PlanetCatfish.com

So for a few weeks I noticed one of my LFS had a large glass cat (2-3") by itself in a tank with red tail barracudas and purple spotted gobys. The fish seemed very stressed and it wasn't labeled on the tank and I thought it was either going to be moved or die. Maybe two more visits to that LFS later (2-3 weeks later) he was still there. I ended up buying him to add to my school of seven and to spare him from such a terrible fate.

I noticed when I got home one of his whiskers was bent in half. It looked really thick up until the bend and the rest looked like it was going to fall off. He ate the next morning when I fed them, he tried joining the school but now he is just hiding by himself with an occasional buddy who comes and goes between that spot and the school.

Today I looked at him and that whisker broke off where it was bent, so now he is left with maybe a quarter whisker.

He seems to eat (slowly, but surely) and he does like the attention of other glass cats but he is not acting totally normal. He could be stressed since it's a new tank which is what I am thinking.

I am wondering if his whisker will ever grow back normal. I know it's not good for them when their whiskers are damaged.

Barbels normaly grow back if the fish is in good condition. Sometimes fungus can appear on the tip of the broken barbel but that's more of an indication of bacterials - meaning that the fish is struggling with its health condition. That calls for attention.
But I wouldn't be worried if it seems to be in good condition apart from the broken barbel. I don't think the odd behaviour you describe is about the barbel. Most probably stress caused by other issues such as the lack of schoal at the LFS and/or moving and/or water parameters.

I recently puchased a number of Sorubims. They all had very shortened barbels (everything from almost gone and 1/2) but they grew back with an astounding speed. Four days later all of them sported their elegant long antennae.

Okay, that sounds really good!

I am just hoping that the poor little guy will be okay, but now I think he will.