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I have a juvenile shubunkin (about 3-4" long) who was in good health (at least visually) when I bought it about 4 months ago. Recently, I have noticed that the fish seems to have its' mouth locked open. It will not close. It swims around fine, and otherwise appears healthy, although it's gills seem to be held open wider and more often than most fish. I have examined the fish twice out of water (in my hand), and cannot see anything it its' mouth which would be stuck. The "hinges" at either side of its' mouth seem to work fine, since I can close the mouth manually. <br>What could be causing it? Is it a sign of a serious illness, or maybe something caught deeper in its' throat? Is there anything else I can do for it?<br>Please help! He/she's a cute little one, and I hate to see it in what might be a painful or awkward condition.<br>Thanks in advance!

do a head count of the other fish in with him and see if anyone is missing...and also check and see that all other "odd shaped/larger objects" are not missing as well...

Also wonder if he could have popped it out of joint somehow

Is he able to eat and not have it fall back out of his mouth?

Otherwise i'm at a loss, i know goldies in general will swallow anything even if they don't mean to...heidi

"I've got a great ambition to die of exhaustion rather than boredom." Thomas Carlyle

Thanks for the reply-
He/she's actually the smallest fish in the pond, not including any possible tiny goldie fry (there were eggs about 1 month sgo). There aren't any small things in the pond it could have swallowed, except maybe a fallen leaf (it would have deteriorated after a while though, wouldn't it?), and a couple of loose pieces of neon pink aquarium gravel (I looked for this in the fishes' mouth, but could not see anything).
The "hinges" of it's mouth looked fine, although I guess I could re-examine them. The fish seems fine, other than seeming to hold its' gills open a little wider. I cannot tell if it is able to eat (there's kind of a free-for-all with the 8 other, bigger koi and goldfish I have in there), but I will try to find out this weekend.

Thanks again for your help!