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Zebra danios are small, fast and almost unstoppable. They're one of the hardiest fish you can buy, they tolerate a wide range of temperatures, and a shoal zipping around the top of the tank is a great sight. That makes them a favourite first fish.
Zebra danios at a glance
| Size | 4–5cm |
| Minimum tank | 60 litres, 60cm long |
| Group size | At least 6, ideally 8+ |
| Temperature | 18–25°C |
| pH | 6.5–7.5 |
| Lifespan | 3–5 years |
Varieties
Choose from the classic zebra danio, the long-fin zebra danio, the spotted leopard danio or a mix of assorted danios. They're all the same species and shoal together. See all danios.
Setting up the tank
- Swimming space: danios swim constantly, so a long tank with open water at the top is better than a tall one.
- A tight lid: they're excellent jumpers.
- Flow: they love a current. A good internal or external filter is ideal.
- Heating: zebra danios cope in an unheated tank in a warm room, but a heater set to around 22–24°C keeps conditions stable and lets you keep them with tropical fish.
Plants around the edges and a few rocks or pieces of wood finish the tank. Don't forget to cycle your aquarium first.
Feeding
Danios feed mainly at the surface. Offer a quality flake food or micro pellets once or twice a day, with frozen bloodworm, brine shrimp or daphnia as a treat. Feed only what they eat in two minutes.
Tankmates
Zebra danios are peaceful and fit most community tanks. Good companions include:
Their constant activity can stress very slow, shy fish such as bettas, so take care with those.
Breeding
Zebra danios scatter eggs over plants and gravel and will eat them given the chance. A breeding box or a separate tank with marbles or fine-leaved plants on the bottom lets the eggs fall out of reach.
Common problems
Danios rarely get ill in clean water. Watch for white spot after temperature swings, and keep up regular water changes.
