Orange Hatchet Danio

Laubuka dadiburjori

FreshwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature: 68–75°F (20–24°C)
pH: 6.0–7.5
Adult size: 1.2 in (3 cm)
Minimum tank: 13 gal (50 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Schooling
Swim level: Middle
Difficulty: Easy
Breeding: Medium
Rarity: Rare
Origin: India
Family: Cyprinidae

Overview

Orange hatchet danios are tiny, peaceful shoaling fish that should be kept in a group of at least eight to ten, as a decent shoal keeps them confident and out in view. They swim in the upper and middle water and spend much of their time near the surface, so a secure lid is wise. Their small size and gentle nature make them ideal for a planted nano or a quiet community, but they should never share a tank with anything large or boisterous. Feed small foods such as fine flake, crushed micro pellets, and tiny frozen or live items. A tank around 50 liters or larger suits a shoal of these little fish.

In the wild

This little danio comes from small streams, ponds, and ditches near the coast of southwestern India, in the Kochi area of the Malabar region, where it lives in warm, still to slow moving water. It does well at about 20–24 C and a pH of 6.0–7.5. Recreate that with gentle filtration, a dark substrate, and generous planting, including floating plants that dim the light and give this surface loving fish cover. Calm water, fine foods, and plenty of plant cover keep it comfortable and coloring up.

Good to know

Laubuka dadiburjori is one of the smallest cyprinids in the hobby, a member of the family Cyprinidae that reaches only about 3 cm. It has a compressed, hatchet shaped body with a deep chest and an upturned mouth suited to feeding at the surface, and a golden orange stripe runs along each flank. It was described in 1952 and has been shuffled between the genera Chela, Laubuka, and Neochela over the years. It is an egg scattering spawner that can be bred in a quiet, densely planted tank with moderate effort.

Did you know

This fish is named after Sam Dadiburjor, an Indian aquarist who first collected and bred it from streams near Kochi in the early 1950s. Its old and still widely used name, Chela dadiburjori, and the nickname dadio both carry his name.