The Red-tailed Tinfoil Barb is native to streams, rivers and flooded fields of Indochina. It is similar in appearance to the (Schwanefeld's) Tinfoil Barb, B. schwanenfeldii but has a wholly red tail fin without the black lines. The image above left is believed to be of the Red-tailed or Altus Tinfoil. Those above centre and right may be but are unclear - they have shadows on the tail edges and haven't developed a red dorsal fin, but may be regular Tinfoils.

The head shape looks more like the Sultan Barb but with the very red tail this is probably one of the Tinfoil species. It may even be the Red-tailed Tinfoil discussed above - although they are described as without the black edges to the tails.

In aquaculture, fish are bred so that the lovely shiny tinfoil scales become golden or white. These are called Albino, Golden or Yellow Tinfoil Barbs.

Most of the Tinfoil varieties bred are from the Barbonymus schwanfeldi tinfoil, but some are from the Red-tailed B. altus and possibly from the Java Barb, B. gonionotus, or even Hoven's Carp, Leptobarbus hoevenii.