Zebra Danio care guide
Zebra Danio (Danio rerio) — minimum tank 40 L, temperature 18-25 °C, pH 6.5-7.5. Peaceful top-water species.
Overview
The Zebra Danio (Danio rerio) is a hardy South Asian cyprinid recognised by horizontal blue and silver-gold stripes running the full length of the body. The species is widely used as a vertebrate model organism in genetics and developmental biology research due to its rapid generation time and transparent embryos.
Taxonomy
- Family: Cyprinidae
- Genus: Danio
- Scientific name: Danio rerio
- Common synonyms: Zebrafish
Habitat
Native to the Ganges and Brahmaputra river basins across India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan. It is typically found in slow-moving or stagnant shallow waters — streams, canals, oxbow lakes, ditches and rice paddies — and tolerates a wide range of temperatures and pH values.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 40 L (10.6 US gal)
- Adult size: 4-5 cm
- Temperature: 18-25 °C (64-77 °F)
- pH: 6.5-7.5
- GH: 2-20 °dGH
- Water flow: moderate
- Lifespan: 3-5 years
- School size: ≥6 individuals
Diet
An opportunistic omnivore. Wild diet consists of small aquatic invertebrates, insect larvae and detritus. In aquaria a varied diet of quality flake or micro-pellets supplemented with daphnia, brine shrimp and other small frozen foods supports growth and colour.
Compatibility
A very active schooling species that occupies the upper and middle layers of the tank. Keep a group of six or more. Suitable companions include White Cloud Minnow, peaceful Corydoras, Cherry Barb and Platy. Avoid keeping with long-finned species such as Betta or Angelfish whose fins may be nipped.
Breeding
A productive egg-scatterer that is easy to breed. Females release hundreds of non-adhesive eggs every few days when conditioned and held with males. A bare-bottom breeding tank or a marble substrate prevents adults from eating the eggs. Generation time is approximately three months.