Clownfish having trouble opening mouth to eat, heavy breathing

[ZoeyD]

My female clownfish is slowly starving, and I don't know what to do. She has always had a wonky looking mouth and jaw, that has never opened and closed like our male clownfish, who has a normal looking mouth. She never used to have issues with eating, however I have noticed recently that her mouth seems to have become more and more closed, to the point where she can only eat very, very small pieces of food. She also has been breathing heavier and heavier the more her mouth closes. Does anyone know what could be going on, or maybe it's a hopeless deformity? Has anyone ever come across this problem?

 

[CasperOe]

#fishmedic

 

[Jay Hemdal]

My female clownfish is slowly starving, and I don't know what to do. She has always had a wonky looking mouth and jaw, that has never opened and closed like our male clownfish, who has a normal looking mouth. She never used to have issues with eating, however I have noticed recently that her mouth seems to have become more and more closed, to the point where she can only eat very, very small pieces of food. She also has been breathing heavier and heavier the more her mouth closes. Does anyone know what could be going on, or maybe it's a hopeless deformity? Has anyone ever come across this problem?

There are different chronic conditions that can cause this. Some care contagious to other fish, most are not. Few are curable.
How long has it been like this?
Can you post a clear video under white light?

 

[nereefpat]

Welcome to R2R!

 

[ZoeyD]

There are different chronic conditions that can cause this. Some care contagious to other fish, most are not. Few are curable.
How long has it been like this?
Can you post a clear video under white light?

She has always been like this and we have had her for two year. This June will be three. I know that clownfish get/have teeth, but she has always had this small object in her mouth that has always been in the same spot. She is also the one who has more black on her tail.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

With the symetrical. "puffy" look to the gills and the fish having this issue for so long, I would say it is a developmental deformity, not an active disease. This happens to a lot of tank raised clownfish. There is no treatment for it though, sorry.