do scales grow back?

[robotcholi]

Hey guys,

I got a sarasa comet from LFS and one close inspection, it had lost some scale maybe dude to bad bacteria in the water at LFS. It's about 3"; i'm wondering if the scales will grow back as it gets older. TIA guys.

 

[jsoong]

This is NOT from personal experience:

If scales are missing due to injury (apparently common during spawning, but maybe they are missing due to netting, handling, etc.), they will grow back.

If scale is falling off due to infection, then you'll need to treat the underlying cause.

 

[sweetsuvvyb]

My oranda lost a couple scales a few months back (scraped off in his over rambunctious play in the the very small cave I should replace).

I did a salt dip, just to clean the scrapes up a bit, and all but one have grown in (I've since invested in Melafix, since the salt dip was kind of stressful for the little guy).

It takes some time, but they do grow back.

 

[oscarbreeder]

some scales on my albino Oscar have been missing since I got him almost a year ago.
They hven't grown back yet.

 

[ferret]

well, that's an albino Oscar. Might just be due to the genetic issues inherit in that.. My albino tigers oscars look perfectly healthy but its hard to tell WHERE their scales are except on the red 'stripes'

 

[tkos]

I had some silver tip tetras go through bacterial infection, survived with meds, and they never grew there scales back or missing parts to fins. They are still kicking almost 2 years later, though they are a ragged looking bunch.

 

[robotcholi]

heh thx guys, look like mixed results then

 

[puffergirl]

I will let you know... My black angel scraped his head when he pulled a move and tried to jump out of the tank.

 

[AJ]

It depends on the damage. If it is severe enough to be past the regenerative tissue of the epidermis then they won't grow back.

 

[puffergirl]

Update on my black angel, his head is fine!!! So I would say as long as the wound is not too deep or does not get infected they may grow back.