Loaches Online Forum

Not an identification one but it would appear that my M. circumcintus has something stuck in his throat. It seems that he can't close his mouth and breathes quickly.

It's usually an avid eater but tonight he didn't care about food. I suppose there's no much I can do is there?

http://s225.photobucket.com/albums/dd13 ... nt=vid.flv

When it is a larger fish like a Goldfish it is possible to remove the fish from the tank, wrapped in a cloth soaked in Stress Coat, and remove a visible stone with forceps. This eel looks a bit too small for that, though. Can you see if there is a stone or something in the mouth?

i've seen fish with internal infection where they can't close their mouths as well. I forget which, either worms or bacterial

mistergreen wrote:i've seen fish with internal infection where they can't close their mouths as well. I forget which, either worms or bacterial

Very interesting Mr. Green, I'll search that.

The eel died. I made an autopsy even if I haven't a clue of what to look for.

But at least now I know that it was a female with hundred of eggs, that she hasn't eaten for days since stomach and intestine were empty but above all she didn't have anything stuck in her throat.

So Mr. Green was definitely right. Some parasites or bacteria are probably responsible for that. I didn't have time to research the issue yet.

The only strange thing is that apart the open mouth and the fast breathing she looked perfectly healthy.

sorry to hear it, andre.
shame about the eggs, too.

It may be Ichthyosporidium hoferi and that's bad bad bad news indeed.