Sick Fish, Something Odd

[star4]

I found one of my female curviceps lying on the bottom yesterday not moving. I tested the water, everything was ok, but I did a wc anyway and she did not pick up. I transferred her into my hospital tank and looking closer at her there are a couple of things.
 
1. She has lost all colour around her mouth, its not white or fluffy or mouth rot, just the pigment has all gone.
2. behind the whiteness is a line of black, very thin, but another black patch under her eye.
 
This makes me think some bacterial infection or trauma in the mouth/eye area, however she is pooping white solid poo?? definately not stringy like internal parasites. She is sitting on the bottom upright not listing or bending so not swim bladder problem. Unlike a normal sick fish her fins are normal not clamped. Every so often she seems to freeze mouth open wide, fins all erect and in an almost trans like state because she does not react if I put my hand in the water near her. After a couple of minutes she seems to almost shudder and return to normal state, breathing ok, fins relaxed but not clamped. She will then swim around the hospital tank semi normally then rest on the bottom again.
 
I have never seen a fish act like this before!

 

[WILDER]

If she's in a hospital tank I think I would add a bacterial medication to her tank.
 
Black patches can mean wounds from fighting, ammonia burns that are healing.
 
 
 
How many gallons is the tank?
Ho many fish and Which type?
Water stats in ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, ph, temp?
Do you use liquid test kits?

 

[WILDER]

Sorry star didn't notice it was you at first.

 

[star4]

Hey Wilder, lovely to see you about again
 
I have been doing wc every couple of hours or so, she improves for a while but something is still not right.

 

[WILDER]

Poor thing. I think I would take the bacterial route myself. As sitting on the bottom for long periods of time
can be an indication of a bacterial infection.
Acting listless and lethargic can also be and indicator of a bacterial infection.

 

[star4]

I think I have found the problem, looking in her mouth using a torch and a magnifying glass,  there is, what looks like,  a small trumpet snail embedded in her throat I have tried to reach it with fine tweezers but it is too far down for me to reach and her mouth is too small. Monitoring how the infection is spreading from the blackening around both eyes now and under her mouth I am fighting a loosing battle unless I can get the snail out 
 
Prepping euthanising kit

 

[fluttermoth]

Aww no!
 
What a strange thing to happen; not something I've ever come across before. Deepest sympathies

 

[WILDER]

Poor thing.
To be honest I can't think what else you can do either. Apart from what you have already done.
Crushing the shell could make matters worse. Choking.
Maybe try and add some cod liver oil to the fish mouth,

 

[star4]

I did try again, I used clove oil to sedate her to try and remove it with a pin, but she was so tiny to try and work on . There was a batch of newly hatched trumpet snails on the surface last week, the only thing I can think of is she must have taken one in mistake of food and she couldnt spit it out again, which would be unusual I have certainly never had it happen before with trumpet snail babies and fish. Anyway after trying and realising there was no way I could get it out without causing her more damage so I had to euthanise her in the end. 
 
RIP little one

 

[fluttermoth]

Sorry for your loss, star, how awful 

 

[Wildbetta]

That is so tragic.  So sorry it happened to you and your fish.      I have had various fish nibble at new born trumpet snails with no adverse reactions but I guess all it takes is one mishap and something like this happens.

 

[WILDER]

Poor thing. R.I.P.
You did all you could so don't blame yourself. Fish keeping can 
be very depressing at times.
 
Sorry for your loss. Star.

 

[star4]

Thanks, just a freak accident