Fig 1
Fig 2
Fig 3
Fig 4
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Order : Cypriniformes
Family : CYPRINIDAE
Species : Barbonymus schwanefeldii or schwanenfeldii
Maximum length (excluding tail fin) : 35 cm
Common length (excluding tail fin) : 20 cm
(Fishbase, 2026)
Text updated : September, 2026.
Barbonymus schwanefeldii
or schwanenfeldii, formerly Barbodes schwanefeldii (Tinfoil Barb) is a
gregarious, shoaling, pelagic fish sleek in form. It inhabits streams,
rivers, ditches and lakes with neutral pH (Fishbase, 2026). It is a food source for
rural dwellers, and is a popular aquarium fish.
It can be distinguished from similar species by its 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. Its body is laterally-compressed and silver or silvery-gold in colour.
This fast-moving fish is mainly
herbivorous, feeding on water plants and filamentous algae, but it will also
take small insects and worms (Fishbase, 2026). Larger specimens may take small crustaceans
such as freshwater prawns.
Barbonymus schwanefeldii occurs in Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Peninsular Malaysia,
Singapore, Sumatra and Borneo (Lumbantobing & Allen, 2020).
In Singapore, it occurs in large shoals in some inland reservoirs, however
these may be the descendants of reintroduced stock (Tan et al, 2020).
Fig 1 : This example from Sungai Tahan, Pahang, Peninsular Malaysia was estimated
to be around 30 cm long.
Fig 2 : Sungai Tahan, Pahang, Peninsular Malaysia.
Fig 3 : A large shoal of Barbonymus schwanefeldii in one of Singapore's inland reservoirs.
Fig 4 :
Two examples in a
shallow embayment at Macritchie Reservoir, Singapore.
References and links :
Lumbantobing, D. and Allen, D.J. 2020. Barbonymus schwanefeldii.
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020: e.T181160A89800163.
Tan Heok Hui, Kelvin Lim Kok Peng, Liew Jia Huan, Low Bi Wei, Rayson Lim
Bock Hing, Jeffrey Kwik Teik Beng & Darren C. J. Yeo. (2020).
The non-native freshwater fishes of Singapore: an annotated compilation.
Raffles Bulletin Of Zoology, 68: 150-195.
Fishbase
- Barbonymus schwanefeldii
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