mouth problem with yellow watchman

[dougboney]

I bought this yellow watchman goby a couple of weeks ago with a pistol shrimp. The goby looked perfect when I first got him. After I put him and the shrimp in the tank, I didn't see them for a couple of days, and then I saw the yellow watchman start poking his head out. Well, the other day, I noticed that there was something wrong with the goby's mouth. It kind of looks like he is missing his lower lip, because it seems like you can see part of his jaw bone. Anyway, pics are in the link below. Any thoughts on what could have happened or is happening or whatever? Thanks in advance.

 

pics

[dougboney]

bump

[dougboney]

bump

[dougboney]

?

[pyrrhus]

he got mauled by something, thats pretty apparent, im not sure if anything will really help him, does he eat? the only thing i could even think of trying is melafix.

[Alx510]

Yeah, I'd say somebody mauled him. Probably competing for food. Melafix is good stuff, but it bubbles alot in the tank and it kinda smells funny...

[dougboney]

yeah... that's what i thought too... but the only other things in the tank were hermits, snails, lettuce nudi, cleaner shrimp, and the pistol shrimp... so i dunno who he was competeing for food with or anything... he's eating pretty good and has always been eating good... it doesn't seem that his "problem" is keeping him from eating.. he runs out every time i put food in the tank and grabs a mouthful of whatever i put in there... he seems content... always perching outside him and the shrimps hole just looking around...

 

and also, i went back to the lfs that i bough him from today and i noticed that the yellow watchman that they still have there seems to have the same "problem..." i didn't have a chance to ask anyone because they were really busy and i was in a hurry and had just stopped by.. i'm gonna try to stop by tomorrow and see if i can find out if they know anything... i'll try some melafix to see if that helps him...