Catfish barbel question

[pdandy]

Do certain catfish species have set numbers of barbels? Or does it vary between individuals?

I was looking at my vulture and he has two long and two short barbels, and then one lone barbel on the bottom of his mouth. It's the one lone one that raised the question, I thought they were always paired up?


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[thebiggerthebetter]

AFAIK (and I certainly do not know enough), they are always paired. Bagridae and Ictaluridae e.g. have 8. Pimelodidae, Heptapteridae have 6. Siluridae often have just 2. etc.

Yours is a pim, must have 6. They often may lose one or two, usually only partially, and grow them back.

 

[pdandy]

I'm really surprised but in the three days since I posted this the missing barbel has grown back and is almost 2-3" long already! Super fast!

But....now half of his largest barbel broke off. Is this normal to lose and regrow all the time?


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[thebiggerthebetter]

No, I'd not say it is normal. Unfriendly furniture and boystreous tank mates are usually to blame. Sometimes too small a tank. Although it is a minor injury, it is still an injury and like with any injury, there is a risk of complications/infections.

I doubt the barbel grew that fast. Perhaps there was a stub left that he was babying and keeping pressed against his jaw (white stub against white skin underneath would be hard to see).

 

[pdandy]

No, I'd not say it is normal. Unfriendly furniture and boystreous tank mates are usually to blame. Sometimes too small a tank. Although it is a minor injury, it is still an injury and like with any injury, there is a risk of complications/infections.

I doubt the barbel grew that fast. Perhaps there was a stub left that he was babying and keeping pressed against his jaw (white stub against white skin underneath would be hard to see).

I looked again. It's actually the same one he always had. Still missing the one. Must've been looking at a weird angle


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[thebiggerthebetter]

Other reasons cannot be discounted, I think:
-- genetic mutation
-- complete removal/too big a piece torn off - may not grow back
-- bad infection can too destroy a barbel's base/root