mark - 2012-02-15 These fish are a shoaling species that should not be kept alone, they need to be kept in a group. Beware... these pictures do not show B. schwanenfeldi, they show B. altus
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Clarice Brough - 2012-02-16 Yes, like the Red-tailed Tinfoil Barb B. altus, the B. schwanenfeldii do like to school. The individual in the photo above was submitted by a photographer from Thailand. It is most likely a juvenile that's not yet developed the black shading, or possibly it's an albino or gold colorform. The picture toward the bottom of the page is a B. altus.
If anyone has a picture of a specimen showing the normal adult colorform (shaded tail and dorsal fin and black lines on the upper and lower portions of the caldal fins), we would love to feature your photo here.
nishith - 2012-05-05 How much time will the tin foil barb fish take to grow from 2 inches to 8 or10 inches?
Laura - 2006-03-12 These are great fish and very entertaining. but, they eat ALL of the food in the tank! So far I am down 2 fish b/c the barbs hog all the food.
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gighi - 2012-02-22 They hog all the food because they're omnivores and they're growing ALL the time.
Jesse - 2012-04-05 I would like to know how to tell the sex of my 3 Tin foil barbs. Also someone stated that if someone had photos of tinfoil barbs showing their red fins and tail to post them but not sure how to post them here.
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Charlie Roche - 2012-04-06 There are really no tell tale visual differences between the male and female. You will just have to wait and see what happens. To post just click and follow the directions POST PHOTO
Fish_Lova12 - 2008-10-19 I have had my Tin Foil Barb, Cosmo for a little over a month and it has grown really fast and bites my Spotted Silver dollar, but hes still alive. My Red Platy is dying, I think because of my tin foil barb. The red platy's tail is all messed up. I recommend this fish for a big tank like 30 or 40 gallons. Cosmo is fun to watch, especially when he eats. Sometimes he'll splash me. But, I'm gonna get rid of him this week. Any suggestions...
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Prabha - 2012-02-02 Buddy I gave him at the the same pet store in which I bought him a year ago....He was 3 inches when I bought him...now he is 8 inches. :) He killed every fish I kept with him...to your surprise he even killed my oscar too....stupid fish....Get rid of him first otherwise your precious silver dollar will be dead....his way of attacking is way more better...first he will bite off other fishes eyes and then he will target fins...then the end
Christopher Stoute - 2011-08-29 I have had a hard time with Tinfoil Barb in the past couple of months. Every time I clean my tank they will die. I lost two the first time thought it was something that i had done so I did some research on cleaning the thank with the type of filter that I have. Just yesterday I clean the thank did not use any chemicals at all and lost my last three. Any comments on what happening or did anyone have this happen to them and what can I do. Thanks Chris
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Toby Jungle - 2011-08-30 I would think there has to be something with water or water conditions. Untreated they all died. Treated - then some died. Temperature, chlorine, Not sure but sounds like water. Maybe chemicals
james - 2011-10-19 What I do with mine is I let the water evaperate on its own and when its 20 percent gone I fill it up with treated water and clean out the filter every time it needs to be cleaned. They are hardy but mine tend to stress during this time so don't put them under a lot of stress hope you have some better succes if you deside to get more sorry for your losses though
fish man - 2012-01-26 It's the water it has to be almost the same temp as well as chlorine free. Get a bucket put a drop of prime everytime you fill it up. They are being stressed so put something in the way to catch the water so you wont have a big splash
monika - 2011-04-06 Hi. I also have what I believe is a red tail tin foil barb. it is now 5.5 inches in a 30 gallon tank. I got it when it was very small and had no idea how fast and how big they grew. When is the tank too small for this guy? i want him to be happy (although, he seems happy) anyone?
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Alex Burleson - 2011-10-09 This species of fish can reach a size of 8 inches to a foot long. The best minimum aquarium size is 75 gallons. You could consider purchasing another aquarium, or re-homing your fish. Do understand, keeping the fish in a smaller aquarium could stunt your fish. A larger aquarium would make him/her happy!
John - 2011-10-09 I'm no expert, but I think it's a matter of if your filter can cope with the waste which your fish produces. I used to lose fish when I used a small internal filter, but since buying a larger external filter have hardly lost any at all. Regularly changing some of the water in your tank is a must though.
john-O - 2010-09-21 I have a tin foil barb that's about 8 months old and has been doing great, I have it in with another 4 year old tin foil barb 4 gold fish 2 pocsamis and a turtle. The last few days the smaller tin foil is not swimming right (it swims in circles head up.) It's having trouble swimming straight. Should I take it out and put it in it's own tank or what should I do please help? The tank is about 100 gl. And I have great filtration any thoughts or solutions would be great. Thanks john-O.
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michael Thatcher - 2010-09-22 You should take him out and put him in another tank.
Clifton - 2011-08-13 I would put him in a tank by himself untill he looks better.
Gardnerk9 - 2011-03-10 We have 5 tinfoil barbs. They are great fish, and grow very quickly. We bought three 8 months ago, they went from 2 inch babies to 9 inch monsters, and are still growing. The other two we bought a month ago. They were 2 inches they have already grown an inch and a half! They live in a 125 gallon tank with Redline torpedo barbs, clown loaches, yoyo loaches, chinese algae eaters, featherfin catfish and a bala shark. We are looking for a larger tank!
6@rmsfist - 2010-10-08 Not sure looks like a tinfoil barb its about 4 in reddish tipped bellyfins high clear dorsal fin egg shell white/yellow gold shimmery scales mustard yellow eyes & big bird yellow around eyes. Eyes bulge slightly was in a tank alone I was told it came in with shipment of tinfoils got it at independent (mom & pop) store. Please any help app?
Adult Tinfoil Barbs, in a very large aquarium, make an impressive and beautiful display!
These fish are a shoaling species that should not be kept alone, they need to be kept in a group. Beware... these pictures do not show B. schwanenfeldi, they show B. altus
Yes, like the Red-tailed Tinfoil Barb B. altus, the B. schwanenfeldii do like to school. The individual in the photo above was submitted by a photographer from Thailand. It is most likely a juvenile that's not yet developed the black shading, or possibly it's an albino or gold colorform. The picture toward the bottom of the page is a B. altus.
If anyone has a picture of a specimen showing the normal adult colorform (shaded tail and dorsal fin and black lines on the upper and lower portions of the caldal fins), we would love to feature your photo here.
How much time will the tin foil barb fish take to grow from 2 inches to 8 or10 inches?
These are great fish and very entertaining. but, they eat ALL of the food in the tank! So far I am down 2 fish b/c the barbs hog all the food.
They hog all the food because they're omnivores and they're growing ALL the time.
I would like to know how to tell the sex of my 3 Tin foil barbs. Also someone stated that if someone had photos of tinfoil barbs showing their red fins and tail to post them but not sure how to post them here.
There are really no tell tale visual differences between the male and female. You will just have to wait and see what happens. To post just click and follow the directions
POST PHOTO
I have had my Tin Foil Barb, Cosmo for a little over a month and it has grown really fast and bites my Spotted Silver dollar, but hes still alive. My Red Platy is dying, I think because of my tin foil barb. The red platy's tail is all messed up. I recommend this fish for a big tank like 30 or 40 gallons. Cosmo is fun to watch, especially when he eats. Sometimes he'll splash me. But, I'm gonna get rid of him this week. Any suggestions...
Buddy I gave him at the the same pet store in which I bought him a year ago....He was 3 inches when I bought him...now he is 8 inches. :) He killed every fish I kept with him...to your surprise he even killed my oscar too....stupid fish....Get rid of him first otherwise your precious silver dollar will be dead....his way of attacking is way more better...first he will bite off other fishes eyes and then he will target fins...then the end
I have had a hard time with Tinfoil Barb in the past couple of months. Every time I clean my tank they will die. I lost two the first time thought it was something that i had done so I did some research on cleaning the thank with the type of filter that I have. Just yesterday I clean the thank did not use any chemicals at all and lost my last three. Any comments on what happening or did anyone have this happen to them and what can I do. Thanks Chris
I would think there has to be something with water or water conditions. Untreated they all died. Treated - then some died. Temperature, chlorine, Not sure but sounds like water.
Maybe chemicals
What I do with mine is I let the water evaperate on its own and when its 20 percent gone I fill it up with treated water and clean out the filter every time it needs to be cleaned. They are hardy but mine tend to stress during this time so don't put them under a lot of stress
hope you have some better succes if you deside to get more
sorry for your losses though
It's the water it has to be almost the same temp as well as chlorine free. Get a bucket put a drop of prime everytime you fill it up. They are being stressed so put something in the way to catch the water so you wont have a big splash
Hi.
I also have what I believe is a red tail tin foil barb. it is now 5.5 inches in a 30 gallon tank. I got it when it was very small and had no idea how fast and how big they grew. When is the tank too small for this guy? i want him to be happy (although, he seems happy) anyone?
This species of fish can reach a size of 8 inches to a foot long. The best minimum aquarium size is 75 gallons. You could consider purchasing another aquarium, or re-homing your fish. Do understand, keeping the fish in a smaller aquarium could stunt your fish. A larger aquarium would make him/her happy!
I'm no expert, but I think it's a matter of if your filter can cope with the waste which your fish produces. I used to lose fish when I used a small internal filter, but since buying a larger external filter have hardly lost any at all. Regularly changing some of the water in your tank is a must though.
"John"
I have a tin foil barb that's about 8 months old and has been doing great, I have it in with another 4 year old tin foil barb 4 gold fish 2 pocsamis and a turtle. The last few days the smaller tin foil is not swimming right (it swims in circles head up.) It's having trouble swimming straight. Should I take it out and put it in it's own tank or what should I do please help? The tank is about 100 gl. And I have great filtration any thoughts or solutions would be great. Thanks john-O.
You should take him out and put him in another tank.
I would put him in a tank by himself untill he looks better.
?Will my tinfoil barbs Be ok in a 190 ltr tank?
Yup.
We have 5 tinfoil barbs. They are great fish, and grow very quickly. We bought three 8 months ago, they went from 2 inch babies to 9 inch monsters, and are still growing. The other two we bought a month ago. They were 2 inches they have already grown an inch and a half! They live in a 125 gallon tank with Redline torpedo barbs, clown loaches, yoyo loaches, chinese algae eaters, featherfin catfish and a bala shark. We are looking for a larger tank!
Not sure looks like a tinfoil barb its about 4 in reddish tipped bellyfins high clear dorsal fin egg shell white/yellow gold shimmery scales mustard yellow eyes & big bird yellow around eyes. Eyes bulge slightly was in a tank alone I was told it came in with shipment of tinfoils got it at independent (mom & pop) store. Please any help app?