TankBud

Celestial Pearl danio

Danio margaritatus

FreshwaterFish

Celestial Pearl danio (Danio margaritatus)
Cisamarc · CC BY-SA 3.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
72–79°F
22–26°C
pH
6.5–7.5
Adult size
0.8 in
2 cm
Minimum tank
9 gal
35 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Schooling
Swim level
Middle
Difficulty
Easy
Breeding
Medium
Rarity
Common
Family
Cyprinidae
Origin
Myanmar

Overview

The Celestial Pearl danio is a tiny, peaceful schooling fish for a small planted tank. It is a good first fish.

Did you know

The Celestial Pearl danio was first sold as the galaxy rasbora and was briefly thought to be a Rasbora. A collecting rush nearly stripped its few known ponds before captive breeding caught up. Almost all the fish in shops now are tank-bred, which took the pressure off wild populations.

Caring for the Celestial Pearl danio

Keep Celestial Pearl danios in a group of six or more, and the more the better. A small, heavily planted tank of 9 gal (35 L) or more, with calm water and a sandy bottom, suits them. They are shy in open, sparse tanks, and plants help them feel safe enough to color up.

Keep the water on the cooler side, at 72 to 79°F (22 to 26°C), with a pH near neutral, from 6.5 to 7.5. These are not warm-water fish. Their mouths are tiny, so feed small foods such as crushed flake and micro pellets. Add little live or frozen foods like baby brine shrimp and daphnia.

Celestial Pearl danios hold the middle water near plants. They are peaceful but easily out-muscled, so keep them only with other small, gentle fish. Males carry brighter red fins and bolder spotting, while females are rounder and more muted. Breeding them is a moderate challenge.

Good to know

The Celestial Pearl danio, Danio margaritatus, is a tiny member of the family Cyprinidae. It was discovered in 2006 and formally described in 2007, so it is a recent arrival to the hobby.

In the wild

Celestial Pearl danios live in small, shallow, spring-fed ponds on the Shan plateau of Myanmar. The ponds are thick with plants and have a gentle flow.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The Celestial Pearl danio is a peaceful, schooling species that keeps to the middle. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does a Celestial Pearl danio need?

A Celestial Pearl danio needs at least 9 gal (35 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a Celestial Pearl danio need?

A Celestial Pearl danio is comfortable at 72–79°F (22–26°C) with a pH of 6.5–7.5.

What does a Celestial Pearl danio eat?

A Celestial Pearl danio has a tiny mouth, so it eats small foods such as crushed flake and micro pellets. It also takes little live or frozen foods like baby brine shrimp and daphnia.

How big does a Celestial Pearl danio get?

An adult Celestial Pearl danio reaches about 0.8 in (2 cm).

Does a Celestial Pearl danio need a group?

Yes. A Celestial Pearl danio is a schooling species and should be kept in a group, not singly.

How can you tell a male Celestial Pearl danio from a female?

Males have brighter red fins and bolder spotting. Females are rounder and more muted.

Related species