Swollen barbels/lower jaw open

[TimCase]

I was away on vacation and the person watching the house and pond noticed that our yellow Yamabuki Butterfly Koi was not closing its mouth, had discolored barbels, and seemed to be only using 1 side fin mainly to get around (first picture). We got home yesterday and while the red marks and size of the barbels seemed to look better, it is still not fully closing the bottom jaw (rest of photos). Thoughts/recommendations on what this might be/what I should do? I did inspect its mouth and it does not appear to have anything stuck inside preventing the jaw from closing. The fish appears perfectly healthy, no issue with fins or mobility, very social and active, and seemingly no discoloration. I do think its impacting its eating as it isn't growing at the same rate as other koi in the pond, but it does eat and come up for food anytime I'm around the pond. Appreciate any advice!

[cindy]

Are the barbels inside the mouth?

[fly4koi]

Yea it looks like something is inside of its mouth...?

[Orlando]

Timcase, your koi unfortunately has a bad deformity in its mouth that you had never seen before or hadn't noticed, there's not much you can do just make sure he's in good water and try to make sure he gets a certain amount of feed just don't feed the pond give that koi some special attention

[fly4koi]

Maybe net the fish up and see if you can take a closer look at its mouth and maybe pull the barbels out if possible?

[TimCase]

Thanks so much for the responses. It certainly looks like the barbels are inside of its mouth but those that do seem to be more a permanent part of its mouth structure and not stuck inside. When its mouth is open I don't see anything else inside. I suspect Orlando is right. Im surprised I didn't see it earlier. It is a beautiful fish and by and large seems to be okay. Special attention it will be.

[coolwon]

It looks like a harelip to me. As in human beings.

In the first and third pic, it looks like it is swallowing it's top lip which is in a V shape sucked in toward it's palate.Which makes the

barbels out of alignment in relation to

the bottom pair,which are in the normal position on either side the bottom lip.

It's grown to the size it is,just let it be.

It's coped to attain the size it is up to now.