Tank setup
A minimum 600L aquarium suits Tinfoil Barb. Match décor to natural behaviour — plants, rockwork, or open swimming room as needed.
Back to Monster Fish
Monster Fish
Other Monster Fish
Common
Tinfoil Barb
Barbonymus schwanenfeldii
Barbonymus schwanenfeldii
pH
6.5 - 7.5
Temperature
22° - 27 °C
Max size
35 cm
Min tank
600 L
Loading listings...
Community Marketplace
Fellow hobbyists may also be selling Tinfoil Barb.
Want Tinfoil Barb?
Tell shops you're looking — be the first to signal demand.
What to know before you buy.
Sold small and silver, this barb reaches well over 30 cm and needs a very large tank in a group. Peaceful for its size but will eat plants and small tankmates.
Select a tank to see how this species fits.
Everything you need to keep Tinfoil Barb healthy in a South African setup.
A minimum 600L aquarium suits Tinfoil Barb. Match décor to natural behaviour — plants, rockwork, or open swimming room as needed.
Keep pH 6.5–7.5 and 22–27°C. Stable parameters matter more than chasing perfect numbers — acclimate new arrivals slowly.
Tinfoil Barb is omnivore — pellet, vegetables. Feed a varied diet appropriate for monster fish — quality flakes, pellets, or frozen foods sized to the mouth.
Tinfoil Barb is generally peaceful but very large and active. Observe during feeding and at lights-out for true temperament.
Pair with similarly sized peaceful but very large and active tankmates in monster fish. Avoid fin-nippers or species that outgrow this fish.
Breeding notes for Tinfoil Barb vary by line and water chemistry — ask your local shop about proven pairs in SA.
From hobbyists across SA.
Be the first to contribute a photo for this species!
Price trends and buyer demand — data only FishHub tracks.
SA price range this month: R150–2000 · Average: R708
This data is unique to FishHub
No active alerts for Tinfoil Barb yet. Be the first to set one.
Species that typically work alongside Tinfoil Barb in a similar setup.
Black Ghost Knifefish
Apteronotus albifrons
Giant Gourami
Osphronemus goramy
Clown Knifefish
Chitala ornata
Fire Eel
Mastacembelus erythrotaenia
Fahaka Pufferfish
Tetraodon lineatus
Alligator Gar
Atractosteus spatula
Bullseye Snakehead
Channa marulius
Giant Snakehead
Channa marulius