# L. speciosus' jaw stuck open after fighting



## eighteighty (Jan 2, 2019)

I just ordered 6 wild L. speciosus for a 20 long, in hopes to find a pair. 3 died during shipping due to airline delay/malfunction, so I have 3 in my tank nownwith tons and tons of shells and hiding places.

These are the meanest fish I've ever seen. The largest was beating the other two up badly, not allowing them in any shells, so I have him contained in a plastic canister filter tray pressed down into the sand. Now, the other two were fighting so hard that the smaller one's mouth is stuck open- I'm guessing the jaw is either dislocated or broken. It's still breathing through its gills but I don't know what to do. The other 3 fish arrive Wednesday and I was hoping more fish would spread out aggression. I'm worried now that I might end up with just one fish.

Has anyone else kept these fish successfully? I've never seen anything this vicious. They're not just defending a territory; they're actively looking for one another to kill one another.


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## eighteighty (Jan 2, 2019)

Oh yeah... what to do with the fish with its mouth open, feed to my Frontosa to put out of its misery?


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## eighteighty (Jan 2, 2019)

This is what every aquarist wants to see... fish jails


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## eighteighty (Jan 2, 2019)

Update: I have the two largest in fish jail and have the smallest with the stuck-open mouth some food. After a few tries, it's mouth came back and is now like normal. Huge sigh of relief.

I'm still at a loss on how to curb aggression. Best I can think of it trial and error with some dividers once the next 3 arrive. Going to take a lot of supervision


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## judyok (Aug 12, 2014)

I have speciosus as well. I finally had to put them in a 75 gallon to give them some space. They're little savages.


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