Any hope for this Bolivian?

[Vale!]

Further to the post, above, where I 'expected' the fish eventually to make a full recovery ...

I've been looking online through papers which deal with tissue regeneration in fish. A general approach revealed a lot of work on fins, spinal cord, nervous system more widely, heart and retina. All of these seem to demonstrate remarkable abilities to regenerate following severe damage in some/most/all species - zebrafish to the fore as might have been predicted!

Then I decided to see if there was anything on opercula specifically. There was, albeit a bit ancient : "Regeneration of certain structures in Fundulus heteroclitus" by C.V.Morell jnr., published in 1906!

The subject fish is a marine/brackish one, going by the common names: mummichog (!) ; and Atlantic killifish. I don't know if tissue regeneration in dwarf cichlids is comparable, but here's the relevant section dealing with opercula:

"On January 15, 1906, a set of six fish had a piece of the
operculum removed, in order to determine whether the actual
bony structures of the fish would regenerate. The piece re
moved was about one eighth of an inch broad and half an inch
long, and was taken from the lower posterior border. Six weeks
later two of these fish remained, but showed no signs of regen
eration. A few days later, these also died. One fish with
operculum cut as above was kept in a dish in the laboratory for
four months, but at the end of this time showed no signs of re
generation.
The same experiment was tried with two sets of fifteen fish
each at Wood's Hole. These fish were kept from June 20,.
1906, to August 25, 1906, but at the end of this period showed
no signs of regeneration.
Fish operated on in the above manner are sometimes difficult
to keep alive since the gills are at first exposed to attacks of
parasites and the nibbling of other fish. In a short time, how
ever, the branchiostegal membrane spreads over and partly closes
the opening."

So I may have to rein back a little on my original firm 'expectation'. I still feel that your fish will survive though, all other things being equal. I'm now less hopeful that the operculum will regenerate completely, but touching wood that the fish will have a strategy to 'protect' the wound.

[Sixo]

Brilliant thanks for digging that up for me!

Will persevere with garlic (in addition to the alder cones & almond leaves already in the tank)

Will keep melafix as an option though but maybe just see how adding Garlic goes for now. There's a few mixed reviews on it. But suppose that's the same with anything you see on Amazon these days!

It's going to be interesting to see how he/she gets on. Seems to have made him/herself at home already do hopefully can live a happy life free from further attack.

[Sixo]

Should I be worried about the white patch of skin or is that likely to just be scarring?

[Vale!]

I can't quite make out the detail but … if it's fluffy-looking, as though it's got fungus growing, it's not particularly good news ; but if it's obviously just normal skin gone white it shouldn't be cause for alarm in itself - it's symptomatic of the fish's normal response to injury. [as an aside, I believe that the white spots of ich are the same thing - the white spots aren't actually the parasites ; rather, they're produced by the fish's immune response (antibodies etc.). I'll have to check that if I can]

[Sixo]

I wouldn't say it's fluffy to be honest, Will treat for the wound and see how things go.

[Netsu]

Hope it makes a full recovery.

[Sixo]

I'm not particularly a fan of Melafix, so I don't feel qualified to comment on it!

Some really mixed opinions out there on the stuff!

[Fishtales]

Aw that poor BR Well done giving it a nice new home. I have my fingers crossed it pulls through and your TLC results in a happy healthy fishy

[Sixo]

Will keep you all informed how he gets on, will need to think of a name

[plankton]

Melafix will reduce stress and help prevent secondary infection.
I'm not sure it even claims to cure anything(?).......it's great for stress reduction though, especially in corys.