The big, beautiful, schooling tinfoil barb (Barbonymus schwanenfeldii) has been a mainstay in the hobby for generations. It has a bright metallic sheen over its entire body, looking as if it is covered in shiny foil. The fins are brilliant red. The dorsal fin has a black tip, and both lobes of the caudal fin are outlined in black, often with a brilliant white margin. The body is high-backed and diamond-shaped. It is a peaceful, stately and majestic schooling fish that actually stays together in a school, swimming in the open water right in front, coming up to the surface to beg for a meal any time anyone comes near the tank. It should be no wonder that fishkeepers who see this fish just have to have them.
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