Syntadonis Broken whisker?

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M

meBNme

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Oct 10, 2011
162
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Central North Carolina
I have a 6" synodontis hybrid that has somehow managed to become injured.
His main left Barbel is broken about 1/4" from his mouth and is just kind of hanging/dangling from the broken spot. There is no other sign of injury.

He was fine two days ago, then when I looked in again, I noticed two plants uprooted, a power head knocked sideways and this fella sporting a war wound.

I can only speculate that my 14" polypterus indlicheri had one of his "0 to 100 mph" moments and like a bull in a china shop somehow managed to injure the cat.

He seems to be OK other than favoring that barbel, and he avoids brushing against things on that side and is not as playful with the shovelnose cat and sturgeon as normal.

The dangling portion of the barbel does have a little pink/red hue from time to time.



How dangerous is this to him? What is the best course of action?
Will the dangling portion fall off, regrow, heal at an angle?

Ive treated the water with PRIME and "QuICK Cure"
 
Catfish damage barbels, fins and skin often. Almost always, it heals by itself fine. However, there is only a 1/4" stub remains, right? That's a rare injury of the kind that carries a higher probability of having irreversible effects.

The broken piece will fall off. If the end looks inflamed, I'd add a prophylactic dose of an antibiotic. Keep an eye on the possible barbel rot.
 
Thank you a ton!
With a total length of 1.25 to 1.5 inch barbel, of which is broken at approx 1.4 inch, will it likely grow back?
Right now the dangling end has turned mostly white, and just the very tip of the good end has whitened. What does that suggest to you?
 
I've never had a cat lose such a huge portion of a barbel, so I don't dare to predict with any degree of certainty. Neither have I come across such a problem with other keepers. I think it should grow back.

It is not uncommon for other cats to have two barbels grow out of the same stub.

White is good. Red is bad. If I saw red, I'd treat.
 
Awesome! Thanks for your time!


I've been having a HECK OF A TIME trying to get this band aid on him!
I even tried using a Flintstones band aid and it just keeps slipping off!



Naaaah... I've had the little raskal since he was about 1 inch. I nicknamed him hoover after the vacuum cleaners.
I hate to see harm come to him.
 
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