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Is it just me or is something really wrong with this poor Oscars mouth?

I think theres something really wrong or its the worst camera angle ever!!

http://gallery.pethobbyist.com/index.php?photo=193201

Last edited by angeleel at 03-Mar-2005 11:42

I'd say it is most def deformed.

From what I've read, I understand Oscars to be one of the more inbred fish in the hobby.

This leads to them being very susceptible to diseases such as HITH, and deformities are pretty common.

I've noticed a lot of stock around me in the 2-5 inch range having eye issues. Like one is larger than the other, ect ect.

Grossly deformed mouths are not very common deformities of birth though. Or at least not commonly found on larger fish. As they have to compete for food as fry and small fish, and usually those with deformed mouths, do not survive. Most grossly mouth deformities of adults, are more from complications from fighting and/or injury and such. My guess is that, that is what has happened here. I have seen many a male (especially) fish with a deformed mouth from fighting. However, I cannot ever recall a direct gross mouth deformity on any fish I have seen, that was a birth defect. I have seen deformities in the mouth design, such as appearance of a condition called pug mouth, or pug face. But that is a defect that still leaves the mouth to function properly. In the pic, the mouth is not set to function properly, so I would not guess it to be a birth defect.

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There is always a bigger fish...

that could very well be a deformity due to fighting but imo it really reminds me of the [link=Elephant God flowerhorn]http://www.flowerhornusa.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=6466&hl=" style="COLOR: #FFFFFF[/link]. The mouth on this fish is from a birth defect and looks very similar to that poor oscar. I'm have no doubt that such deformities can come from massive inbreeding and there are some people that think that kind of thing is cute. The Elephant God is unfortunately proof of that. Of course there's no way to know for sure, but either way I feel sorry for the poor guy.

So sad, even worse is that I found it on a well known fish site,they had this in there photo gallery like its normal!!!

Thank god my poor babys are not like that!

Angel Eel

I find that terribly ugly... poor fishies. Who could find that cute?! They must be the type to find bulldogs cute, too... :%)