missing barbels, pelvic fins?

[dax29]

I've got 2 fish that seem to have some missing parts. A Sterbai cory has no barbels, and an opaline gourami is missing a piece of one of those long, thread-like pelvic fins. Do these things grow back? I really didn't notice them being missing on the Sterbai cory before but now I realize he has no barbels while my three-lined cories have all their barbels. I haven't seen fish picking at them, and you would think that if one cory was having a problem with them being picked-at or worn-off that the others would too. The Sterbai seems okay. He swims around and eats and acts like the other 2 cories. I have a pool filter sand substrate so I don't think that wear is the problem.

The gourami has been missing about half of one of his pelvic fins for 3 weeks. It seems to have come off about a day or so in the tank after I brought the fish home. I assumed it was damaged during netting at the lfs or something.

 

[krap101]

yes those grow back. the barbels are usually bitten off or get worn down in low ph or sharp gravel. so i guess its something about the ph or something bit them..

and for the gourami i think it'll grow back but im not sure

 

[RoK]

One of the fish may have nipped the gourami's ventral fin (feeler). They do grow back, it just takes time. I have no idea about the cory though, sorry.

 

[dax29]

Thanks. I feel better about it now.