🐠Danio: gear and buying guides

The zebra danio is a tireless little cyprinid that lives in schools of at least 8 to 10. Very tolerant, it accepts water from 18 to 25 °C, often making a heater unnecessary indoors, but it demands swimming length: at least 80 L and an 80 cm long tank. Its liveliness makes it an excellent upper-level fish.

Profile : 4 to 5 cm as an adult, at least 80 L and an 80 cm long tank for a school, water between 18 and 25 °C.

Species profile

Lifespan

3 to 5 years

Adult size

5 cm

Minimum tank

80 L

Water temperature

18 to 25 °C

pH

6.5 to 7.5

Temperament

Tireless and playful, it races against the current in a school and may harass slow, long-finned tankmates.

Health watch

white spot disease after an abrupt change · mycobacteriosis in inbred strains

🩺 The health watchpoints on this page are for information only: only a veterinarian can examine your animal and make a diagnosis.

Danio gear, family by family

• 🍖 Food

  A greedy omnivore that eats anything floating: flakes, micro-pellets, daphnia and frozen mosquito larvae. Two quick meals a day are enough despite its constant activity.

• 🧴 Care & grooming

  A very hardy species, tolerant of hardness and pH as long as the water stays clean and oxygenated. A 20 percent weekly change and good circulation are all it needs.

• 🎾 Toys & enrichment

  A gentle current from the filter outlet stimulates it: it loves swimming against the flow. Background plants and a long open midwater zone for the school to race in.

• 🏠 Bedding & habitat

  A tank at least 80 cm long, covered since it jumps, with cool to temperate water. Avoid slow, long-finned tankmates, which it may harass.

• 🧳 Travel & safety

  Easy group transport in bags, a species resistant to moderate fluctuations. Standard 20 to 30 minute acclimation.

• 🧰 Accessories

  A strong-flow filter, a lid, a quick net and an optional heater depending on the room. A modest budget of around 80 to 150 euros for an 80 to 100 L tank.

Guides to read

• Community aquarium or species-only tank: which is right for a first setup?Bedding & habitat

  Community aquarium or species-only tank: pros, cohabitation risks and advice for choosing how to set up your first aquarium.

• Best easy aquarium plants without CO2 for beginnersToys & enrichment

  Which aquarium plants can you choose without CO2 injection? A selection of hardy, easy plants for a beginner's planted tank.

• Budget for a first brackish water aquarium: the real cost to get startedBedding & habitat

  How much does a first brackish water aquarium cost? Tank, filtration, salt and salinity monitoring, budgeted item by item.

• Changing filter media too often: the mistake that wrecks your aquarium's cycleCare & grooming

  Why you should never replace all your filter media at once: nitrifying bacteria, replacement frequency and the right habits.

• Restarting a neglected aquarium: a step-by-step guideCare & grooming

  How do you restart an aquarium that's been left neglected without endangering the fish? Steps, water changes and mistakes to avoid.

• GH, KH and pH: understanding and adjusting aquarium water hardnessCare & grooming

  GH, KH, pH: what do these three readings actually measure, and how do you adjust aquarium water hardness without stressing the fish?

• Upgrading to a bigger aquarium: moving your fish without the stressBedding & habitat

  How do you upgrade to a bigger aquarium without breaking the biological cycle or stressing your fish? Steps and mistakes to avoid.

• Aquarium electrical safety: GFCI protection and good habitsTravel & safety

  Heater, filter, lighting near the water: what electrical precautions keep an aquarium safe for fish and people?