Snowflake eel crooked jaw!

[Biggieholla]

So I purchased a snowflake eel about a month ago, one from the only LFS in my town, and he had already been there for a few months completely healthy. Yesterday I woke up to find that his lower jaw is crooked and off to the side! He is unable to close his mouth or bite..meaning he cannot eat. There is no explanation I can think of, nor could find on the internet. All I saw on a couple forums was that snowflake eels are prone to this? Really I could find no solution other than most starve to death..awesome. Does anyone know any actual information on this? Please help me!

[ToddTT]

Ouch. If he stops eating you might try something like this:

Kent Marine Nautilus Sea Squirt Feeding Prong

It has a tiny opening that you will need to widen. Really easy. I used a very small drill bit, and simply spun it with my fingers to widen the hole. You'd be able to squirt chopped up bits, mysis, brine, etc. Maybe with some careful aim he'll be able to swallow some.

And maybe with a little time it will have a chance to heal /relocate.

Good luck.

[Biggieholla]

thanks for the reply. This does sound like a last ditch effort. Sadly I was hoping this post would attract someone with the same problems or have had similar ones. I have actually read it is possible to relocate the jaw by hand..but chances of catching him are near impossible in the maze of rock. 75$ pufferfish goes belly up 2 days after purchasing and a week later my eel has a bent jaw. what a hobby i have gotten myself into.

[ToddTT]

thanks for the reply. This does sound like a last ditch effort. Sadly I was hoping this post would attract someone with the same problems or have had similar ones. I have actually read it is possible to relocate the jaw by hand..but chances of catching him are near impossible in the maze of rock. 75$ pufferfish goes belly up 2 days after purchasing and a week later my eel has a bent jaw. what a hobby i have gotten myself into.

Sorry to hear it. Sometimes it's just bad luck.

But often there are things you can do to tilt the odds in your favor (and your fish).

Have you had a tank long? Do you have an acclimation process for new fish?

[Biggieholla]

I have had my tank up and running for two months now. Not one ammonia spike ever, not a scratch of algae. My tank cycled flawlessly. It is also the first fish tank I have ever owned..which doesn't really have anything to do with my eel breaking his face. What do you mean there are other things to tilt the odds?

[Biggieholla]

Oh and yea, my acclimation process consists of placing the bag with the fish in my tank and securing it so the temperature adjusts, then I pour half a cup of my tank water into the bag every 4 minutes over the course of an hour or more.

[leebca]

If the dislocation is due to a bone displacement, it can be corrected manually. But you have to know fish/eel anatomy. If the problem is due to injury or some other condition, this won't help.

So I will provide the information here for you to manually correct it. However, if you don't understand the words or can't find reference books with pictures that show you exactly what these direction are telling you, best not to try this. This procedure is more for advanced hobbyists, aquarists, and/or vets.

The condition is known as jaw hyperextension, and is caused by the locking of a bone called the urohyal into the cleithra, it may be easily resolved without damage by anesthetizing the fish with MS-222 and using a fine, blunt tipped probe to gently depress the urohyal from the INSIDE of the jaw, this "unlocks" the jaw. If the jaw is pushed back from the outside one or both of the cleithra may fracture, resulting in a possibly life-long deformation.

[Biggieholla]

ok i see what you are saying. So it isn't as easy as gripping his head and gently pressing on the sides of his mouth until his jaw aligns? This leads to a fracture i'm understanding. I am by no means an experienced hobbiest nor know fish/eel anatomy. I am willing to try your method though considering he is going to die anyways from starvation..unless i feed him through a syringe for the rest of his life.

You have heard of this condition then? is it uncommon/common? there is no reason that I can think of why this may have happened. Could he have eaten something that was too large for his mouth maybe?

[leebca]

The condition is more common in marine life forms that try to eat something benthic (the live in or on the substrate).

Anesthetizing the fish is an important step in this process, don't forget. You can kill the eel if you don't do this right; or you can loose a finger if you don't do this right.

[Biggieholla]

Where can you purchase anesthesia? Would I use a bath form or injection? Also, do you have any sources I could look at that show the bone- urohyal and where to press?

[ToddTT]

I have had my tank up and running for two months now. Not one ammonia spike ever, not a scratch of algae. My tank cycled flawlessly. It is also the first fish tank I have ever owned..which doesn't really have anything to do with my eel breaking his face. What do you mean there are other things to tilt the odds?

Tilt the odds, tip #1: Read all of the stickies on this forum.

Tilt the odds, tip #2: Acclimate using 1/4 tubing tied in a knot, and drip into a 5 gallon bucket for something like 1-3 hours. Use a QT to lower stress and avoid infecting your other fish with a new purchase.

#3: Start with the cheapest, hardiest fish that you would also like to have for a long time. Then add more inhabitants slowly. Chromis are a good choice. Clowns too. Scott Michael's "Marine Fishes" is a great reference, with info on minimum tank size, compatibilities, and a rating system for aquarium suitability.

#4: Make sure the eel doesn't bite your finger. ;)

Good luck!

[ToddTT]

Great reference for future purchases, IMHO...

Find A PocketExpert Guide to Marine Fishes: 500+ Essential-To-Know Aquarium Species 1999 Scott W. Michael 1890087386 9781890087388 - Direct Textbook

[leebca]

The Internet is your best source for find supplies and the anesthetic. Directions for use are found on the Internet also, or will come with the product.

Don't know of any video to watch for this.