| Common Name | Giant Danio
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| Species/Genus | Danio Aequipinnatus
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| Keeping | The Giant Danio is an excellent beginner's
fish, always active, easy to feed, peaceful and very tolerant of less than
optimum aquarium conditions. This fish is at it's best when kept in a school
of 6 or more, in neutral to slightly alkaline water and plenty of free swimming
space. Females are more plumb compared to males which are more colourful and thinner.
Food for Zebras can include live or frozen brine shrimp, grindal worms etc.,
but they will get by just fine on flake food alone. They are bigger than the other
danios and need larger and longer tanks for them to swim freely. They are very agile
and can stress docile fish if kept together by their constant movement even though
they do not attack even smaller fish. They are egg scatterers and are easy to breed. Females are more plumb than
males and are easy to identify. Their colouration is beautiful if water conditions
are optimum. They can be kept with larger cichlids and form excellent dither fish to
bring out the hiding cichlids. They can easily escape the cichlid attack and normally
cichlids do not harm them as their territory is the top part compared to cichlids which
occupy mostly the bottom portion. These are also excellent for cycling tanks. They are
good jumpers and their tank needs a tight fitting cover.
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| Breeding | They are easy to breed. You need a 20G
tank for the purpose. No special conditioning periods are necessary.
The female should be plumb with eggs. Temperature should be maintained at
around 27 °C for mating to begin. Breeding tank should have plants at the bottom
or a nylon wire mesh net so that the eggs can drop below the net. This will
prevent the parents from eating the eggs. Introduce the fishes at dawn. Mating
takes place almost immediately at dawn with the male chasing the female around
the tank through plants and other things. If you have a rising column of air
bubbles then they swim around and through that and mate. It is a sight to watch.
Eggs will be eaten if the parents are not removed immediately after the spawn.
Zebra danios form pairs even though they all swim around chasing each other. If
you watch closely you can identify the pairs. Use only the pairs for most
successful breeding.
The fry hatch after a couple of days and tiny fry can take freshly hatched brine
shrimps and powdered flakes. The fry grow fast provided enough room is given.
Filtration is not required during the first two weeks, but water must be changed
partly using the small air tube as hose with a nylon mesh net at the end.
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| Origin | Temp | Water | Temper
| Size | Tank | Food | Breeding
|
| India | 72-85 °F | Neutral to soft
| Peaceful, Community | 3-4 inch | 40 Gallon
| All, Worms | Egg Layer, Easy
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