Giant Danio
From Microcosm Aquarium Explorer
A great aquarium fish, providing constant action when kept in schools. Aaron Norman
Overview
The Giant Danio is a sleek, athletic fish with a great disposition. It brings constant swimming action to a community tank and should be kept in schools of at least 3 to 5 fish. It may be a bit too active for small, peaceful tanks and is more appropriate in a community of larger fishes.
Family: Cyprinidae
Other common name(s):
Native range:
Habitat: The Giant Danio deserves a larger aquarium of 30 or more gallons, although initially, smaller aquariums will do quite well. Long is more important than tall, as they need lots of room for their end-to-end swimming patterns.
Maximum length: 15 cm (6 in)
Minimum aquarium size: 114 L (30 gal)
Water: Freshwater 22 °C (72 °F) - 26 °C (79 °F)
General swimming level: Midwater to top.
Feeding
Omnivore. The diet of the Giant Danio should include both meaty and vegetable-based fare. Feed a wide variety of prepared aquarium foods, including Spirulina-based flakes, freeze-dried and frozen foods. Treat with occasional live foods like brine shrimp and bloodworms to help enhance their coloration.
Aquarium Compatibility
Although the Giant Danio schools at the surface in the wild, in the aquarium it typically spends its time in the middle and upper regions, depending on where there is more open water to roam.
Breeding/Propagation
Danios are egg scatterers, releasing and fertilizing non-adhesive eggs that sink to the bottom. Breeders cover the bottom of the tank with marbles or insert a plastic grid to keep the parents from gobbling up their own spawn.
Notes
These are jumpers, so a tight-fitting top is a must. A cover of floating plants and a dark substrate will help to show off their colors.