The Tinfoil Barb (Barbonymus schwanenfeldii) is a tropical
Southeast Asian freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae. This species was
originally described as Barbus schwanenfeldii by Pieter Bleeker in 1853, and
has also been placed in the genera Barbodes and Puntius. The specific epithet
is frequently misspelled schwanefeldii.
Nowadays it is usually placed in the genus Barbonymus, which
was only established in 1999. It is the genus' type species, and indeed seems
to represent a quite distinct lineage of large "barbs". It is not
very similar to the barbels which are the core of the genus Barbus, and though
closer to these than to some African barbs, they seem to be closer still to the
Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio) and to Cyclocheilichthys than to either of the
aforementioned.
It is distinguishable from other species of the genus in
having a red dorsal fin with a black blotch at the tip, red pectoral, pelvic
and anal fins, red caudal fin with white margin and a black submarginal stripe
along each lobe, and 8 scale rows between dorsal-fin origin and lateral line.
Large 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 8 to 10 years.
Originating in the Mekong and Chao Phraya basins of
Thailand, and Sumatra, Borneo, and Malayan peninsula, the tinfoil barb is found
in rivers, streams, canals, and ditches. It also enters flooded fields. Its
natural habitat is in water with a 6.5–7.0 pH, a water hardness of up to 10
dGH, and a temperature range of 72–77 °F (22–25 °C). In Indonesia, a
temperature range of 20.4°C to 33.7°C was recorded for this species. It is
largely herbivorous, consuming aquatic macrophytes and submerged land plants,
as well as filamentous algae and occasionally insects. It also feeds on small
fishes, worms, and crustaceans.
The tinfoil barb is commercially important in the aquarium
hobby trade, as well as commercial aquaculture, subsistence farming, and
occasionally as bait. It is usually marketed fresh.
There are no obvious distinguishing characteristics used to determine
the sex of the fish. They reproduce by egg scattering of several thousand eggs
per spawning. They are not often bred in captivity for the aquarium trade due
to their large size.
In the aquarium : The tinfoil barb is a schooling species that prefers to be
placed with a number of its own species. It prefers living in water with strong
currents similar to those found in their native streams. It is also recommended
that they be kept with fish of similar size or larger. Many unwary buy young
specimens and find out too late how large the tinfoil barb can grow. The
tinfoil barb is often seen in large aquaria as companions to large cichlids
e.g. the oscar cichlid, Astronotus ocellatus. The tinfoil barb is an active,
peaceful species that spends most of its time in the mid-level and bottom of
the water. A greedy eater, it will attempt to fill its mouth with as much food
as possible during feedings. In captivity, it will eat almost anything provided
to it.
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