Red tail catfish short on barbels (mutation ?)

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V

Vansibel

Feeder Fish
Jun 15, 2010
3
0
0
Canada
Hey everyone,

I recently purchased a small red tail catfish (about 4 inch) and I noticed something quite odd: from what I saw and read about this fish anatomy it is supposed to have a total of 6 barbels, 2 on each side of the mouth and 4 smaller under his jaw. But mine as a total of 4 barbels, 2 big on the upper jaw and 2 almost as big and wide under it's jaw. I am absolutely positive that the missing barb weren't removed or the fish hurt. Also, I feed him massive shrimp and night crawler but his tail is still not red (probably because of his young age). Can it be an hybrid (if so what is the other fish) or is it just a common mutation for those fishes ?

catfish_1.jpg

catfish_2.jpg

catfish_3.jpg
 
I am no catfish expert but it looks like a healthy RTC to me .

Not sure about the barbles though.... I am sure some one will chime in with more knowledge about that.
 
The tail will get more Red with age.

Having 4 barbels happens sometimes, might be a region thing or just random. I know mine had 4 and it's all he ever had... Lost him when the old pond leaked out but one of the coolest fish I've had. Hope you have a big tank, they grow super fast.
 
I think yours and someone else on monster fish keeper, might have been polish, that I have seen with 4 whiskers and not 6. I don't think it's normal, but a oddball indeed.
 
Hes looking great and yeh colour comes with age :)
 
polish;4214402; said:
Yep, mine did too...

Old pics here.

http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=189144
Click to expand...

Nice catfish, I feel for your lost. From what I see this is clearly leaning toward a genetic variation. Where I live those fish are not commonly kept in pet stores and last month when I purchased it only 2 store had RTC and they probably came from the same place because both of them had only 4 barbels. And after I purchased mine the store had another one the next week and it also had 4 barbels, which may actually be a dominant genetic trait (can hardly be a coincidence, unless those fish were intentionally sold because of their unusual trait). I never had RTC before but this one eat like a pig, and it is the only fish of the tank who dare to steal night crawlers from the very mouth of a clarias 8 time it's size, so it's definitely healthy.
 
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