Strange question...

[teamfargo]

I have never seen anything resembling a yawn until today.


I answered an ad in the paper for a tank and cichlids. I got there and the fish were in literally two inches of water in a bare tank in someone's garage. I had a 10 gal. in the car, put some tank water in, took these poor fellas home. They sloshed the whole time in the car and they were hugging eachother (nestled next to one another). I got them home and put them in a tank for recovery. They all have been quiet, lounging at the bottom and are getting along better than any cichlids I have ever seen. Well, the big fella yawned. I mean, his mouth opened further than a fish mouth normally would. He held it open for a second then shut it.

So....is it possible?

By the way, they seem surprisingly healthy for what they have gone thru. No signs of stress, no rapid breathing, etc. I fed them after letting them rest for a few hours and they seemed to perk right up.

 

[sunflower]

Hi teamfargo

Sometimes yawning can be a sign of poor water quality, so check ammonia nitrite and nitrate levels. Commonly only one or two fish yawn, sporadically, sometimes while shimmying. Both yawning and shimmying are often early warning signs of deteriorating evironmental conditions.

Other things to be considered are oxygen depletion, raised carbon dioxide levels, incorrect pH, chemical poisoning including chlorine/chloramine.

Even if no environmental cause can be found, a partial water change will usually rectify the problem. Failing which, there is a slight possibility that the yawning may be associated with gill disease/parasitisation.

HTH

 

[teamfargo]

Well, as the fella yawned 1 hr after coming home, I wouldn't doubt the old water was lousy. I mean, no filter, no heater, scurdy stuff in the water, stunk, etc. My water tested fine here. I am going to keep a close eye on it though as I never add multiple fish to a tank at once. (They are probably 2" fish, but as I took 5 guys home with me that will definately affect the nitrates, etc.)

Thanks for the tip on warning signs. I am usually not such a sucker for rescuing fish...but they couldn't even swim upright as the water level was too low! I just had to get them out of there. Truthfully, I am a bit concerned about what type of infection, etc. might develop after what they have gone thru.

 

[sunflower]

Keeping a close eye on them and you water parameters is probably all you can do for the moment.