A striking, silver-colored fish commonly kept as an aquarium pet has been hiding in plain sight in the Philippines’ largest freshwater lake, renewing concerns over the unmonitored and unmitigated release of alien species into the country’s already strained ecosystems. Ateneo de Manila University researchers recently undertook a careful morphological analysis of a fish caught in Laguna de Bay back in 2024 and positively identified it as Barbonymus schwanefeldii (commonly known as “tinfoil barb” in the pet trade). Native to many parts of Southeast Asia outside the Philippines, it is a fast-growing omnivorous species whose eye-catching metallic appearance makes it a popular ornamental fish. However, once released into the wild, it can rapidly outcompete native fish for food and breeding grounds.

Alien fish found in Laguna de Bay. (2025, July 2). Manila Standard, p. A2.