A 30cm specimen in the crystal clear
water of Sungei Tahan, Taman Negara, Pahang, Peninisular Malaysia.
A large shoal of Tinfoil Barb in one of Singapore's inland reservoirs.
The body is
laterally-compressed and sleek in form.
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The Tinfoil Barb, or
Striped-tailed Tinfoil Barb, is a
gregarious shoaling, pelagic fish sleek in form. It inhabits streams,
rivers, ditches and lakes with neutral pH. It is a food source for
rural dwellers, and a popular aquarium fish.
It is distinguished from
other similar species by the red dorsal fin which terminates in a black tip.
Other fins are also deep red, and the tail fin has a black stripe on each
lobe. The body is laterally-compressed and silver or silver-gold.
The species is mainly
herbivorous, feeding on water plants and filamentous algae, but will also
take small insects and worms. Larger specimens will take small crustaceans
such as freshwater prawns.
The Tinfoil Barb ranges
from Thailand and Indochina through Peninsular Malaysia to Sumatra and
Borneo. In Singapore the species may have become locally extinct but there
is now evidence of reintroduced feral populations.
Family : CYPRINIDAE
Species : Barbodes schwanenfeldii
Maximum Length : 40 cm
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