Skip to content

Zebra Danio

Danio rerio · family Cyprinidae

Also: Zebrafish

Zebra Danio (Danio rerio) — aquarium fish
Pogrebnoj-Alexandroff / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0

Parameters

Temperature
18–25 °C
pH
6.5–8
Hardness
5–19 °dGH
Tank volume
from 60 L
Maximum size
up to 5 cm
Group size
min 6, ideal 8
Temperament
Peaceful
Swimming zone
Top
Difficulty
Beginner
Lifespan
3–5 years
Add to simulator

Description

The zebra danio is one of the toughest and most active aquarium fish. It tolerates a wider temperature range than most tropicals, but that doesn't mean it can be kept in cold water long-term.

It's a model organism in developmental biology: the embryos are transparent, which is exploited in research.

Care

Activity

Danios constantly swim in the upper layer; the tank should be at least 60 cm long, otherwise there's no room to sprint.

Feeding

Versatile omnivore. Flakes + frozen or live food 2–3 times a week.

Compatibility

  • Guppy

    Poecilia reticulata

    Compatible by parameters; the danios' activity can stress veil-tail guppies.

    Good
  • Cherry Barb

    Puntius titteya

    Similar requirements.

    Good
  • Bronze Corydoras

    Corydoras aeneus

    Different swimming zones.

    Ideal
  • Betta

    Betta splendens

    Fast-moving danios can stress the betta.

    Caution
  • Goldfish

    Carassius auratus

    The overlap in temperature range is narrow.

    Caution

FAQ

Можно ли держать данио в холодной воде?
Данио переносит 18–22 °C лучше большинства тропических, но оптимум — 22–24 °C. В стабильно холодной воде иммунитет снижается.
Goldie editorial team — collective profile photo
AuthorGoldie Editorial

Goldie editorial team

Practising aquarists with a combined 30+ years of experience · Biologists and editors, fact-checking against FishBase and Seriously Fish · Every piece is reviewed by a qualified ichthyologist before publication

Goldie Science Board — collective scientific review panel
Reviewed byGoldie Science Board

Scientific board — ichthyologists and veterinarians

Ichthyologists and veterinarians with university degrees · Reference FishBase, Seriously Fish and peer-reviewed literature · Sign every reviewed article with their credentials shown

Sources

  1. FishBase: Danio rerio · FishBase · 2026-05-22
  2. Seriously Fish: Danio rerio · Seriously Fish · 2026-05-22