Danios Care
Danios, members of the Cyprinidae family, are favoured by aquarium enthusiasts of all levels of expertise. An extremely popular freshwater tropical fish for home aquariums, danios are a small schooling fish that just do not sweat the small stuff. Although they may lack the vibrant colour of the neon tetra and ornamental fins of the angelfish, danios more than makeup for this with their dazzling energy.
An aquarium lid is a must for this species as they have been known to jump out of the tank if they get a little overexcited. Despite this erratic behaviour, danios are extremely hardy fish that are just as happy with the most optimal tank condition and setup, as they are with setups, made expressly for other species.
Popular varieties include the pearl, zebra, gold zebra and Leopard , most of which also come in the longfin variety and are all available at our online aquarium fish shop.
Natural Habitat
Danios are found in the South-East Asian regions of Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam, as well as Southern India and Sri Lanka. They prefer slow-flowing streams over high current rivers and are also found in lakes, ponds, rice paddies and even puddles.
Behavior/Compatibility for Danios
As a highly sociable schooling fish, we recommend no fewer than five danios in any given tank setup. While they may appear slightly stressed with their rapid movements, danios are never happier than when darting about with their kind. That said, they are a very placid fish when it comes to buddies of other species. Too relaxed to cause conflicts with others and too fast for most fin-nipping species, danios should only really be kept away from large aggressive carnivorous fish and perhaps extremely nervous species. Some great tank buddies for danios include tetras, small barbs, mollies and swordtails, all of which are available through our online fish shop. That said, there are very few species that will not be suitable for these fish, so this is by no means an exhaustive list.
Housing Danios and Aquarium Fish Tank Set-up Tips
Tank
Danios vary in size between species, though almost all species grow to a maximum of 5-6 m (2”). The giant danio however may grow up to a maximum of 10-15cm (5.5”), so please note the provided dimensions will not be suitable for that particular species. As a rule of thumb, times the below tank volume information by three for giant danios. As they are so active, all danios prefer a longer tank to a taller tank, though most any shape will be suitable. Due to their energetic behaviour, danios prefer a larger tank comparative to their size, so the below information is based on the minimum tank size (10gl) to allow them to move freely. To keep the water quality good and ensure you have a low maintenance fish tank that doesn't need excessive water changes, we recommend using a 2.5cm (1”) to 7.5 litres (2 gallons) rule when stocking your tank.
Recommended Max Fish Count Tank Volume 15 Danios 38 Litres (10 gallons) 20 Danios 45 Litres (12 gallons) 25 Danios 52 Litres (14 gallons) 30 Danios 60 Litres (16 gallons) 35 Danios 68 Litres (18 gallons) Base
Danios aren’t picky about the substrate used in their aquariums. Any sand or gravel will suit them just fine. If they are co-habiting with other fish species it is better to focus on their particular preferences rather than the danio’s, as they seem to be happy with just about anything. Angelfish feed towards the bottom of the tank, so a fine-to-medium grade substrate is recommended, covering a smooth gravel base.
Foliage
Being a surface feeder, danios enjoy tall and surface floating plants with which they can use as shelter. Some aquarium supplies such as driftwood and caves are also appreciated at night to provide shelter while sleeping. While they do tend to increase their colour and display a better temperament in well-decorated https://livefish.com.au/accessories/bare-driftwood-no-plants tanks, they will thrive even in a sparser tank setup. Again, it is better to focus on the needs of the other species in a cohabited tank as danios are perfectly happy with just about anything.
Water
Unsurprisingly, danios are not particularly picky with their water temperature. Hailing from the northern parts of South East Asia, these tropical fish are suited to temperatures between 18 and 24 C (64.4 – 75.2 F). Depending on your local climate, you may need to install a water heater to ensure the temperature stays within this range. They enjoy a pH of around 6 to 8 and a hardness of 5-15 dH. To ensure your pH and hardness are suitable you should invest in a testing kit . A slow to moderate water flow suits them well, and the water should be aerated with a fish tank air pump . Always ensure your water is properly filtered, and regularly change the water (10% weekly or 25% every other week). You should also filter the substrate regularly and adjust the chemistry of any tap water you use to top your tank. You may do this with one of our many water conditioning products.
Feeding and Care
Danios are primarily surface feeders, meaning floating or slow sinking foods are best. Processed tropical fish foods such as pellets and flakes are suitable, though it’s always good to try to imitate their natural feeding preferences. Blood worms, brine shrimp and daphnia are all ideal and have the added bonus of promoting swimming and hunting to help keep your fish happy and healthy. Freeze-dried shrimp are also suitable, though live brine shrimp are hard to beat. We offer a wide selection of suitable fish foods for danios, from pellets and flakes to freeze-dried and live foods.
Great reasons to keep Danios in your tropical fish tanks
- Danios are extremely hardy and unfussy regarding just about every aspect of fishkeeping, leaving you more options with which to care for your more needy fish.
- They bring new life to tanks and aquariums with their acrobatic and energetic nature.
- These cute fish play well with others and are generally too speedy for those species that do not.
Pick which Danio variety you would like to keep as fish pets from our available stock now, and we'll get them shipped to your door pronto!
