When I turned on my tank lights this morning, I couldn't see my paradise fish in his tank. Then, to my horror, I noticed he was stuck. I had a glass container in there with a plant in it and some large stones. He had somehow squeezed himself down into the stones and gotten stuck there. I got him out but he was very pale and swollen looking. He ripped his tail, trying to get out I guess. The lower half of his tail is ripped off right at the base and he has some small tears on his upper fins. Since I got him out he has mostly been hanging out near the top. His colours are coming back, and when I just went to check on him he swam to the front of the tank to see me, so I think he's gonna be ok. Very sad about his beautiful tail, but I'm just happy he's alive.
So I'm just wondering if his tail will grow back, and if there is anything I can do to help? Thanks.

poor thing. i dont know for sure, but I do think he'll make a full recovery as long as no worse injuries make themselves known. Lucky you found him in time.

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"Being ignorant is not so much a Shame, as being unwilling to learn".-- Benjamin Franklin

His tail should grow back. I had a large goldfish that I unwittingly put in a tank with three tinfoil barbs and they shred his tail fin to nothing overnight. I put him back in my other tank and about a month or so later his tail was back in full bloom like nothing happened. Not sure if it depends on species but I would guess it will grow back.

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75gal - 3 tinfoil barbs, 2 convict cichlids, 1 syndontis, 1 fire eel, 1 pleco
55gal - 6 black neon tetras, 3 lyretail dalmation mollies, 3 emerald green corys, 2 albino corys, 1 zigzag loach, 1 kuhli loach, ,1 rubber lipped pleco, 1 otocinclus, 1 goldfish

Paradise fish are really tough. Like a lot of fighting species, they have amazing recuperative abilities. The tail may never be as big as before the injury, but it'll be back and it'll be nice.

He's doing a little better now. Swimming around a little bit, although alot slower than usual, and he ate normally. Doesn't seem to have any body injuries. I'm so glad he's ok, I've gotten really attatched to him, he has so much personality, even more so now that he's in a tank of his own.

If he is perking up so well I think he'll be fine, and his tail will grow back, as mentioned it's possible that it might not be quite as big as before. For the next week it would be a good idea to make sure you keep his water extra clean to help his wounds heal and keep an eye out for fin rot or fungus infections. A little salt in the water can help to prevent infections if you are worried about it.

Update- my paradise fish (Diego) is doing very well. Doesn't seem to have any trouble swimming, and there is about 3 mm of new growth already on his tail. I've been keeping his water really clean, but I think I'm going to add a little salt today when I do a WC because there's a tiny bit of white that looks like it may be the beginning of fin rot. I have some of this stuff sitting around Betta Revive and was wondering if anyone knows if its ok to add along with salt? Thanks

That's quite the mix of ingredients on the med - wow.

I'd concentrate on regular large water changes and let Diego heal. Watch the white on the fins, but if it's small keep it clean.
Salt is good, but is a source of stress.
I used to keep paradise fish in a pond at the school I work in, and every fall when I brought them in, I'd have many more than I could handle. While I was busy giving them away, they'd fight, and I learned just how quickly they rebound from things that would kill a less aggressive fish. They have an amazing ability to rebound without medications, as long as the water is clean.

Ok, I'll just keep up with the water changes, the white is a very tiny spot (not like ich or anything but just a fuzzy spot on the edge of the fin). Thanks.

It might just be the damaged, dead fin rotting away as long as it doesn't start eating into healthy tissue I wouldn't worry. Glad he's doing okay.

Diego's tail is quickly growing back. Here are some pics of him, before the injury, and one taken today. It was the bottom half of his tail that ripped off. It's hard to tell from the pics but it is growing back with some blue colour in it which is kinda neat. Just wanted to share some pics.

bet he dosnt go in that jar again.

I took it out, cause he probably would lol. He's kind of a brat.

It has been a month and a half, just wanted to report that Diego's tail has 90% grown back, and it looks great. It grew back with a blue streak in the middle that wasn't there before.

Glad he's okay .