Rainbow cichlid - pretty bad injury

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The OP was asking for opinions. I tendered mine. In a situation where a fish is missing half its face, unable to eat and going to remain in the same tank where the injury occurred I think euthanasia needs to be on the table as an option. I guess it is Easier to come into the conversation a week later.
That being said I am happy the fish is doing better. Still continue to update us as I am hopeful to see a full recovery.
 
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The Morning said:
The OP was asking for opinions. I tendered mine. In a situation where a fish is missing half its face, unable to eat and going to remain in the same tank where the injury occurred I think euthanasia needs to be on the table as an option. I guess it is Easier to come into the conversation a week later.
That being said I am happy the fish is doing better. Still continue to update us as I am hopeful to see a full recovery.
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For the record, I don’t think there was a wrong opinion initially... it was definitely significant damage. I was honestly figuring it may go that way as well but I wanted to see if anyone had an idea or relatable situation previously and I was going to give it some time... luckily this fish started eating within a couple days of the injury so I was able to decide to try and rehabilitate. I appreciated all the input, sometimes people need to hear it after all - good or bad.
 
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Just dropping an update - this fish made it! He’s definitely got a good side and an “other” side but overall appears to have adjusted. 100% blind with no eye on the one side but he seems to have figured out how to go about his business unaffected for all intents and purposes. Eating fine and now often hangs out with the Oscar - which leads me to believe maybe it was one of the aggressive FM’s I returned to LFS after this injury occurred. Anyway, a few pictures...

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Great news. Glad you didn’t take my advice. Always good to see a fish recover from a significant injury like that. Keep the updates coming but looks like he is out of the woods.
 
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Healing up nicely!
Just keep an eye out for aggression (no pun intended).
My gt lost its eye to Popeye (caused by a leporinus bite), and just as he was almost done recovering (2 months later), the leporinus thought it would be funny to kill him.
 
Deadeye said:
Healing up nicely!
Just keep an eye out for aggression (no pun intended).
My gt lost its eye to Popeye (caused by a leporinus bite), and just as he was almost done recovering (2 months later), the leporinus thought it would be funny to kill him.
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?... the only fish I need to worry about is the Oscar in terms of size, aggression and/or interest in eating other fish in the tank. It “seems” that this fish is just big enough that the Oscar won’t eat it (or try again, still don’t know what happened to the rainbow for sure). Just a couple small plecos and some SDs in there with him besides the O now. I’m certainly making sure the O is always well fed. Plenty of cover for the rainbow.
 
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