From Aqua Guide, the free encyclopedia
Zebra Danio
Danio rerio
- Temperature
- 18–25 °C
- pH
- 6.5 – 7.5
- Min. tank size
- 81 L
- Lifespan
- 4 years
- Diet
- omnivore
- Care level
- easy
| Scientific classification | |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name: | Danio rerio |
| Family: | Danionidae |
| Origin: | South Asia (India, Bangladesh, Nepal) streams and rice paddies |
| Care Characteristics | |
| Care Level: | easy |
| Diet: | omnivore |
| Max Size: | 5.00 cm |
| Water Type: | freshwater |
| Temp Group: | subtropical |
| Temperament: | peaceful |
| Min Group: | 8+ together |
| Varieties: | The wild-type zebra is the striped fish everyone recognises. Several established variants exist beside it. The leopard danio was long treated as a separate species, Danio frankei, and is now known to be a spotted colour morph of this same fish arising from a pigment mutation. It breeds freely with the zebra form. Long-finned versions of both the zebra and leopard patterns exist, produced by selective breeding, along with xanthistic forms — golden fish with the pigment reduced. GloFish are the notable case: transgenic zebra danios expressing green, red or yellow fluorescent protein, commercially available in the United States since late 2003 and the first genetically modified animal sold as a pet. They are the same species with the same requirements, and they breed true. The long-finned strains are the ones to be careful with. Extended finnage on a fish built for constant fast swimming is a poor combination, and long-finned danios are slower, tire more easily and are a target for the nipping their own species is accused of. |
| Lifespan: | 4 years |
Quick Tips
- Bioload:Low
- Min Tank:81 L
- Substrate:Gravel or sand; open swimming space with planting at sides
- Plant Safe:Plant-safe
- Filtration:Moderate (enjoys some current)
Zebra Danio (Danio rerio) is a species of fish in the family Danionidae. It is native to South Asia (India, Bangladesh, Nepal) streams and rice paddies. The zebra danio is the most thoroughly studied fish on earth. Its genome has been sequenced at around 1.4 billion base pairs, its embryos are transparent and develop outside the mother with precursors to every major organ visible within 36 hours, and it can regenerate heart tissue, retinal neurons and spinal cord without scarring. Half of what science knows about vertebrate development came out of this fish. In the aquarium it is the fish people buy without thinking and then underestimate. It comes from the Ganges and Brahmaputra basins across India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan and Bhutan, living in shallow streams, ditches, oxbow lakes and rice paddies. It reaches 4–5 cm. Five horizontal blue stripes run the length of a torpedo-shaped body with an upturned mouth. Field surveys have recorded it between 16.5 and 34 °C (62–93 °F), which is why it is the standard recommendation for an unheated tank.
Compatibility
- Temperament
- peaceful
- Keep in
- Groups of 8+
- Swims
- top
- Fin nipper
- Yes
- Delicate fins
- No
Species similar to Zebra Danio
Matched on family, then category, then water type