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zebra danio facts

Zebra Danio Fact File: All You Need to Know.

The Zebra Danio is a peaceful fish, but at the same time, so full of character!

They are like the annoying little brother of the fish tank.

They serve a very good purpose though, to help relax any timid fish you may have, as well as keep everyone entertained with their antics!

Read on for more information.

Name:Zebra Danio
Scientific Name:Brachydanio rerio
Family:Cyprinids
Origins:Eastern India
Habitat:Wide Variation
Adult Length:5cms
Ideal Temperature:65-75 degrees Fahrenheit
Diet:Omnivore
Life Expectancy:2-3 years
Behaviour & Characteristics:Peaceful but very active
Ideal Tankmates:other active and peaceful fish
Top, Middle or Bottom:Mostly top
zebra danio
Zebra Danio in all it’s beauty.

Scientific Name:

The full scientific name for the Zebra Danio is Brachydanio rerio, but this is usually shortened to Danio rerio.

Family:

They are members of the Cyprinidae family of fish, which are more commonly known as the carp or minnow family.

Origins:

The Zebra Danio originates from Eastern India, more specifically from the Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal and Myanmar regions.

They get their name due to their blue and silver stripes, and are also known as Zebrafish.

They are now mostly bred in captivity.

Habitat:

The natural habitat of the Zebra Danio is wide and varied. They are used to living in very fast moving streams and rivers to stagnant ponds and pools. This is one of the reasons why they are such a hardy fish.

Adult Length:

The typical adult length of a Zebra Danio is 5cms. They can grow bigger than this if kept in a large pond, rather than a fish tank.

The males tend to be slimmer with more vivid colours. The females can grow slightly larger and longer than their male counterparts and look slightly rounder in the belly.

Ideal Temperature:

Zebra Danios can easily cope with quite a large temperature range, anywhere from 65-75 degrees Fahrenheit will be fine for them.

Diet:

Zebra Danios are omnivores so they eat anything and everything. They are known to be quite greedy when it comes to feeding time and will always be first to the food.

My Zebra Danios are always at the top of the tank, waiting for me when it’s feeding time!

Life Expectancy:

The average life expectancy if living in a tank is 2-3 years. However, Zebra Danios can live up to 4-5 years if kept in a large pond with good conditions for them.

zebra danios

Behaviours & Characteristics:

Zebra Danios are known as dither fish. Dither fish are great for a mixed breed tank as they help any timid fish feel safer due to them constantly swimming around the top of the tank. This helps any timid fish as they feel the top of the tank is now protected.

They are schooling fish so need to be kept in a group of at least 6.

Zebra Danios are very quick swimmers, and they don’t stop! They are very active, so they need a lot of swimming space. If they are in an overcrowded tank, they will get anxious without room to move.

Zebra Danios are the perfect fish for a beginner as they are very hardy. They are used to a wide temperature range.

Make sure you have a lid on your tank as they are very good jumpers!

Ideal Tankmates:

Zebra Danios are renowned as annoying fin nippers, so don’t mix with Angel fish, Bettas or Guppies.

They are fine with timid fish, as well as other small schooling fish, like Tetras.

Top, Middle or Bottom:

They spend most of their time at the top of the tank where they have the most space to swim around. At feeding time, they are first to the feeding hatch, but will quickly get to the bottom to catch any food that has been missed.

Related Articles.

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Can danios jump?

Can danios change colour?

Why does my danio stay at the bottom of the tank?

How many danios can go into a tank?

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