skunk cory cat without barbels

[xomoosecandiixo]

i bought a skunk cory at my LFS two days ago, and after i put him in my tank and let him swim around for awhile, i noticed he didnt have barbels. i checked my smaller, julii cory cat who has been in my tank for 3 weeks and he had barbels. so my skunk cory cat must have lost them at the store. my question is, how long will it take for him to regrow his barbels? if he does that is

 

[Etunes]

It will probally take a couple of weeks to notice a change. You need to make sure that infection dosen't set in, do keep a eye on him. If he does get a infection i would QT him and trwat him. Just to make sure, what do you have in the tank? Just to make sure 1 of your fish did't do it while getting to curious about the new fish.

 

[xomoosecandiixo]

well i noticed it (sortof) while he was on the way home. he actually has very very short ones.
but in my tank i have 3 zebra danios, and 2 painted platties.
neither groups have bothered him since i put him in. everyday i see him scanning the water line swimming sideways with his belly touching the outside glass of the tank. ive maybe seen my julii cory do this about 3 times. so i didnt know if that was normal or not. also, i havent seen him eat anything...? =/

 

[Etunes]

First, when you go feed your tank tonight You need to sit there and watch the cory and see if he eats. What are you feeding him? Second, what do you mean about him swimming at the water line? Is he just swimming at the water line sometimes? Does he ever go to the bottom? Is he swimming upside down?

 

[xomoosecandiixo]

tropical flake and bottom feeder pellets. and he swims against the tank wall at the top of my water(water line?) he does go to the bottom and spends time with my catfish. i only see him swimming against the wall once in awhile. its kinda hard to explain. but i never see him digging through the gravel for food. and no to swimming upside down.
heres a semi good photo of him with my other catfish. and if you look real good, you can see that he has no barbels
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/members/25074-albums672-picture4680.jpg

 

[Etunes]

To me it just sounds like you have a normal cory with a very small injury. I would say he will be fine over time. I would say he is not siffting for food in the gravel because he is missing his barbels. But just watch him and don't worry he will be fine. As for him swimming the glass like that, that is normal and your diet for them is fine. Just to make sure cories like to be in a group of 3 or more. You have that many right?

 

[xomoosecandiixo]

I have 2. For my third i wanted a panda cory, but my LFS didnt have any. However, the owner said he'd order some and they should be in around wednesday, so that will be when i buy my third cory. Or fourth.