Barbels wearing away

CAPSLOCK

CAPSLOCK

Elite Fish
#1
Jul 19, 2004
3,682
33
48
39
Cape Cod
#1
Does anyone know what causes catfish barbels to wear away? My hoplo catfish in my 30g seem to be losing their barbels. The cories in the same tank have no problem with their barbels. The gravel isn't sharp... it's a mixture of gravel and crushed coral. The pH in the tank is about 7.8, it's 7.2 out of my tap and 6.8 in the tank that they used to be in, but they've been in the 30g for a month or so now and this started pretty recently (like over the weekend or more recently, not entirely sure). Ammonia/nitrites are zero, nitrates are low. Temp 76-78 or so.

Any ideas/suggestions?

Would the rainbowfish pick on them? The barbels look more like they're wearing away than being nibbled, but I can't really tell.
 

Fishckabibble

Fishckabibble

Large Fish
#2
Jan 13, 2006
792
2
0
Colorado
#2
i have heard the celebes rainbows can be nippy but i have no experience with them, i know most other rainbows are naturally peacful and tend to mind their own business, it may just be from getting them caught on something or if it rubs its face on the glass or gravel alot it can cause them to wear down, it could also be the gourami or angel doing it to him.
 

CAPSLOCK

CAPSLOCK

Elite Fish
#5
Jul 19, 2004
3,682
33
48
39
Cape Cod
#5
No other symptoms, and the cories in the same tank aren't affected (some in another tank have had this problem for a long time, though).

What would I treat a bacterial infection with? Melafix and Pimafix?
 

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