Tinfoil Barb Breeding Guide (Barbonymus schwanefeldii)

Why the Tinfoil Barb (Barbonymus schwanefeldii) is impractical to breed at home: an egg-scattering species reproduced commercially, releasing thousands of eggs per spawning.

Overview

The Tinfoil Barb (Barbonymus schwanefeldii) is a very large cyprinid, growing up to about 36 cm. It is an egg-scattering species with no parental care and has not been recorded as bred in private aquaria; instead it is reproduced commercially through aquaculture and hormone-stimulated spawning.

Sexing

There are no obvious external sex differences. Females tend to be deeper-bodied than males, especially when gravid, but otherwise the sexes are difficult to tell apart.

Spawning Behavior

Reproduction is by egg scattering, with a single female capable of releasing several thousand eggs in one spawning event. No parental care is provided.

Common Challenges

Home breeding is impractical. A successful attempt would require an enormous aquarium, a method of preventing the adults from eating the eggs, and the facilities and contacts needed to raise and distribute hundreds of fish. The species' large adult size is the principal reason it is rarely bred for the aquarium trade. For general care, documented water conditions are 20-28 C, pH 6.0-8.0 and a wide hardness range.