Info on Albino Tinfoil Barbs

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jag14

jag14

Candiru
MFK Member
May 27, 2012
498
47
46
knoxville tn
I have been trying to cycle a 75 gallon tank forever, it seems like. I went and bought some albino tinfoils for a buck each at Petsmart. I put 5 in the 75 and 3 in my 30. I had gotten bored with cycling tanks with tetras. I really didn't know if they would live. I lost 2 in the 30, tossed the other one in with the 5 and they have been fine for just over a week now. I am still planning on cichlids, not going to keep all the tinfoils, but I might keep one or two. Depends on the size that they reach. I've read different opinions on the size issue, mainly that these guys get over a foot long. Anybody else keep them, and should I maybe just consider keeping the school together as long as I can? At least till they outgrow the 75. They are very active and enjoy playing "follow the leader" through the decorations. I could maybe get used to these guys. Never tried them before, just was an impulse buy for cheap fish. I'll upload pics when I get some decent ones. Little suckers are fast, they dart all over the tank, definitely not a stay still and hide kind of fish.
 
A school of them are just right sized dither for my 300 gallon.

I bought 6 of them for $2 each march of this year at around 3 inches...I lost the smallest one on the second day to a cichlid but they run the tank now...each of them slightly larger than my hand...

pigs with fins; but very nice looking when not spooked. Shade the aquarium and dim the lights for best results.
 
It is shaded with a background around 3 sides and the light is kind of dim now. Old flourescent lights, have to keep taking one of them out of the tank. My cat keeps knocking it into the water! They probably would look nice when they start putting on size, but I still prefer cichlids. I want the personality of a cichlid. I probably underfeed the tinfoils, only feed them once a day. When they get too big, I'll post an ad, see if anybody out there lives near me, that would take them. I'll probably try to rehome at least 4 of them, probably 5. I'll keep one with my cichlids, just to see it reach full size.
 
tinfoils get huge. i seen some the other day at a lfs. they actually get bigger than oscars
 
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I might regret getting them later, but it seemed like a good idea at the time. Mine range from 1 1/2 to 3 inches. The 3 inch one seems to be the leader. Isn't there a variety that only gets about 8 inches? I know that probably isn't what I've got, though. I do like to watch them play and chase each other. I could get used to them, if they had the personality of a cichlid. You know, recognizing their main feeder, coming up to front of tank to greet you, watching everything in the room around them.
 
I would try pics on mine, but they are fast moving, and not real good at posing right now. Maybe when they get bigger. Nice pic btw.
 
You can tell the smaller species by lack of black on the edge of the fin...but of course you have albinos so that distinction does you little good ;)

Personality...not so much...they are like Mac trucks cruising the frogger's world...if you feed with a wide open tank, expect to get wet.


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Guess I'll just have to see how they do. I read about the black line difference, but like you said, that won't be much help with these guys.

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