tin foil barb

[Gretchen]

I bought some giant danios today, and when I got them home I realized they had given me a tin foil barb in the group. I bought them out of town. The tank size is a standard 55 gallon. I looked them up and they get to be about 13". It is really small right now. How long do you think before he needs a bigger home? and how big?

 

[ashdavid]

I would not give it too long, they grow pretty fast and need a lot of swimming room.Cheers

 

[Gretchen]

How big of a tank do they need?

 

[Holly9937]

I would say at least 100 gallons, but probably more, I was actually discouraged from getting any in my 180 gallon tank (I think because I already had a few fish that get pretty big). Plus I think they like to be in schools, which would probably make the minimum tank required even greater.

 

[phanmc]

I had a couple of full grown tinfoil barbs in a 180 tank (6 ft long), and I didn't think they looked too happy. They are constantly swimming, and 6ft of swimming space isn't alot of room for 1ft fishes.

 

[ashdavid]

I have seven in my 1850g. They deffinately love the space. But am not saying you need a tank that big, but as with these fish bigger is better.As phanmc said a six foot tank still seems cramped with these fish.

 

[superjohnny]

Tinfoil barbs have a tendency to terrorize more passive fishes and they like to be in groups. I'd take the fish back or try to give it away locally if I were you. It won't be happy alone anyway.