Panther danio

Danio aesculapii

Also known as Aesculapius danio

FreshwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature: 72–79°F (22–26°C)
pH: 6.5–7.5
Adult size: 1.4 in (3.6 cm)
Minimum tank: 14 gal (54 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Schooling
Swim level: Middle
Difficulty: Easy
Breeding: Medium
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Rakhine Yoma streams, southwestern Myanmar
Family: Danionidae

Overview

The panther danio is a small, active schooling fish, so keep it in a group of at least eight; smaller numbers turn nervous and lose their colour. It swims mostly in the middle of the tank and stays peaceful, though a quick feeder like this can nip the trailing fins of very slow, long-finned tankmates, so pair it with other small, brisk community fish rather than delicate showpieces. It is an unfussy eater that takes good flake, small pellets, and frozen foods such as daphnia and bloodworm. A planted tank of around 54 liters with open swimming lanes and gentle flow suits a starter group.

In the wild

It comes from small, clear forest streams draining the Rakhine Yoma of southwestern Myanmar, shallow runs and pools over sand and leaf litter with gentle current. Recreate that with a planted tank, some driftwood and shade, and steady, well-filtered water. Keep the temperature between 22 and 26 C and the pH from 6.5 to 7.5, on the soft to neutral side.

Good to know

A member of the danionin family Danionidae, Danio aesculapii was described in 2009 and is sometimes placed in the genus Brachydanio alongside other small danios. It reaches under 4 centimeters and carries a broken, blotched bar pattern rather than the clean stripes of its relatives. Like most small danios it is an egg-scattering spawner that guards nothing, and a mature, densely planted tank can yield the odd fry with no special effort.

Did you know

Its species name honours Aesculapius, the Roman god of medicine whose staff is entwined by a snake; the describers thought the fish's broken markings recalled a snake's skin. The aquarium trade ignored all that and named it for a big cat instead.