Arowana barbel. what they really do?

[yanfloist]

The barbels do not grow back to the original length. Arowanas that don't have it look very odd. For the blue/black and silver arowana, the long appendages on the pelvic fins also don't grow back to the original length. But like someone mentioned above, there could be ways to make them grow back again. When I first bought my blue arowana, it was flawless. However, the blue was very sensitive to my water and the long appendages on the pelvic fins fell off. I was angry, but it was my fault because I didn't acclimate it correctly.

 

[Death Pony]

They won't grow back if the root of the barbel is removed. As long as the base is there, they will grow back, but not to the full length.
They definitely use their barbels for sensing surface disturbances. I did this with a silver at an LFS in a large pond. It put my finger tip in the water at the other side of the very long pond and the aro darted over and tried to bite. An oscar almost beat the 24" aro to me, which was pretty impressive.

 

[Retuks]

The barbels do not grow back to the original length. Arowanas that don't have it look very odd. For the blue/black and silver arowana, the long appendages on the pelvic fins also don't grow back to the original length. But like someone mentioned above, there could be ways to make them grow back again. When I first bought my blue arowana, it was flawless. However, the blue was very sensitive to my water and the long appendages on the pelvic fins fell off. I was angry, but it was my fault because I didn't acclimate it correctly.

HAHAHAHAHAHA what a funny way to say something else in your tank bit them off while u were away.

 

[sbuse]

The barbels do not grow back to the original length. Arowanas that don't have it look very odd. For the blue/black and silver arowana, the long appendages on the pelvic fins also don't grow back to the original length. But like someone mentioned above, there could be ways to make them grow back again. When I first bought my blue arowana, it was flawless. However, the blue was very sensitive to my water and the long appendages on the pelvic fins fell off. I was angry, but it was my fault because I didn't acclimate it correctly.

not true on the pelvic fins...when my silver jumped out it was on the floor for at least 8 min...the pelvic fin appendages dried up and fell off...with in a few weeks they were back to normal, if not longer...

 

[Venom SS]

Say what you will but barbles do grow back. When I got mine it was being kept too long in a smaller tank and it had rubbed its barbles off on the glass from turning around and such. Ive had it about 6 months now and they have fully recovered.