Zebra danio (Danio rerio)

Scientific name: Danio rerio Hamilton, 1822

Zebra danio (Danio rerio)
Photo: https://www.worldlifeexpectancy.com/fish-life-expectancy-zebra-danio-or-zebrafish

The Zebra danio (Danio rerio) is a freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae that grows to about 4.5 cm (1.8 in). It is easy to keep and peaceful, suits community aquariums and needs a tank of at least 75 L (20 US gal), water at 19–25°C (66–77°F) and a pH of 6.0–8.0. Native range: Asia, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Myanmar.

Zebra danio care at a glance

Care level
Easy
Temperament
Peaceful
Community tank
Excellent
Adult size
4.5 cm (1.8 in)
Minimum tank
75 L (20 US gal)
Temperature
19–25°C (66–77°F)
pH
6.0–8.0
Hardness
5–19 dGH (89–339 ppm)
Diet
Omnivore. Accepts flakes, frozen foods and live foods.

Biology

Adults inhabit streams, canals, ditches, ponds and beels. Occur in slow-moving to stagnant standing water bodies, particularly rice-fields; and lower reaches of streams. Common in rivulets at foot hills. Feed on worms and small crustaceans; also on insect larvae. Breed all year round. Appears to be primarily an annual species in the wild, the spawning season starting just before the onset of the monsoon. Domesticated zebrafish live on average 3.5 years, with oldest individuals surviving up to 5.5 years. Spawning is induced by temperature and commences at the onset of the monsoon season. Food availability also acts as cue for breeding. Growth rate is a vital guiding environmental factor for sexual differentiation for this species as

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Danio rerio
Family
Cyprinidae (Minnows or carps)
Order
Cypriniformes (Carps)
Class
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length
3.8
Environment
Freshwater;; pH range: 6.0 - 8.0; dH range: 5 - 19 benthopelagic
Climate
Tropical
Distribution
Asia: Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Myanmar. Reported from Bhutan. Appearance in Colombian waters presumably by escape from an aquarium fish rearing facility.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Least Concern (LC)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Uses
Fisheries: of no interest; aquarium: highly commercial
Resilience
High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (tmax=5.5 (in captivity); tm

More barbs, danios & rasboras

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Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0. Aquarium care parameters compiled, checked and converted to metric and imperial units by Guppies.za.net.

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