Page 78 - Encyclopedia of Aquarium and Pond Fish, 3rd Edition

76 FRESHWATER FISH DIRECTORY

Danio rerio
Zebra Danio individuals, with the blue stripes sometimes being Striped patterning
still evident
broken into streaks and spots. Few fish are more
ORIGINS Asia, occurring in eastern India, where it ranges devoted to their mates than Zebras. Whiteworm
from Kolkata to Masulipatam. is a good conditioning food for spawning purposes,
SIZE 2 ⁄2 in (6 cm). with males becoming more brightly colored at this
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DIET Flake and live foods. time and the females swelling with eggs. The water
WATER Temperature 68–75°F (20–24°C); soft (50 mg/l) in a spawning tank for danios must be about 6 in Golden Zebra Danio This is one of the most popular
and acidic (pH 6.0–6.5). (15 cm) deep. Placing a grid on the bottom will color variants now established, having a more yellowish
TEMPERAMENT Lively, shoaling fish. prevent the pair from eating their spawn. Egg- appearance than the normal variety.
laying occurs in the morning, triggered partly by Patterning across
These small danios show well in shoals as part of a sunlight falling on the tank. The adults should then Slim body the tail
community aquarium. The basic body patterning of be removed. The young Zebras emerge two days
horizontal blue and cream stripes varies between later and are free-swimming in another five days.

Longfin Zebra Danio This is another extremely popular
domesticated variant, in which the fins are larger than
those of the naturally occurring species.
Elongated
dorsal fin

Individual fin
patterning
Metallic Longfin Zebra Danio Commercially bred
variants—especially longfins such as this one, which has
a metallic sheen—are more delicate than the wild form.

Danio rerio var. frankei Danio albolineatus
ASYMMETRICAL MARKINGS
Leopard Danio Pearl Danio
One of the features of many danio species
ORIGINS Asia, probably a domestic variant, although its ORIGINS Southeast Asia, from Myanmar (Burma) to is the way that patterning can differ quite
precise origins are not documented. Thailand, the Malay Peninsula, and Sumatra. significantly between fish, enabling
SIZE 2 ⁄2 in (6 cm). SIZE 2 ⁄2 in (6 cm). individuals to be recognized at close quarters.
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DIET Flake and live foods. DIET Flake and live foods. Furthermore, there is generally no symmetry
WATER Temperature 72–75°F (22–24°C); soft (50 mg/l) WATER Temperature 72–75°F (22–24°C); soft (50 mg/l) in the patterning, so each side of a danio’s
and acidic (pH 6.0–6.5). and acidic to neutral (pH 6.5–7.0). body may show different markings. These
TEMPERAMENT Lively, shoaling fish. TEMPERAMENT Lively, active shoalers. markings will be consistent throughout the
fish’s life. Collectively, in a tight shoal, this
First described in 1953, the Leopard was initially variance in patterning may help to protect
thought to be a species in its own right, but recent the fish. Any predator attempting to track its
genetic studies have revealed that it is a variant of prey by visually locking on to a particular
the Zebra Danio. The Leopard can be identified by pattern may lose its target in the throng
its predominantly spotted rather than lined body when the shoal turns and its intended victim
pattern, with the lines being more obvious close to suddenly reveals a different pattern.
the caudal fin. Its care and breeding requirements
are identical to those of the Zebra. A long-finned
form of the Leopard Danio has also been bred.
Dorsal fin set Disrupted The Pearl Danio’s violet-blue coloration is most
well back striped markings evident over the rear of its body, where it is broken
by a thin, yellowish-red stripe along the midline.
In the picture above, the slimmer-bodied fish
to the right is a male. Occupying the upper
levels of the tank, this very active danio needs
plenty of clear space for swimming. Include fine-
Speckling is leaved plants in the spawning tank. Feed young
evident on the fins Pearl Danios fry food at first then brine shrimp.

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