Celina - 2012-12-23 Hi, I have three red-tail tinfoil barbs in a 20 gallon tank. At the moment they are only 3' long and they seem very happy. They share the tank with a Silver dollar the same size and an algae eater. And, how long do you think it will take them to grow up 10'. Do you think I can wait sometime before I have to upgrade to a 100 gallon tank?
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Jeremy Roche - 2012-12-23 They are slow growers. It can take years to grow these fish to max size. can get a 55 gallon tank for a midway point upgrade and that will last for some time.
Stephenie Neff - 2012-12-10 I have 6 tinfoils in a 75 gallon tank. I'm using them to cycle the tank. I know 6 is too many for a 75, but at the time they were only a dollar each. I don't plan on keeping all of them anyway. They are very active, playing in all of the ornaments. A lot of 'follow the leader' chasing through the logs. I plan on getting cichlids, but am getting used to the tinfoils. At least they don't hide all the time. Very hardy fish, my water is somewhat messed up, but they live in it ok. I will probably end up keeping some of them, even when I get my cichlids.
Prabha - 2012-01-22 Don believe all the others say.....its not a peaceful fish...its very aggressive..:)i have 2 7inch tinfoil barbs and they just killed my 5 inch oscar and 2 6inch gold fishes by plucking out their eyes...remember guys these fish first attack the eyes make them blind and then start attacking all over their body...dono wat to do with them...my tank seems a bit of lonely with them two
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Clarice Brough - 2012-01-22 Here's a couple thoughts on why your fish are so aggressive. Rather than your fish being the Red-tail Tinfoil Barb, Barbonymus altus, you may have the Tinfoil, Barbonymus schwanenfeldii. Tinfoil Barbs are the most commonly found in the pet trade, they are often confused with and sold as the Red-tail Tinfoil, and they are known to be more agressive. Also, both of these fish get quite large, 10'+ for the Red-tail, and 14'+ for the Tinfoil. In smaller tanks fish can become aggressive, feeling crowded and in competition for food and habitat. To help prevent aggression, these fish should be kept in at least 100 gallon aquarium.
carolyn - 2010-10-07 We have two red tail tinfoil barbs and they are 10 + inches in a 12 gallon tank, I don't know what to do with them will they live in a pond? Petsmart won't take them back and I've tried to give them away.
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Alan - 2011-01-02 Carolyn, Please put them up as free on Craig's List or FreeCycle. Somebody will claim them, but you cannot continue to keep them in a very small tank. As a temporary holding tank, you could purchase a large plastic clear tub for very little cost but you will have to do a lot of water changes since you do not have the filter, and hopefully your house is kept at a constant temperature.
George - 2012-07-04 Ask petsmart to help you find a home for them and they will. My petsmart always helps me.
mavis wallace - 2012-08-03 Hi Carolyn , my name is Mavis Wallace we have a fish tank 120 gallons or so. Maybe u can get a bigger tank or I can keep them for u. I have two in my tank Bill and Willie and they are both tin foil barbs. u can e- mail me Mavis hope to hear from u !!!!!!!
George - 2012-07-04 I have 6 Tinfoil Barbs in a 55 gallon Tank that I purchased from wal-mart. They are orange with orange eyes, how big will they really get?
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Charlie Roche - 2012-07-05 It is recommended that you have them in 100 galon tank and you have 6 of them. They would normally grow to about 8 inches but when a tank is too small or there are too many fish in the tank, you run the risk of stunting. I'd look at the above article in Animal World - 6 seems like quite a few for a 55 gallon.
s k chaudhari - 2010-05-09 I bought tinfoilbarb when it was quite small but in 6 months it has grown almost 4 inches long it was kept along with other fishes like goldfish, silver shark, catfish etc. suddenly it started tearing the eyes of other fishes like lionhead fish, shubunkin, veiltail etc. Why this aggressive behavior suddenly?
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samiran roy,india - 2011-11-07 Mine did the same. I have a normal tinfoil barb and the other one is the leuscitic version of it with black eyes and lesser scales. When they became around 7 inches and 1 and a half years old, they killed my juvenile oscar, a big shubunkin goldfish,and angelfishes. You should buy a new tank or sell it. It is most likely a male I guess.
Ann smart - 2011-04-01 My tinfoil barbs bobby, cobby, jobby (I like ryhmings) all have a deep personality like the main character tophero, from Tophero son of smilodon (Top Hero)....
Alan - 2011-01-02 I have two red tail tin foil barbs (8in), I just got back from vacation and both sides of both fish are bleeding, it looks like the have been scraping themselves or fighting. Any suggestions on how to heal them?
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Steve - 2011-03-12 Hello Alan, I was searching postings for this exact reason. I just noticed today that one of mine seems to be bleeding too. I have a couple of large rocks in my tank that may have been the culprit. They do love to chase each other and swim around very quickly. They often can be heard bumping into the glass. I suppose all you can do now is observe to make sure he heals okay. I'll probably remove the rocks and just put a few more plants in at the next cleaning. I hope he'll be okay. Good luck to yours too.
Red-tail Tinfoil Barbs makes excellent additions to a large tank with other large, semi- peaceful inhabitants!
Hi, I have three red-tail tinfoil barbs in a 20 gallon tank. At the moment they are only 3' long and they seem very happy. They share the tank with a Silver dollar the same size and an algae eater. And, how long do you think it will take them to grow up 10'. Do you think I can wait sometime before I have to upgrade to a 100 gallon tank?
They are slow growers. It can take years to grow these fish to max size. can get a 55 gallon tank for a midway point upgrade and that will last for some time.
I have 6 tinfoils in a 75 gallon tank. I'm using them to cycle the tank. I know 6 is too many for a 75, but at the time they were only a dollar each. I don't plan on keeping all of them anyway. They are very active, playing in all of the ornaments. A lot of 'follow the leader' chasing through the logs. I plan on getting cichlids, but am getting used to the tinfoils. At least they don't hide all the time. Very hardy fish, my water is somewhat messed up, but they live in it ok. I will probably end up keeping some of them, even when I get my cichlids.
Don believe all the others say.....its not a peaceful fish...its very aggressive..:)i have 2 7inch tinfoil barbs and they just killed my 5 inch oscar and 2 6inch gold fishes by plucking out their eyes...remember guys these fish first attack the eyes make them blind and then start attacking all over their body...dono wat to do with them...my tank seems a bit of lonely with them two
Here's a couple thoughts on why your fish are so aggressive. Rather than your fish being the Red-tail Tinfoil Barb, Barbonymus altus, you may have the Tinfoil, Barbonymus schwanenfeldii. Tinfoil Barbs are the most commonly found in the pet trade, they are often confused with and sold as the Red-tail Tinfoil, and they are known to be more agressive. Also, both of these fish get quite large, 10'+ for the Red-tail, and 14'+ for the Tinfoil. In smaller tanks fish can become aggressive, feeling crowded and in competition for food and habitat. To help prevent aggression, these fish should be kept in at least 100 gallon aquarium.
Can I put red-tailed tinfoil barbs with malawi cichlids?
Your barbs would probably not hold up well unless much larger and a huge school.
And how long do they take to grow?
Depends on feeding and tank size. Even if the same size these cichlids can be a too aggressive for a barb.
We have two red tail tinfoil barbs and they are 10 + inches in a 12 gallon tank, I don't know what to do with them will they live in a pond? Petsmart won't take them back and I've tried to give them away.
Carolyn,
Please put them up as free on Craig's List or FreeCycle. Somebody will claim them, but you cannot continue to keep them in a very small tank. As a temporary holding tank, you could purchase a large plastic clear tub for very little cost but you will have to do a lot of water changes since you do not have the filter, and hopefully your house is kept at a constant temperature.
Ask petsmart to help you find a home for them and they will. My petsmart always helps me.
Hi Carolyn , my name is Mavis Wallace we have a fish tank 120 gallons or so. Maybe u can get a bigger tank or I can keep them for u. I have two in my tank Bill and Willie and they are both tin foil barbs. u can e- mail me Mavis hope to hear from u !!!!!!!
I have 6 Tinfoil Barbs in a 55 gallon Tank that I purchased from wal-mart. They are orange with orange eyes, how big will they really get?
It is recommended that you have them in 100 galon tank and you have 6 of them. They would normally grow to about 8 inches but when a tank is too small or there are too many fish in the tank, you run the risk of stunting. I'd look at the above article in Animal World - 6 seems like quite a few for a 55 gallon.
These fish are definitely NOT solitary. They are shoaling fish and need to be kept in a group.
I bought tinfoilbarb when it was quite small but in 6 months it has grown almost 4 inches long it was kept along with other fishes like goldfish, silver shark, catfish etc. suddenly it started tearing the eyes of other fishes like lionhead fish, shubunkin, veiltail etc. Why this aggressive behavior suddenly?
Mine did the same. I have a normal tinfoil barb and the other one is the leuscitic version of it with black eyes and lesser scales. When they became around 7 inches and 1 and a half years old, they killed my juvenile oscar, a big shubunkin goldfish,and angelfishes. You should buy a new tank or sell it. It is most likely a male I guess.
My tinfoil barbs bobby, cobby, jobby (I like ryhmings) all have a deep personality like the main character tophero, from Tophero son of smilodon (Top Hero)....
I have two red tail tin foil barbs (8in), I just got back from vacation and both sides of both fish are bleeding, it looks like the have been scraping themselves or fighting. Any suggestions on how to heal them?
Hello Alan, I was searching postings for this exact reason. I just noticed today that one of mine seems to be bleeding too. I have a couple of large rocks in my tank that may have been the culprit. They do love to chase each other and swim around very quickly. They often can be heard bumping into the glass. I suppose all you can do now is observe to make sure he heals okay. I'll probably remove the rocks and just put a few more plants in at the next cleaning. I hope he'll be okay. Good luck to yours too.