Kribensis mouth stuck open

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
I see your point. How high is the nitrate? I suppose though if the RO water and buffer method worked properly for you, at least keep the hardness levels no lower than 150 ppm. Is that where your hardness level is currently?

As for the filter, your best bet is get a new Aquaclear and then "borrow" the established media from your other tanks. Replace what was "borrowed" with fresh new ones. Retain most of it though or you'll find cycle bumps in your other tanks instead.

Metronidazole or Baytril are pretty much the ones that could effectively lift off the dropsy in some cases although there is no 100% guarantee for that especially with full blown cases involving renal failure.

What other antibiotics do you have access to? If you can find antibiotics in petstores, could you please list down the ingredients? I am aware that unfortunately, most companies seem to refuse disclosing the ingredients. Waterborne treatments are only effective if they are effectively absorbed by the fish. Most meds especially with salt contraindicate with the antibiotics used.
 
OK, I have taken your advice, bought a new heater and better filter than before and set up a hospital tank with used filter media from the other tank, I have added 1/8 teaspoon of Epsom salts per 5G and put the Octozin in the new tank. I am just waiting for the temperature to reach 82F. i have done a 40% water change in the old tank so the other fish don't suffer with the medication that I used yesterday and replaced the carbon media. All I can do now is hope that he comes out of this. His body isnt quite pineconed yet but the scales are slightly raised and he is very bloated. Maybe this is what is causing his mouth to be open - the pressure from the rest of his body?
 
It's hard to say if it is the slight bloating that could cause it. It's usually choking on foreign objects, gill flukes, myxobolus (fortunately rare in captive bred specimens), chilodonella or salt intolerance that can force the mouth open.
 
How can I describe it.......

Its like from his gills to the end of his mouth have been stretched/pulled forward although his gills are flush to the body and look normal. His mouth does not close fully but he still does the open closing mouth motion. When I took him out of the water to have a look down his mouth he did appear to close his mouth fully. It is very odd. There does not seem to be any signs of a foreign body although I am concerned that there may be something further down that I will just not be able to see or get to. The good news is today the bloating appears to have gone down ever so slightly but the mouth is still open. Me and my boyfriend both agree that he has been looking more colourful that ever which is very wierd because when he gets stressed he usually goes pale.
 
Unfortunately, I came home today and Mr Krib was dead. :(

There appeared to be swelling and bruising and a red ulcer on the underside of his neck up to his belly. it looks like he may have got something stuck in this area - a place I wouldn't have been able to get to without cutting him open. Maybe there was an obstruction here which caused the mouth open and the dropsy/swelling of the abdomen.

Thanks for all your help.
 
Don't want this to be taken the wrong way, as you are suffering from a loss, but you can always autopsy him, and see what got stuck.

I do it with Koi when they pass. You would be surprised how much you can learn from it.
 
Its OK, dont worry about being sensitive with me. Over the years I have got used to the sad fact that fish die more frequently than I like to remember!

I did want to autopsy him but I couldnt bring myself to do it and asked my BF who also appeared sqeamish and didnt want to either! He has now been disposed of so unfortunately it is a bit late.
 
Oh darn! It would have been a good chance to know what exactly caused this issue.

I'm so sorry to hear you lost him.:(
 
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