Loach Messed Up His Face

[Jessu]

I noticed I had been only seeing one loach. So I tore the aquarium apart looking for the other one. Normally when one goes missing he is well hidden in a plant. I took all the plants out and still no loach. Then I was worried he was slithering around the house somewhere. I searched the whole house with no luck. The only remaining things in the tank were 2 rock formations I have had in the tank since when I first got it. I got the loach in 2007. After 3 years of him ignoring them I never would have thought he would have burrowed all the way under the gravel and inside the hallow formation, but he did. He messed up his face in the process. It’s been growing back but it looks deformed and he has been skittish since it happened.
Is it normal for it to look like this when it grows back?

[Obsidius]

:| Poor guy!! I hope he has a swift and happy recovery...

[fishorama]

Oh my! That looks awful! Poor fish, can he eat like that? The scrape on his cheek doesn't look that bad, but the bubbled look on his nose...I'd be tempted to start an antibiotic like maybe kanamycin? if lots of water changes don't help soon. Best of luck with him.

[Jessu]

He is having no trouble eating. He is eating the flakes that are stuck to the filter intake right now. He doesn't seem to be in any discomfort. Acting pretty normal, but he was a little more skittish after. That could be do to the lack of hiding spots since I haven't redecorated the tank and the few plants I put back he uprooted with the other loach.