Loaches Online Forum

I have had two of these guys forever and they are about 4". I got them two buddies (I have tried increasing their numbers many times over the years and always lose the newcomers. I consider them nervouse fish.) I think these old timers can help out the new comers. I bought the two because they were larger than all the rest for sale, which makes them about 2" and about a 1/4 the size of the adults.

My question is: I found out that one of the small guys is missing his whiskers. Will this hinder him? Will he grow them back? The four of them loosely hang out together. He lost his whiskers before he came home to me. The other three fish are flawless.

Usually fish can regrow whiskers, fins and sales (of course most cats are scaleless) if the loss was from an accident or disease that did not deeply affect the fish. For example, fin rot that just damages the edges of the fins does not cause permanent damage. The fish will re-grow the fin. Fin rot allowed to go on until the base of the fin is gone may result in a distorted fin, or no re-growth. Often disease or injury this bad can kill the fish.
Similarly the Glass cats can re-grow the whiskers as long as the fish is healthy.

If there is a genetic problem, and the fish never had whiskers, then no, they are not likely to grow.

This ghost is flawless except the missing whiskers, so I think fin rot is unlikely. He has nubs of whiskers. Looks like someone ate them.

I was just worried that the lack of whiskers could hinder him. He is hanging out with the other ghosts and I am pretty sure he is eating, so I guess he'll be okay.