Aquarium and Fish Care: Have Fun Keeping DANIOS in Your Fish Tank

2018-04-06

Have Fun Keeping DANIOS in Your Fish Tank

Female individuum of Danio margaritatus.garitatus).
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Danios fish are great for beginners because they are easy to maintain. Due to their high energy level and mild temperament, Danios are an excellent choice for aquariums. They are normally found in freshwater rivers and in streams of Southeast Asia, and since they live in fast flowing streams, provide them enough space to move around and with a current from a power filter.

Several varieties of Danios fish are available and the most common among them is the Zebra Danio which can be easily identified by its horizontal stripes. Most of the species are brightly colored. Other varieties are Gold, Leopard, Blue, Giant, and Pearl. Two pairs of long barbels are present in them and they are characterized by horizontal stripes except in Black Barred Danio, Panther Danio and Glowlight Danio in which vertical bars can be seen.

Danios are playful and sociable and they live happily in the aquarium environment. Try to keep them in groups of more than 4. They get along with most aquarium fish. They can be kept along with Barbs, Rainbows, Clown or Yoyo Loaches, some varieties of catfish like Corydoras or Plecostomus Catfish and also with most of the Gouramis, even though they are smaller than Danios. I've found some or my smaller fish get intimidated by the always energetic Danios, and they will hide from them. They will chase each other and other fish continuously, but they don't attack

Danio kerri (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Occasionally, they nip their fins, most of the time by accident. They will eat eggs and other small fishes that fit into their mouths. Make sure you have a tight fitting lid because Danios are good jumpers. Danios are used in aquariums to distract other aggressive fish from fighting as they are even-tempered.

Danios are omnivorous and will eat a variety of foods. They can be satisfied with regular flake food, but they love to snack on bloodworms or brine shrimp once in a while. They are voracious eaters, so you should not put them with timid feeders.

My Zebra Danios get pregnant all the time, but since I don't intend to breed them, they just eat their eggs. So if you do intend to breed them, you should feed them with plenty of fresh foods, and remove the parents from the tank until the new fish are larger. These fish usually consume small aquatic insects, worms, crustaceans and plankton in the wild.

They can live in temperatures that range from 68-80ºF. But they can learn to thrive in an unheated tank.

Zebra, Gold, Pearl and Leopard Danios will normally grow to a maximum size 1.5 inches. But Giant Danios will grow up to five inches in length.

Whichever kind you choose, you will have a ball just watching them play all over the tank.

Rebeca Rambal

http://www.thefishtankplace.com

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