Checkerboard Wrasse smooshed lips?
 

My checkerboard "Wrassehole" looks like he's run into a truck! His lips are, for lack of a better description, smooshed. They look broken, and he doesnt close his mouth fully. Appears to have a hard time eating. He used to be lightning quick to snatch krill and mysis. Now, looks like it pains him to open his mouth more than what it is. I just completely emptied the tank, moved and re assembled. Could it be the stress of moving them into a temp tank for 2 days?

I have a 6 line whos lips are crossed and have been for years not sure why but thats how its been for a long time. Eats fine and it does not seem to bother it at all.

Keith

Dan,

You really have to stop kissin him so hard! :wink:

Did you remove your sandbed? Its possible he dived into the "sand" not realizing it wasn't there. If you still have a sandbed, it may have been shallow in the spot he dove into

Ya I have removed the bed now. When I was draining the tank, he was the last one to come out too. I had to completely drain the tank, and found him when scooping the sand. hope he will be OK!! even though I call him my wr*******, he's got such a personality. Just can be a jerk at times, hence one reason for going BB!

He'll probably be fine, it will just take awhile for him to clue into no sandbed. He might end up roughed up a little if he continues to dive into the rocks and such though.

Put him in your qt and treat the tank with neomycin. The mouth damage will likely lead to a bacterial infection which will be fatal.
Many smaller wrasses like 6 lines perish a few days to weeks from bacterial infection when they are brought home.
They damage there mouths by banging into the plastic bag during transit.

Mine broke off the top half of his jaw (the lower part of his skull, I suppose). It either happened in my tank on day 1 or when he was caught at the LFS.

Anyway, it has never grown back so now he looks like he has an underbite. 2 years now. I hope the damage is not so bad that he can still eat and survive...but it won't grow back. Once the loose piece of bone falls off, the skin grows back over the area.

You may end up with a short-nose wrasse.

All other tanks are not dismantled. no QT for me. He either makes it, or.

I don't understand BB tanks that have wrasses in them; at least the ones that sleep in the sand...