Four Line Barbells

[Midwater]

Today in one LFS they had a tank full of Blochii - or at least that is what they look like - just what I wanted. They must have just arrived, and there was a notice on the tank 'Not For Sale Yet', no price and no label.

They were all swimming happily, but I noticed many had reduced or broken barbells, or none at all.

Is that a sign of disease, or from the stress of cargo? Will the barbells grow back quickly?

When they are for sale, assuming no ridiculous price, of course I would choose the ones with a full set of whiskers.

But is it a good or bad sign?

 

[kno4te]

Think they are blochii although I don’t recall the spot by the gill plate. @Fishman Dave @thebiggerthebetter

 

[1 2many]

Not sure if they are Blochii they look like Mystus. Possibly Mystus Vittatus.
Their whiskers can heal but I wouldn’t buy any fish if it looked sick or injured. Wait for them to heal or buy already healthy specimens.

 

[MultipleTankSyndrome]

Definitely striped dwarf catfish like 1 2 many said, the nasal barbels are the dead giveaway.

 

[Midwater]

... they look like Mystus. Possibly Mystus Vittatus.

Yes, that would make sense. Maybe even Mystus Mysticetus, which is a local fish.

 

[1 2many]

Yes, that would make sense. Maybe even Mystus Mysticetus, which is a local fish.

Yes this would be even more likely if they are local to you

 

[Fishman Dave]

You will be able to tell the difference from the eyes. And by the looks of it you don’t need any help as identification is complete. The loss of whiskers will have come from stress and poor water during shipping or storage and transport. They will grow back in good conditions.
note that these will stay considerably smaller than blochii.

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

Agree with the ID as being the Mystus genus. I kept these fish, maybe this exact species, some 14 years ago and off memory I thought they were Mystus mysticetus https://www.planetcatfish.com/common/species.php?species_id=451