the mis-information going around about them, huh go figure.

That's what I meant by the comment, hence the popcorn. Break down in communications again