Red Tail Tinfoil Barb

Tinfoil Red-Tail Barb
Barbonymus schwanenfeldii

Aka - Schwanefeld's Barb, Goldfoil Barb

Adult Tinfoil Barbs are a very impressive, beautiful display fish!  They are native to Southeast Asia, Thailand, Malayan Peninsula, Sumatra, and Borneo.  This is an easy to keep fish but will grow rapidly in large tanks and may reach an intimidating size, up to 14 inches (35 cm) in length and is considered too large for most smaller aquariums.  Though they are generally peaceful they may eat smaller fish that they can fit into their mouth.  They can be kept with cichlids!  An aquarium best suited to this fish would be large and roomy, with a fine gravel bottom, and dense plantings along the edges.

In its natural coloration, a large adult Tinfoil Barb has a silvery or golden yellow body.  The dorsal fin is red and has a black marking or blotch along the tip.  The pectoral, pelvic and anal fins are also red.  The caudal fin is orange or a deep red and has black lines sub-marginally on the upper and lower portions of each lobe.  Tinfoil Barb juveniles have a basic silver or tin plated look to the scales, hence the common name "Tinfoil Barb".  As they get older they develop red pelvic and anal fins, along with a shaded tail and dorsal fin; shading from red to black often with a white tip on the dorsal fin.  They can get up to almost 14 inches (35 cm). in large aquariums. 

Tinfoil Barbs are omnivorous, so the Tinfoil Barb will generally eat all kinds of live, fresh, and flake foods.  To bring out the colors on these fish we suggest a continued diet of New Life Spectrum Fish Food, you can try an occasional treat of oatmeal for higher protein intake.