Bengal danio

Care at a glance

Overview

Keep Bengal danios in a lively group of at least six, and ideally eight or more, as a bigger shoal keeps them settled and cuts down on any fin nipping. They are fast, restless swimmers that patrol the open middle water, so give them length to cruise and a secure lid because they jump. They are mostly peaceful and suit active community tanks with other robust, quick fish rather than slow or long finned tankmates. Feed a varied diet of quality flake, small sinking pellets, and frozen foods such as daphnia and bloodworm. Aim for a tank around 130 liters or larger so the group has room to move.

In the wild

This danio comes from rivers and streams across northern India, Nepal, and Bangladesh, including parts of the Ganges system, where it lives in clear flowing stretches over gravel and stone. It handles a wide temperature band, roughly 15–27 C, which runs from cool foothill water to warmer lowland reaches, and it does well at a pH of about 6.0–7.5. Recreate that with a moderate current from the filter or a powerhead, a substrate of sand and rounded gravel, some water worn rocks, and hardy plants around the edges that leave the central swimming lane open.

Good to know

Devario devario belongs to the carp and minnow family Cyprinidae and is one of the larger danios kept in aquaria, reaching about 9 cm. It was described by Francis Hamilton in 1822, making it one of the earliest danios known to science. Like its relatives it is a slim, deep bodied, silver fish marked with blue and gold bars toward the tail, built for constant swimming in flowing water. It is an egg scattering species that gives no parental care, and home breeding is difficult, so most fish in the trade are commercially raised.

Did you know

Bengal danios are easy to mix up with other large Devario species, especially the Malabar danio, since they share the same slim silvery body and blue and gold barring. Careful counting of the flank stripes and fin markings is often the only reliable way to tell members of this genus apart.

Related species

• 

  Malabar danio

  Devario malabaricus

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

  Devario pathirana

  2.4 in (6 cm)24 gal (90 L)70–79°F (21–26°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)

• 

  Red shiner

  Cyprinella lutrensis

  3.5 in (9 cm)36 gal (135 L)57–77°F (14–25°C)