Above: The picture above shows a large mature premium quality Tinfoil Barb, swimming in one of our aquariums, when one of us took this picture. This is a very hardy fish.

Comments: This is a Premium Pet Fish, and we never see Tinfoil Barbs like these in any of the live fish stores and online stores that we visit.

Premium Pet Fish are more energetic, hardier, and have brighter colors with a beautiful metallic sheen.

Click here to learn more about Premium Pet Fish.

Origin: Their ancestors originally lived in a wide area in Southeast Asia, but now Tinfoil Barbs live in aquariums throughout most of the world.

Maximum Size: In aquariums Tinfoil Barbs can grow to be about 12" long, including their tails. Sometimes very old Tinfoil Barbs are even bigger.

The biggest we've ever seen was about 14" long.

Behaviors: This is a fish that constantly swims fast and is rarely aggressive but will eat small fish that fit into its mouth.

Compatibility: Some recommended tank mates include other Barbs, Rainbowfish, Clown Loaches, larger Gouramis, and many other medium to larger size aquarium fish.

Click here to read more about compatible groups of pet fish.

Temperature: Tinfoil Barbs can live pretty well from about 65 to 80 degrees F., but they're probably most comfortable at about 74 degrees F.

Click here to learn about aquarium temperature, aquarium thermometers, and aquarium heaters.

Feeding: Premium Fish Food Flakes when small and small Premium Pellet Food when larger.

Click here to learn more about and shop online for premium fish foods.

Water Conditions: Tinfoil Barbs seem to be tolerant of a wide range of water conditions.

Probably a pH of about 7 with moderate hardness is best.

Most water in the US has a higher pH and is harder but seems to be OK, so it's probably best NOT to adjust the pH or the hardness of the water.

Here in our facilities the water is hard and the pH is usually about 7.8. We ship them in this water.

Click here for a lot more information about aquarium water conditions.

Aquarium Size: It is probably best to house these fish in at least a 30-gallon aquarium, but more is better.

Keep at most one Tinfoil Barb per 2-gallons, when they're small.

Larger Tinfoil Barbs need about 10-gallons per Tinfoil Barb.

Decor: Tinfoil Barbs do not need gravel, and a layer of gravel more than 1/4" thick will usually fill with bits of uneaten food that will contaminate the water.

Click here for more about aquarium gravel.

Live Plants are beautiful and improve the water quality.

Aquarium Filter: Bio-Wheel Filters are highly recommended.

A Penguin 200B Filter in an aquarium with 20 to 30-gallons of water is OK.

Eventually this fish needs to live in a much larger aquarium with as many Penguin 350B Filters as will fit along the back of the aquarium.

Click here to learn more about aquarium filters.

The addition of Lava Rocks will keep nitrates in the ideal range.

Click here to learn more about using Lava Rocks in aquariums.

Life Span: Tinfoil Barbs can live for several years with good water and good food.

Gender: Male Tinfoil Barbs become much redder, as they mature, and females get plumper, as they fill with eggs.

Breeding: Tinfoil Barbs scatter a large number of eggs on plants or special breeding mops made of nylon yarn.

Popularity: Tinfoil Barbs are an old time favorite and still remain very popular.

If you patiently raise them up, you'll be amazed by their colors.

Names: The scientific name of Tinfoil Barbs is Barbonymus schwanenfeldii or sometimes Barbonymus altus.

Variations: There are a couple of slight variations, and there may be a couple of different similar species. There is also an albino variation.

We hope you've enjoyed reading these comments.

DrTom - 09/03/2015