TankBud

Rose danio

Danio roseus

Also known as Purple passion danio, Brachydanio rosea, Rosy danio

FreshwaterFish

Rose danio (Danio roseus)
The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature
70–79°F
21–26°C
pH
6.5–7.5
Adult size
1.8 in
4.6 cm
Minimum tank
20 gal
75 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Schooling
Swim level
Middle
Difficulty
Easy
Breeding
Egg scatterer · Medium
Rarity
Rare
Family
Danionidae
Origin
Upper Mekong basin, Thailand, Laos and Myanmar

Overview

The rose danio is a good-natured, active schooling fish for the middle of a community tank. It is easy to keep, even for a beginner.

Did you know

In a shop tank, a rose danio often looks like a plain silver fish. A week or two of good food and quiet light brings up the pink flush, rather like a photograph slowly developing.

Caring for the rose danio

Give a group of rose danios a planted tank of 20 gal (75 L) or more, with driftwood and open lanes to swim. Hardy Anubias, Bolbitis or ferns attached to the wood do well under the light these danios prefer. Like other danios, they can jump, so keep a well-fitting lid on the tank.

Rose danios prefer water that is cooler than average tropical. Keep it at 70 to 79°F (21 to 26°C) and a pH of 6.5 to 7.5, with a gentle current. They eat almost anything small, from flake and micro pellets to frozen and live foods.

Keep at least eight, since they look their best in a group. They are peaceful and active, and they mix well with rasboras, small loaches and other calm community fish of similar size. Breeding them takes moderate effort. They scatter their eggs and spawn readily, but they eat their own eggs given the chance.

Good to know

The rose danio, Danio roseus, belongs to the family Danionidae and was described in 2000 from northern Thailand. It is pearl-blue, with a rose-pink wash along the belly and fins. It is now sometimes placed in the genus Brachydanio.

In the wild

The rose danio comes from streams of the upper Mekong basin in Thailand, Laos and Myanmar. These are flowing streams with plants and wood.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The rose 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 rose danio need?

A rose danio needs at least 20 gal (75 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a rose danio need?

A rose danio is comfortable at 70–79°F (21–26°C) with a pH of 6.5–7.5.

What does a rose danio eat?

A rose danio eats almost anything small, from flake and micro pellets to frozen and live foods.

How big does a rose danio get?

An adult rose danio reaches about 1.8 in (4.6 cm).

Does a rose danio need a group?

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

How does a rose danio breed?

A rose danio is an egg scatterer that spawns readily, but it eats its own eggs given the chance. Breeding it takes moderate effort.

Related species