- Photos
- Natural Habitat. The Tinfoil barb is indigenous to Mekong and Chao Phraya basins, Malay Peninsula, Borneo and Sumatra in Indonesia, Southeast Asia.
- Feeding. Tinfoil Barbs will accept most types of food, so give them a varied diet of pellets, flakes, algae wafers, frozen and freeze-dried foods.
What do Tinfoil barbs eat?
This fish is an omnivore and will happily eat meaty foods and plant-based meals. For meaty foods, tinfoil barbs will accept live, frozen, and freeze-dried varieties. For plant-based foods, algae wafers, spirulina, and vegetables are all acceptable. Tinfoil barbs are docile fish whose size belies their easy care.
What do you feed a barb fish?
It will eagerly feed on cucumber, spinach, lettuce and other vegetables and fruit. However, this barb can also eat its smaller tank mates. Feed the fish 2-3 times a day with amount of food that it can eat in 5 minutes.
How to set up a tinfoil barbs fish tank?
Proper planning to set up your tank: In case you want to keep Tinfoil Barbs, you need to set up a big tank that can hold 176litres of water. The type of fish you want to keep along with invertebrates will determine the size of the tank.
How many Tinfoil barbs should be in a group?
Tinfoil Barbs are a schooling species and hence should be kept in a group of five at least. If these fishes are kept in a group, they are less stressed and feel comfortable. It would also help them to maintain a broader range of natural behavior. Most of their lives, the Tinfoil Barbs spend in the middle and the bottom levels of the aquarium.
What fish go well with tinfoil barbs?
Large and non-aggressive fish like bala sharks work best, although smaller schooling species are also often housed with tinfoil barbs. Oscars and other non-aggressive cichlids are common tank mates.
How long does a tinfoil barb live for?
Tinfoil barbs migrate back to their natal spawning ground to reproduce. They are an egg-scattering species, so they do not care for their eggs after spawning. Female tinfoil barbs can produce several thousand eggs per spawn. They have a lifespan of 20 years.
How fast do tinfoil barb's grow?
I have seen the tinfoil barbs at work grow from 2 inches to 5 inches in three months. If you've had them for a year and they're only 4 inches they are most likely stunted and might not live the lifespan they normally would.
Are tinfoil barbs omnivores?
Since they are omnivorous, the Tinfoil Barb will generally eat all kinds of live, fresh, and flake foods. To keep a good balance, give them a high quality flake food every day. They will also like some live food treats like worms or shrimps. But even though they like proteins, they need lots of vegetable foods.
Are tinfoil barbs bottom feeders?
Tinfoil Barbs mainly live in freshwater. They prefer large and medium rivers, streams, and canals, going into flooded fields to spawn and feed. These fish flourish in the middle and bottom levels of the water basin.
How can you tell if a tinfoil barb is male or female?
Sexing: Sexing Tinfoil barbs is a bit tricky, since there are no obvious difference between males and females. Breeding: The Tinfoil barb is an egg scattering species and the female Tinfoil barb can produce several thousand eggs per spawning. Since Tinfoil barbs grow so large, they are not easy to breed in captivity.
Do tinfoil barbs eat algae?
Food. A tinfoil barb will eat just about anything, preferring plant matter, but also consuming meat when it's available. This makes it easy to feed a barb, who can eat algae, flakes, pellets, chopped worms, spinach, mosquito larvae and brine shrimp.
What size tank does a tinfoil barb need?
70 gallonsTinfoil Barbs can reach an adult size over a foot in length so it is essential to house this fish in a larger aquarium of at least 70 gallons in size.
Can you eat tinfoil barb?
This is one of the most delicious fish I know. It has one problem - it's a carp, so you have to deal with a number of branching spines in the flesh. My favorite way of eating it is skin-on fillets dusted with rice flour and fried in olive oil but it is very good steamed or baked whole or as fillets.
Can tinfoil barbs live with cichlids?
Tom foil barbs are friendly and non-aggressive fish. They should be kept in groups of 4 or more. They will swim in middle or lower part of aquarium. You can have goldfish, angels, cichlids, Oscars with them.
Are tinfoil barbs aggressive?
Temperament. For the most part, tinfoil barbs are mild-mannered and get along with most other fish. They may, however, nip at and cause damage to fish with long trailing fins, such as angelfish. A large barb will also eat small fish, given the opportunity.
What size tank does a tinfoil barb need?
70 gallonsTinfoil Barbs can reach an adult size over a foot in length so it is essential to house this fish in a larger aquarium of at least 70 gallons in size.
How long do silver barbs live?
10 to 15 yearsLarge individuals are silvery or golden yellow while alive with its dorsal fin red and caudal fin orange or blood-red. It grows up to 14 inches (35 cm) in length. Tinfoil barbs have a lifespan of 10 to 15 years.
How long do Silver Dollars live?
ten yearsThe silver dollar is a peaceful schooling species that spends most of its time in the mid- to upper-level of the water. Its average lifespan is than ten years but can live longer in captivity. A chin-layer, the adult fish will spawn around 2,000 eggs. This breeding occurs in soft, warm water in low light.
What is the typical feeding habit of Tinfoil Barb?
Tinfoil Barbs are opportunistic and omnivorous in nature. They generally feed on invertebrates, smaller fishes, plant matter, algae, and other organic detritus. While in the aquarium these fishes eat various types of fresh, flakes, and live foods. You must give them high flake food every day, in order to maintain a good balance. Tinfoil Barbs would love to have some live food like shrimps or worms, and they require a lot of vegetable food apart from proteins. The vegetable supplements include vegetable-based fish pellets as well as blanches spinach or lettuce.
What are the various ways to avoid diseases of Tinfoil Barbs?
If you can follow some simple steps meticulously, you can protect your Tinfoil Barbs from any possible diseases.
What sort of habitat does the Tinfoil Barb belong to?
Tinfoil Barbs are mostly found in freshwater bodies like large and medium rivers, ditches, streams, canals, and flooded fields. Generally benthopelagic by nature, these fishes can float easily and thrive well in the middle and bottom level of the water body.
What are the overall features of Tinfoil Barb you need to keep in mind?
To create a congenial environment, try to keep the temperature of 72- 75 degrees Fahrenheit while maintaining the pH of the water at 6-7. Although Tinfoil Barbs are quite undemanding, keeping such large fishes is quite troublesome and also an expensive affair.
What are the physical features of the Tinfoil Barb?
It has a golden yellowish or silvery body having reflective scales which gives it a typical tinfoil appearance. There is a dorsal fin that has a botched marking present along the tip. The color of the pelvic, anal, and caudal fins is red except the dorsal fin. The common names given to Tinfoil Barb are Tall barb and Redtail Tinfoil Barb.
How does a typical Tinfoil Barb behave?
It would also help them to maintain a broader range of natural behavior. Most of their lives, the Tinfoil Barbs spend in the middle and the bottom levels of the aquarium. They are generally peaceful creatures and can be easily housed with other docile species.
What sort of temperament do Tinfoil Barbs show?
Tinfoil Barbs are semi-aggressive in nature but are rarely aggressive. These fishes prefer to keep up with a slightly rougher crowd. Any fish which is small in size is not a preferable one to keep in the company of Tinfoil Barb. Since they are larger in size, the smaller fishes are largely at risk of being eaten up. Tinfoil Barbs are sturdier enough and therefore can be kept with cichlids and other semi-aggressive types of fishes.
What do barb fish eat?
The fish eats all types of dry, frozen, live and plant food. It will eagerly feed on cucumber, spinach, lettuce and other vegetables and fruit. However, this barb can also eat its smaller tankmates.
How big is a tinfoil barb?
The tinfoil barb (Barbonymus schwanenfeldii) is a very large freshwater fish from Cyprinidae family. It can be up to 14 inches (35 cm) long. Quite often the juveniles are sold on the market and nobody tells about how large the fish becomes as an adult one and as a result, the fish quickly overgrows any tank of a common aquarist ...
What do fish eat in the wild?
As the water gets back to large rivers the fish returns there as well. In the wild feeds on algae, plants, insects, small fishes, carrion.
Why are silver fish used in commercial fishing?
Due to its silvery coloring and tendency to stay in a school the fish draws the eye and that’s why these species are used mainly in commercial business.
Can tinfoil barbs survive in water?
Since tinfoil barb habitat is in clean oxygen-rich lotic waters, it can’t stand any organic waste accumulation in water.
Where is tinfoil fish found?
Habitat in the wild. The tinfoil fish is widespread over the whole territory of South-East Asia. It is also encountered in several large river systems including Mekong and Chao Phraya ( source ).
Can silver barbs eat anything?
The silver barb is quite undemanding and easy to keep. It will eat everything you give, doesn’t require any special tank conditions, but the only drawback is that it grows very fast.
What do tinfoil barbs eat?
Tinfoil Barbs will accept most types of food, so give them a varied diet of pellets, flakes, algae wafers, frozen and freeze-dried foods. They will also consume your live plants and any smaller fish if given the opportunity.
Where is the tinfoil barb found?
The Tinfoil barb is indigenous to Mekong and Chao Phraya basins, Malay Peninsula, Borneo and Sumatra in Indonesia, Southeast Asia.
How big do tinfoil barbs grow?
Tinfoil Barbs are highly attractive, peaceful, active community fish when young, but these fish will grow rapidly and soon reach up to 35cm. They, therefore, require a large aquarium making them unsuitable for the beginner aquarist and most fishkeepers.
Do tinfoil barbs eat eggs?
As the Tinfoil barbs are egg scatterers, they will not care for their eggs properly. They will probably eat the eggs and the fry if they are kept together in the same aquarium so therefore it is ideal to have a separate breeding tank where the babies can be raised without the presence of adult fish.
Is tinfoil a male or female barb?
Sexing Tinfoil barbs can be tricky since there are no distinguishing characteristics used to differentiate between males and females.
Appearance and Lifespan
Tinfoil Barb vs. Bala Shark
- Those barbs are often mistaken for bala freshwater sharksbecause of their coloration and size. However, Bala sharks lack the distinctive redfin coloration. Their scales are also not quite as metallicand reflective as those of the tinfoil barb.
Behavior
- Tinfoil barbs are a schooling fish and must be kept with at least six other barbs. However, they prefer as many schooling mates as possible. So the more barbs you keep, the happier and more confident they will be overall.
Tank Mates
- Despite their size, tinfoil barbs are a peaceful fishwith an easygoing temperament. They are very docile and will get along with almost any aquarium inhabitant. Large and non-aggressive fish like bala sharks work best, although smaller schooling species are also often housed with tinfoil barbs. Oscars and other non-aggressive cichlidsare common tank mates. But keep in mind that t…
Tank Setup
- The tinfoil barb originated in Southeast Asia. Schools can be found in large, fast-flowing rivers that are abundant in vegetation and swimming space. Because of their size and origin, tinfoil barbs need an aquarium with at least 70 gallons. If you want to keep more than one barb or set up a community tank, you’ll need to double the gallon size and work up from there. Remember to co…
Caring For Tinfoil Barbs
- Tinfoil barbs are docile fish whose size belies their easy care. They are playful and avid swimmers and enjoy exploring all levels of the aquarium in their school. Their behavior alone arrests the viewer’s eye as they zip around the tank and coast along water currents. Combined with their beautiful coloring and shimmering appearance, tinfoil barbs are a dazzling addition to any aquari…
Habitat in The Wild
Description
Difficulties in Keeping
Care and Keeping in A Tank
Diet
- The tin foil fish eats all types of dry, frozen, live and plant food. It will eagerly feed on cucumber, spinach, lettuce and other vegetables and fruit. However, this barb can also eat its smaller tank mates. Feed the fish 2-3 times a day with amount of food that it can eat in 5 minutes. It is important not to overfeed your pets, since it is a glut...
Tank Mates
Gender Differences: Male vs Female
Breeding