Can fish have scars?

Sprinkle

Sprinkle

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Mar 21, 2020
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My female swordtail got stuck in a human skull decor months ago now, she ripped off her scales, ripped her fins and squashed her belly. A miracle happened, she survived and recovered. I thought she wasn't going to make it, but she did. She lives, healthy and happy, had babies two times. She's a hero and her name's Bun.

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After she healed, now she's got these white patches with no scales on and the white patches never healed.
So my actual question is.. Can fish have scars? This question got me, I need an answer.

IMG_20200907_204011.jpgIMG_20200907_203946.jpgIMG_20200907_203839.jpg
 
Hm that's a really good question, I'm not a professional but I would think so. If animals of all types can have scars, why not fish?
 
No... a scar is the result of wound repair by tissue that is inferior to the tissue it replaces. Mammals and birds have this incomplete regeneration. Lower life forms such as crustaceans, amphibians and fish have complete regeneration, if a leg or a fin is cut off it will regrow just like it was. Fish which have been taken whole bites out of by a predator or have large holes from ulcers can regenerate this providing the water quality is good. Eventually, you won't be able to tell where it was. BTW, the scales are not the skin of the fish, the scales grow out of the skin which is underneath. Even if they could get a scar, it would be like one on your scalp, you wouldn't be able to see it because of the hair.
 
I don't see anything special on the pics. Does the area have scales? If yes it might be normal discoloration due to age, if no and it is just skin they will still have to grow back...

PS; when I say complete regeneration I meant of flesh, skin and fins, not organs or heads.
 
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