Barred danio

Care at a glance

Overview

Keep barred danios in a group of at least six to eight in a tank of 90 litres or more, since a small group can turn nippy. Cooler water at 21 to 26 C with a pH of 6.5 to 7.5 and a tight lid suits these active jumpers. Feed flakes, micropellets, and frozen foods such as daphnia and bloodworm. Kept in a proper group they are lively but peaceful and mix well with other robust community fish.

In the wild

The barred danio comes from a small area of clear, moderate streams in the Nilwala basin of southwestern Sri Lanka. It swims in fast shoals in the upper water among rocks and plants. Bold blue-green bars and stripes over a pale body make it one of the more striking danios. Its tiny wild range is under pressure, so most tank fish are captive bred.

Good to know

Devario pathirana was described in 1990 and is sometimes still listed as Danio pathirana. It is critically endangered in the wild because it lives in such a small area, but it breeds readily in captivity. It reaches about 6 cm and is more colorful than most of its danio relatives.

Did you know

Buying captive-bred barred danios takes pressure off a wild population that survives in just one small river system in Sri Lanka.

Related species

• 

  Bengal danio

  Devario devario

  3.5 in (9 cm)34 gal (130 L)59–81°F (15–27°C)

• 

  Malabar danio

  Devario malabaricus

  5.1 in (13 cm)48 gal (180 L)64–77°F (18–25°C)

• 

  Lake Inle danio

  Devario auropurpureus

  3.1 in (8 cm)24 gal (90 L)64–77°F (18–25°C)
• Queen danio

  Devario regina

  3.1 in (8 cm)30 gal (115 L)68–79°F (20–26°C)

• 

  Giant danio

  Devario aequipinnatus

  5.9 in (15 cm)50 gal (190 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)

• 

  Black ruby barb

  Pethia nigrofasciata

  2.4 in (6 cm)20 gal (75 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)