Celestial Pearl Danio

The Celestial Pearl Danio (Danio margaritatus, formerly Celestichthys margaritatus), widely known as the Galaxy Rasbora or CPD, is an icon of modern planted aquascaping. Growing to just 2–2.5 cm, its deep midnight-blue body is scattered with golden-pearl spots while its fins blaze with crimson-red and black bands—resembling a miniature brook trout that glows intensely under WRGB LED lighting.

Thrives in densely planted aquariums starting at 30 liters. Maintain cooler tropical temperatures of 20–26 °C (avoid prolonged heat above 27 °C), pH 6.5–7.5, and GH 5–12. In bare tanks they become shy, so provide lush stem plants, moss-covered driftwood, and keep a shoal of 8–15+ fish (ideally more females than males) so males display vibrant fin-sparring dances without stressing individual females.

Omnivorous micro-predator with a tiny upturned/terminal mouth: feed crushed high-quality flakes, slow-sinking nano micro-pellets (0.3–0.5 mm), baby brine shrimp (Artemia nauplii), daphnia, and cyclops. Regular live or frozen micro-foods mixed with astaxanthin enhance their ruby-red fin coloration.

Spawns continuously in dense clumps of Java moss or Subwassertang at 22–24 °C, scattering 10–30 eggs per batch. While adults may eat eggs they find, dense moss carpets allow fry to hatch in 72 hours and feed on infusoria and biofilm until large enough for microworms and baby brine shrimp.