Tinfoil Barb In Charge  - 08/26/06
Heyla. as before, I have a question that I can't seem to find the answer to on your website. Maybe I didn't look hard enough or overlooked it, but I don't know. I own a 55 gallon tank now, and have 1 Oscar, 1 Pleco,  and 3 gold tinfoil barbs. Now, they seem to be getting along decently without any major mishaps, but the largest of the 3 Tinfoils has been eating quite a bit. That doesn't sound like a problem, but let's say I put in 7 pieces of food, then the tinfoil will gulp down as many as he can get, and even the Oscar is having trouble getting food now. The smaller Tinfoils barely get anything, and I'm worried they might starve. I put in a lot of food, and
then drop some near them thinking the larger tinfoil would be too busy eating the first amount of food to bother theirs, but I've been wrong on that account. Should I remove him from the tank? Or is this normal behavior for an alpha fish in a school, if there is such a thing? I thought about netting him at meal times, but that would disturb the other fish from eating. Any suggestions? Thanks, and sorry for the trouble.
< In every tank their is a pecking order. More aggressive fish get most of the food and increase their chances for survival. This is why in many public aquariums a diver is needed in the bigger tanks to feed the fish. This is the only way that smaller fish can be fed. I would begin feeding a high fiber vegetable type food at first. When the tinfoil is full then add the more nutritious food with higher protein.  try to feed the smaller fish out of your hand. I know the Oscar will learn to do this. After he starts then the others will learn how to do it too.-Chuck>

To Be A Tinfoil, or Not To Be A Tinfoil.... - 12/13/2005
Hey guys, I saw these fish that look almost identical to a tinfoil barb.  In the pet store they were actually considering them "tinfoil barbs", but I was able to tell a significant difference.  The mystery fish looks and swims similar, and they're shiny silver just like the Tinfoils.  The only difference is that there are no red on their fins but they're fins sort of have a pearl finish on the ends of them.  Any idea of what this fish could be?  I want to find some info on it so I can see how big it gets,
aggressive, etc.
<Jason, does this look about right?  http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.php?id=27525 You might also do a search on http://www.fishbase.org for genus Barbonymus and genus Poropuntius to see if you find a match with any of the species listed.>
Thanks  -Jason McCorry
<Wishing you well,  -Sabrina>

Tetras & Tinfoils
Hello, my name is Julie. My mom went on this site about my 4 black skirts and how one was fat in the same aquarium their is another problem, I have 4 tinfoil barbs and their eating my Neons we had 15 and now we only have 10, and I wanted to know if it is smart to give them away? (they are not feeding Neons) Julie (9 years old)
<Julie, giving them away or putting them into a different tank would be the best thing you could do for them. Ronni>

Tinfoils, Neons, & Guppies
Hello, it's me again. Julie Forino My tinfoil are getting along with the Neons but if my tinfoil get bigger will they eat the guppies (male)
<Tinfoils are pretty non-aggressive but there is always the possibility of this happening. These types of fish really shouldn’t be mixed due to their size. And unless it is a large aquarium (55 gallon or more), you’re really better off to stick with the smaller fish like the Neons and guppies.>
P.S. They’re not full grown yet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
<Nope, and Tinfoils can get very large, very fast. Ronni>

Nervous Tinfoils
Hi there,
I've searched your site but can't find any answers to my problem. I hope you can help.
<I’ll definitely try>
I have four tinfoil barbs (currently about 7 cm long) in a 350 litre tank. The only other fish are three platys and two small Plecos. My problem is that the Tinfoils are very nervous. When I walk by the tank they scatter to the back corners and appear very disturbed. Even when watched from a distance the hug the gravel and are ready to run away. They are damaging themselves, (loosing scales etc) banging into rocks and the tank sides.
However, when I feed them they will happily eat from my fingers. When I get this opportunity to look at them they appear generally healthy.
I have tested the water and ammonia, nitrite and nitrates are all OK. There is free swimming space in the middle of the tank, but either end has plenty of rocks and plants for cover. Water temperature is 24c. Filtration is a large Eheim external power filter
I have had them about 8 weeks and thought that it would wear off as they got used to their new environment. This hasn't happened.
Have you any idea what might cause this, or what possible solutions there may be?
If you need any more information to aid diagnosis then please let me know.
Thanks in advance. Steve
<Have there been any changes in the environment that may have caused this? Sometimes something as simple as the addition of a new plant or changing the placement of the return flow from the filter can cause this behavior. Since these are relatively new fish I’m assuming this isn’t the case but it’s something to consider. If it were me, I would give them a while longer to settle in and see if they calm down, they may not though, some fish are just this way. You may have to remove some of the rocks and such that they are damaging themselves on. Also, make sure your Plecos aren’t picking on them. This does happen once in a great while and would cause the nervousness. Sorry I can’t provide more help. Ronni>

Is it a tinfoil or what?
>Hi,
>>Hello, Marina available for a short time today.
>I possess what I believed to be a tinfoil, however I did at one point looked after two Tinfoils in same tank.  The problem is the two Tinfoils are Tinfoils but my one has larger scales more streamlined body but has same colouring.  Is there a variant or is it an uncommon type of barb.  
>>Difficult to say, as there are many similar barbs available in the trade.  I would venture a guess that this is actually a different species, and it's quite difficult to determine further without a picture what species it is (the problem with common names, eh?).
>It was bought as a tinfoil but I'm unsure of its id.  Also I have read that Tinfoils are best kept in groups as my one is on its own & seems to be quite happy.  Is that ok?
>>Generally true, but keeping fish is as much art as science, and if yours are happy then don't rock the boat, is my philosophy.  You can try looking at http://www.fishbase.org (though I've only used this site for saltwater specification), or use the Google bar at the bottom of the homepage for our site--MANY pictures are available, and you might find the animal you actually possess.  Best of luck, Marina

Tinfoil barb
Hi,
    I possess what I believed to be a tinfoil however I did at one point looked after two Tinfoils in same tank. The problem is the two Tinfoils are Tinfoils but my one has larger scales more streamlined body but has same colouring. Is there a variant or is it an uncommon type of barb. It was bought as a tinfoil but I'm unsure of its id. Also I have read that Tinfoils are best kept in groups as my one is on its own & seems to be quite happy. Is that ok? Many thanks P Mitchell
<I am sure there are some variations from fish to fish, but the should look pretty similar, search for tinfoil barb on fishbase.org for a positive ID.  Depending on your tank size, and assuming it is a tinfoil barb, I would go with at least 3.  Best Regards, Gage>

What it IS! Goldfin tinfoil barb, that is.
>Hi it's Paul again,
>>Hello Paul.
>Thanks for your advice.  I looked into fishbase.org & established that my fish is in fact a Goldfin tinfoil barb (Poropuntius
malcolmi) & grows to 50cm from same family order & has similar habits.  This problem has bugged me for quite a while so many thanks again for sending me in the right direction.
Best regards P Mitchell.
>>Very glad I could be of help, Paul.  May you never again be so bugged.  ;)  Marina