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Encyclopedia / Danios & Rasboras / Zebra danio
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Variations

11 kinds · tap one for a closer look

Zebra danio

Danio rerio · Zebrafish, Zebra fish, Danio, Glofish danio, Leopard danio

Fast, always moving near the surface; peaceful.

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5 cmBody length, without tail ✓
18–25 °CTemperature ✓
6.5–8pH ✓
81 LSmallest tank ✓
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Tank mates
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Not recommended
  • Tinfoil barb eats animals up to about 5 cm. Zebra danio only grows to 5 cm.
Not recommended
  • Giant gourami eats animals up to about 10 cm. Zebra danio only grows to 5 cm.
Not recommended
  • They need different temperatures (18–25 °C vs 26–30 °C). No setting suits both.
With conditions
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: 24–25 °C.
With conditions
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: 24–25 °C.
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible

304 species in our list are a good match.

Facts checked against sources on 16 Oct 2026. ✓ means a source backs it; ? means no reliable source yet. See sources

Care and water

Hardness ✓5–20 dGH
Group size ✓8 or more
Temperament ✓Peaceful
Swims at ?Top
Care level ?Easy
Diet Omnivore
Lifespan ✓3–5 years
Size in shops 2–3 cm
Growth Fast

Behavior

Fast, always moving near the surface; peaceful.

Food

Flakes, small pellets.

Tap a food to see what it is.

Male or female

Males are slimmer with gold stripes between the blue stripes; females are rounder, a little larger and have silver stripes instead of gold.

Health

Common problems. Tap one to see the signs. This is a guide, not a diagnosis.

Breeding

Egg-scatterer · Easy

Egg scatterer with no parental care; adults will eat eggs, so they are removed after spawning.

Pairing

Buy 6 or more; condition one or two males with a female.

Setup

20 L tank with marbles or a spawning grate over the bottom and some plants.

What starts it

Warm water change and morning light.

Eggs

Hundreds of eggs per clutch; eggs hatch in 24-36 hours, fry free-swimming a few days later.

Raising the fry

Feed infusoria or liquid food for days 1-3, then baby brine shrimp. Remove adults after spawning. Grow out in a larger tank.

Common mistakes
  • Leaving adults with eggs
  • No grate or marbles
  • Overfeeding fry
Full breeding guide, day-by-day plan and simulator →

Where it lives in the wild

RegionSouth Asia – India, Bangladesh & Nepal
Rivers and lakesGanges and Brahmaputra basins
HabitatShallow, slow streams, ponds and rice paddies
Native rangeAbout 1,000 km across
See it on the world map

Plants that suit it

Cabomba

The story of the zebra danio

A major laboratory model organism, pioneered by George Streisinger; its eggs turn transparent almost immediately, which makes development easy to watch. The zebra danio was the first species sold as GloFish (US, late 2003). GloFish are illegal in the EU.

Francis Hamilton described the zebra danio in 1822. It became one of the most popular starter fish and, since the 1970s-80s, a major model organism in biology labs worldwide. Genetically modified fluorescent forms are sold in some countries.

First described by Francis Hamilton in 1822.

  • Zebrafish embryos are transparent, which helps scientists study how organs develop.
  • Zebrafish can regenerate damaged heart and fin tissue.
  • They are among the most widely studied vertebrates in science.

Sources

16 facts checked with sources