- Scientific name: Brachydanio rerio, Danio rerio
- Common name: Zebrafish
- Aquarium size: 80 liters
- Temperament: Calm
- Temperature: Between 18º and 25º
- pH: Between 6 and 8
- Diet: Omnivore
- Length: 5 cms
Description
The zebrafish, danio rerio or zebrafish, is a fish of the cyprinid family, suitable for beginner aquarists, as it easily withstands many of the mistakes of newbies.
It is an oviparous that reproduces easily in an aquarium , which is also a plus for those beginners, who will find that raising aquarium fish is a challenge.
Its calm and gregarious temperament makes it ideal for a community aquarium , where it can coexist with other species of fish.
Morphology
The zebra danio is a small fish, measuring about 5 centimeters . They are gold or silver in color, with five to nine longitudinal dark blue stripes, which qualify them as zebrafish.
It is not easy to distinguish males from females, except when they reach sexual maturity, then we can see how the female acquires a more rounded shape, looks a little larger than the males and loses some color.
In the spawning season, when the female zebrafish is pregnant, the males intensify their coloration.
Another sexual dimorphism is in the stripes, that males alternate blue and gold bands, while females are blue and silver.
Distribution and habitat
Its original distribution is somewhat confusing, since it is possible that originally, danio rerio was confused with other danios.
They are currently known to be present in India, eastern and western Ghats ranges, Bangladesh, and Bhutan.
It is found in rivers with fast and shallow waters, with silty bottoms and abundant vegetation.
Some recent information on their life cycle assumes that adults live in small streams and rivers, looking for quiet and shady areas , until the rains arrive and looking for marginal ponds and rice fields to spawn.
Aquarium conditions
The size of the aquarium should be around 80 liters , in which it is convenient to add a dark substrate and a good amount of plants, some of them floating, to blur the light and emulate their natural habitat to the maximum.
Strong filtration is not necessary, although we may see that they have a preference for swimming near the outlet of the water pump.
Regarding the water temperature, between 18º and 25º C should be ranges in which the zebrafish is comfortable.
The pH of the water should be kept between 6 and 8, with a hardness between 90 and 357 ppm.
Ideas for setting up your aquarium
- Best complete aquariums
- Best Small Aquarium
- Best external filters for aquarium
- Best aquarium heater
- Best Aquarium Oxygenator
- Best Aquarium LED Display
- Better sand
- Best substrate for aquarium
- Best compost for plants
- Best Aquarium Stones
- Best aquarium logs
- Best Aquarius Test
- Best Ph meter
- Best fish food
- Best Fish Food Dispenser
Diet
They are omnivorous. In its natural state, it usually feeds on mosquito larvae, small crustaceans and other invertebrates.
For feeding in the aquarium, we must provide a diet that includes dry food, together with small live or frozen brine shrimp larvae, you can even add small pieces of boiled vegetables to their diet.
During the mating season, ideally we should increase the presence of live prey.
Behavior and compatibility
It is a calm and sociable fish. We can use it in a community aquarium, in combination with other small cyprinids , tetras, rainbow fish and catfish .
As it is a gregarious fish, we must have a small group in the aquarium of no less than 8 to 10 fish . In this way we will ensure that they are calmer, in addition to enjoying the spectacle of watching them swim in sync, and their colors, which will be more vivid.
Zebrafish compatibility
Compatible fish without restrictions
- Barbel Cherry
- Corydoras
- Gourami Pearl
- Snail Apple
- Mosquito fish
- Ramirezi
- Silver dollar
- Neon Tetra
- Rasbora Galaxy
- Chinese Neon
Compatible fish without restrictions
- Little nun
- Guppy endler
- Platy
- Kribensis
- Female betta
- Drunk
- Telescope
- Tiger Barbel
- Harlequin
- Botia Clown
Compatible fish without restrictions
- Ancistrus
- Molly
- Ax fish
Restricted Compatible Fish
- Climb
- Rainbow
- Kois
- Goldfish
- Killis
- Paradise
Reproduction
Like many other cyprinids, the danio rerio does not show much parental care , spawning often and in a large aquarium, it will be difficult to establish proper control.
We can be surprised from time to time, to find a small group of fingerlings swimming, without having had a reaction time. If we want to have a quantity of small zebrafish, we must prepare a breeding aquarium.
We will proceed as follows:
- The breeding tank must be dimly lit.
- At the base, we will put a mesh, marbles or some type of carpet , so that the eggs when they are deposited, are out of the reach of the adults.
- It is convenient to change the water from a slightly acidic pH to neutral. With a temperature close to 25ºC.
- We must take a pair of fish to the breeding aquarium, when we are certain that the female zebrafish are pregnant and full of eggs.
- To force spawning, small amounts of cold water should be added every few hours.
- We must also add small amounts of live and frozen foods.
- When we have evidence that the eggs have been laid, after a few hours we must remove the adults, since they will eat the eggs they find.
- After the female has spawned, the young fry should appear within 24 to 36 hours.
- Fingerlings eat very small food, we can find dry food suitable for fingerlings already prepared . Once they start to grow, we can add brine shrimp larvae.
Tips
Zebrafish are very popular as they are peaceful, hardy, and inexpensive. The price of zebrafish has fallen a lot, thanks to the fact that they are easily raised in large quantities.
This also has its problems, since inbreeding is present in this type of fish, we can find that some specimens develop morphological deformations.
Another great problem of danio rerio is in one of the most common diseases, Neon Tetra Disease ( Neon Tetra disease) that is caused by a parasite.
It can be recognized by the appearance of white spots on the skin, and the attacked fish is separated from the group.
This disease has no cure. It is best to eliminate any fish showing symptoms.
Zebrafish photos
