Danios are cyprinids, originating from India and some neighboring countries. Zebra Danios(Danio rerio, also called zebrafish) have horizontal stripes while Leopard Danios(Danio rerio var Frankei) are spotted. Both the Zebra Danio and the Leopard Danio are similar fish which can be considered to have the same characteristics. They are schooling fish should be kept in a small group of at least six Danios in your aquarium. Danios are never resting, they are always moving actively in the upper part of your aquarium. You should not keep them with fish having larger fins as the latter move slower and may be harassed by your fin-nipping Danios.

Lifetime

Danios will live upto five years under good conditions.

Size

They grow to a maximum size of 1.5-2 inches (4-5cm)

Aquarium Conditions

Danios do best in planted tanks with lots of swimming area. You’ll see them swim in the endless water flow from your filter, but be sure to cover your tank as these fish might jump! Danios can survive a range of water parameters but they prefer soft and slightly acidic water with a temperature between 18°C(64°F) and 26°C(79°F).

Feeding

Feeding them is an easy task, these cyprinids will eat any fish food you give them. Be sure to give them a varied diet for an optimal health.

Did you know?

Did you notice that your danios have a pair of barbels? Danios swim so swiftly that these barbels are pressed on their mouths and many people don’t ever notice it. Try peeking at your danio while it is asleep.

Breeding

Danios are one of the easiest egg layers to breed. If you have never bred fish before, danios are the good choice to start with. Breeding is covered in detail in the Danio Breeding article.