TankBud

Orange-finned danio

Danio kyathit

Also known as Kyathit danio, Brachydanio kyathit, Orange fin danio

FreshwaterFish

Orange-finned danio (Danio kyathit)
Il le faut · CC BY-SA 3.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
68–79°F
20–26°C
pH
6.5–7.5
Adult size
2 in
5 cm
Minimum tank
20 gal
75 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Schooling
Swim level
Top
Difficulty
Easy
Breeding
Easy
Rarity
Common
Family
Cyprinidae
Origin
Native to clear streams and quiet pools of the Ayeyarwady basin in northern Myanmar.

Overview

The orange-finned danio is an adaptable, hardy schooling fish for the top of a cooler community tank, and an easy one for a beginner.

Did you know

Orange-finned danios kept in a big group form tight, fast-moving schools that flash orange when they turn. That is why they are often used to add movement to a planted tank.

Caring for the orange-finned danio

Give orange-finned danios a tank of at least 20 gal (75 L), since they are fast, active swimmers that need swimming length. Fit a tight lid, because danios are good jumpers. They spend most of their time near the top.

Keep them in cooler water, at 68 to 79°F (20 to 26°C) and a pH of 6.5 to 7.5. Offer small flakes, micropellets and frozen daphnia or bloodworm.

Keep a group of at least six to eight. They are boisterous and may nip slow, long-finned tank mates, so pair them with other active, robust community fish.

Orange-finned danios will hybridize with the zebra danio, so keep the two apart if you want clean stock. Breeding them is easy.

Good to know

Danio kyathit was described in 1998, and recent work moves it and several small danios into the genus Brachydanio. It is closely related to the zebra danio. Its species name, kyathit, is the Burmese word for leopard, after its spotted color form. A striped form also exists, and both turn up in the trade under the same name.

In the wild

The orange-finned danio comes from clear, moving streams and quiet pools in northern Myanmar. It lives in loose shoals in the upper half of the water, feeding on small insects and other drifting invertebrates.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The orange-finned danio is a mostly peaceful, schooling species that keeps to the top. 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 an orange-finned danio need?

An orange-finned danio needs at least 20 gal (75 L). It spends most of its time in the top.

What temperature and pH does an orange-finned danio need?

An orange-finned danio is comfortable at 68–79°F (20–26°C) with a pH of 6.5–7.5.

What does an orange-finned danio eat?

An orange-finned danio eats small flakes and micropellets. It also takes frozen daphnia or bloodworm.

How big does an orange-finned danio get?

An adult orange-finned danio reaches about 2 in (5 cm).

Does an orange-finned danio need a group?

Yes. An orange-finned danio is a schooling species and should be kept in a group, not singly.

Related species