Swollen face: Pinktail

[hrdneglcry]

What could cause a swollen face in a Triggerfish? Its below the fishes mouth. It looks like a tumor or maybe an infection. It looks like a chimpmunk with a mouth full or accorns. The fish eats and acts normally. But that looks uncomfortable. Its more noticeable from the from straight on view.

 

[vetteguy53081]

What could cause a swollen face in a Triggerfish? Its below the fishes mouth. It looks like a tumor or maybe an infection. It looks like a chimpmunk with a mouth full or accorns. The fish eats and acts normally. But that looks uncomfortable. Its more noticeable from the from straight on view.

Cam ne infection es[eecially if fed shellfish or krill with shell sill attached, However these fish do glass surf a lot in which they chase their reflection on the glass and end up with these facial infections. Pic is a little dark to determine. Please repost under Bright white lighting, No blues

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

What could cause a swollen face in a Triggerfish? Its below the fishes mouth. It looks like a tumor or maybe an infection. It looks like a chimpmunk with a mouth full or accorns. The fish eats and acts normally. But that looks uncomfortable. Its more noticeable from the from straight on view.

Could well be an abscess - the skin of triggerfish is so tough that any underlying infection tends to get walled off.

Did this show up rapidly (say over a few days) or did it grow over a few week's time?

A head on shot under white lights will help us, a video would be even better (gives us different angles).

 

[hrdneglcry]

Sorry it took so longer. Its growing and takes time. It seems like it started at like a wound on his front lip which is no longer there. Then it grew over time. It will probably kill him as it it growing. One side is larger. You can see it well if you look for a minute. The bottom pic really shows it.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Sorry it took so longer. Its growing and takes time. It seems like it started at like a wound on his front lip which is no longer there. Then it grew over time. It will probably kill him as it it growing. One side is larger. You can see it well if you look for a minute. The bottom pic really shows it.

That does look like an abscess. A veterinarian might try lancing it, but I’m not sure if you should try that yourself without a fish anesthetic.