Zebrafish (Brachydanio rerioorDanio rerio) is a cyprinidnative to the freshwater of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.It enjoys a lot of popularity among those who like to have home aquariums, because their basic needs are very easy to cover.It receives the name of zebra for its appearance, being also called danio or banderita.
With a tiny size, between 5 and 6 centimeters only, the color of its body is gold or silver, with stripes of a dark blue crossing its length.If you want to know everything you need to have a Zebrafish at home, do not miss this article from fishlists aboutzebrafish care.
Prepare the aquarium
Contents hide
1Prepare the aquarium
2Feeding the zebrafish
3General tips
3.1First days with your Zebrafish
3.2Aquarium maintenance
3.3Food Tips
4Reproduction of zebrafish
5Before reproduction
6The mating of zebrafish
7What should the breeding tank look like?
8Hatching and youth
8.1Related posts:
Although the Zebrafish is a small fish,it requires a spacious aquarium,due to its nature as a great swimmer and the fact that it prefers to ride in shoals.Therefore, we recommend you to acquire an aquarium of at least 70 liters, preferably with an elongated shape.There you can live quietly about 10 zebrafish.
You mustcover the bottom of the tank with gravel,about 7 millimeters thick will suffice.In addition, addsome plants,such as ferns, java moss and other rooted varieties to recreate the habitat properly.Ideally, you should place the plants mainly on the sides, so that the Zebrafish can come and go along the fish tank without any obstacles.
Above the temperature, this species is able to survive between 24 and 28 degrees Celsius, although the ideal isto keep it at 27 degrees.The pH of the water should be conserved at a neutral level, between 7.3 and 7.5.To control the temperature, you need to purchasea thermostat and a heater.Similarly, lighting is important, so the fish tank should receive about 13 hours of light per day.
This fish is usually very jumping, so you should cover the top of the fish tank with a mesh small enough so that the specimens do not fit.
Finally,an electric filterto purify and a wheel that gives movement to the water, imitating the fast sweet currents where this species lives, will form your ideal aquarium for zebrafish.
Feeding the zebrafish
The Zebrafish is anomnivorous animal, so imitating its diet and providing it with all the necessary nutrients is quite simple.Commercialfoodfor tropical fish will be fine for this species, always in the form of scales.
However, it is always preferable to feed our animals in the most natural way possible, so we recommend supplementing (or basing) the diet of your zebrafish based onartemia and mosquito larvae, very small crustaceans(even those prepared with shrimp or prawns that can be found in pet stores) and evensome boiled vegetablesin tiny proportions.
This type of food should be exchanged for raw and even live prey when it is intended to mate the zebra.Similarly, fry require another type of feeding.
General tips
With the above mentioned your zebrafish will have enough to live well.However, we can still give you some essential recommendations that will help you in the care of zebrafish:
First days with your Zebrafish
- If you come home with your zebrafish straight from the pet store, it should not stay for a long time in the plastic bag with water in which they usually give it to you at the establishment.Before 8 hours have elapsed you mustintroduce it into your new home, with clean water.Otherwise, he will die.
- Avoid unnecessary stress on your zebrafish: under no circumstances do you take it out of the tank, even when changing the water.It is only essential that you change the aquarium when you intend to mate them.
- The collective is very important for zebrafish, so you should not ignore the recommendation that it is absolutely necessaryto keep them in a group.Not only will this prevent aggressive behavior, but you’ll be entertained by watching them swim synchronously.
- They can coexist with other species,such as lochas or rasboras.Avoid placing as a company fish with a calm personality, because the hyperactivity of the zebra will stress them easily.
Aquarium maintenance
- A temperature below 24 degrees Celsius will only shorten the life of the fish, estimated at 3 or 4 years at most.Always keep it at 27 degrees.
- Tap water can be used to fill the fish tank, butyou will need to treat it.To do this, it acquires not only the water purifier, but also sodium thiosulfate in solution.Add it to the water before pouring it into the aquarium.
- If you have problems with the pH of the water, buy in veterinary stores products to regulate acidity.
- When filling the aquarium you should never completely cover it to the top, leave a few centimeters free on top to provide oxygen.
- Thecleaning of the tank or aquariumis indispensable.Acquire a siphon to suck the waste accumulated in the gravel of the ground, while you take off with a spatula any dirt adhered to the glass.With the same siphon, remove only 15% of the water to change it.
- During grooming, also clean the filter and heater.
Food Tips
- Zebrafish have their mouths on top of their heads, so they will only eatthe food that floatsaround them.Spread some food on top and let the fish eat it.If after 10 minutes there is still floating debris, do not feed it again and place a little less next time.
- Over-feeding them can lead to death.
- If you offer them processed shrimp or prawns, clean them with a little water to remove the excess salt they contain.
- The food should be small in size, because they consume it without chewing, in one bite.
- They need to eat only twice a day.
Reproduction of zebrafish
The zebrafish, scientific nameBrachydanio rerio,is a species native to the fresh waters of India and Pakistan.It has become a very popular fish because it requires very simple care, making itideal for novice caregivers..
As far aszebrafish reproduction is concerned, there are some particularities that must be taken into consideration, not only for the fry to be born, but also for them to grow strong and healthy.Keep reading this fishlists article to find out all about this species.
Before reproduction
Zebrafish are sociable animals, so having groups of adults of between 6 and 10 fish is ideal.When they do not belong to a school, these fish become violent, irritable and nervous, which is negative not only for their overall health, but also for their reproduction.We recommend a large fish tank, so they can swim at ease.
Make sure your school has both male andfemale fish.Males are usually thinner, with a crossed golden body with bluish lines, while females have a bulker belly with blue lines and a white body.
Their life expectancy, in optimal conditions, is a maximum of 4 years.They reach sexual maturity from 8 months, but some specimens can take up to 16 before they can mate.They reproduce atany time of the year,so it will be up to you to offer them the ideal setting for this.
When you’ve decided it’s time to breed, feed the schooling fishwith live fooda couple of weeks before mating.Add in the tank or fish tanklarvae of mosquitoes, insects, daphnias and artemia.This type of food will not only contribute to the health of the young, but also stimulates the mating process.
The mating of zebrafish
After two weeks of live food, choose the female with the largest abdomen, an indicator that she carries a large number of eggs, and two males that look active.If you want more offspring you can also mate more fish, always counting two males for each female.
It is necessary tocondition a separate fish tankonly for mating and breeding, because adult fish devour the eggs and their own children.Transfer prospective parents to this fish tank overnight andwait 24 to 48 hoursfor spawning.
You will notice that at dawn the males will begin to run to the female, who will try to flee from them.This is completely normal in the mating ritual.When the female is tired, she will accept the male and expel the eggs, which will fall to the bottom of the fish tank, where they will be fertilized by the male.There will bebetween 200 and 400 eggs.After this process, return all the adults to the large fish tank with the rest of the school.
What should the breeding tank look like?
Before mating and spawning, the fish tank for breeding and breeding, smaller than that of the school, must be conditioned in a specific way.
Get a fish tank or aquarium ofabout 20 liters.The water temperature should be 27 degrees Celsius.Zebrafish eggs don’t stick on their own, so you’ll need to find a way so they can be sheltered and safe.We offer you 3 options for this:
- Place marbles at the bottom of the fish tank to protect the eggs.
- Install a mesh net of fine holes about five centimeters from the bottom of the aquarium.
- Cover the floor of your fish tank with thick gravel.
Any of these methods will serve to build a space in which the eggs can remain static and be away from the parents at the exact moment of spawning.Apart from this, adda sponge filter with aeration,athermostatto check the water temperature andsome floating plants.This will create a suitable environment for the little ones who are about to be born.
In addition, you must cover three of the faces of the aquarium tocontrol the entry of the sun, which should only be given directly in the morning, through the face that is uncovered.
During mating, the water in the tank should be very little, enough to cover the method you have implemented to protect the eggs, plus something extra for the parents to swim.The idea is thatthe eggs fall as soon as possiblein a safe place, because the female devours them as she expels them.
At the end of spawning and when you have removed the parents from the breeding tank, add more water and a few drops of methylene blue to prevent the appearance of fungi.
Hatching and youth
The eggshatch on the third dayof spawning.You will notice small transparent spots attached to the crystals of the fish tank.During this stage it is not necessary to provide them with food, as they feed on the yolk sac itself.
Between day 5 or 6 they will begin to venture through the fish tank on short trips and you will have to feed them withpowdered fry foodand boiled egg yolk in tiny dimensions, which you will offer them in small quantities so as not to dirty the tank unnecessarily.At this stage the aquarium continues to be covered.
As the fry grow, the water level increases, and they are offered longer hours of light.For the essential water changes, use only the tube of your sponge filter, otherwise you will not be able to change it without affecting the fry.In order to optimize cleaning, it is also feasible that you add to the tank somelive snails, which will be responsible for ingesting the waste.
Soon, from day 10 or 12, you will be able to feed them with homemade porridge and artemia larvae.Mortality is very high, but by three months they will have reached adulthood.You can place them in the cardumen tank, if the size of it allows you so many specimens together.Otherwise, it is advisable to acquire another.
If you want to read more articles similar to Zebrafish care, we recommend that you visit our Basic care section.
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FAQs
What is the feeding of zebrafish? ›
Zebrafish can be fed with dry food (food size from 100 microns for larvae to 300/400 microns for adult fish) or live food (brine shrimps). Brine shrimp (Artemia sp.) eggs are available from local pet shops and can be hatched in the laboratory by following the simple steps described below.
How many zebra danios should be kept together? ›Danios are schooling fish, so they need to be kept in groups of at least 5. As with most other schooling fish, if the numbers are too low, they can become stressed and start acting out of the ordinary.
How long do Danio rerio live? ›AnAge entry for Danio rerio
Outbred zebrafish have a mean lifespan of 3.5 years and can live up to 5.5 years. They exhibit a gradual ageing process. A spinal curvature was reported to be a common age-related phenotype [0003].
Most danios are omnivorous and will thrive on Aqueon Tropical Flakes, Color Flakes, Tropical Granules and Shrimp Pellets. Frozen and live foods can also be fed as treats or to help induce spawning. For best results, rotate their diet daily and feed only what they can consume in under 2 minutes, once or twice a day.
Can zebrafish live in tap water? ›Chlorine, which is commonly found in tap water, is particularly dangerous for zebrafish. Therefore, most water sources must be treated before they are used in the zebrafish habitat. Deionized water, distilled water, and water treated with reverse osmosis can all be used in lieu of tap water.
How often do you feed zebrafish? ›Zebrafish should be fed twice daily by adding enough food to each tank so that food is available to all fish and nearly all food is eaten within 10 minutes.
How many danios Can I put in a 1 gallon tank? ›Zebra Danios are schooling fish, so we recommend having at least five in your aquarium (you can mix and match colors!). Because they are relatively small fish, you can safely add two Danios per gallon of tank space.
Why are my danios swimming at the top of the tank? ›If dissolved oxygen levels are low, fish hang at the surface and gasp, as the surface area has the highest oxygen level in the tank because its in contact with the air.
Do danios breed easily? ›Zebra danios are a favorite of freshwater fish hobbyists because of their ease of care. They are also prolific breeders and the easiest type of egglayers to breed.
How often do danios breed? ›In a well-planted tank of adequate size the fish will make a colorful, dynamic display. Under these conditions well-fed fish will usually spawn every 10 days or so, with all of the fish in the school spawning at once.
Can I keep 2 zebra danios? ›
Danios thrive in groups, the larger the better. Ideally you should have at least five or six danios, in a tank that holds at least 25 gallons (95 liters). A group of three fish in a smaller tank is acceptable, but can lead to stress or aggression.
What temperature do danio fish like? ›Danios are native to the streams of Eastern India. Temperature: 16°C - 28°C. pH: 6.5—7.5 · General Hardness: 50—150 ppm. These fish are a hardy, undemanding fish suitable for a tropical or temperate community tanks.
Do danios like hard water? ›Danios do well in hard water and goldfish do too. The Florida Flagfish is a lovely temperate fish which appreciates hard, unheated water. The Redtail Splitfin, Xenotoca eiseni is another temperate, hard water fish which is also a livebearer.
Do danios need heat? ›Danios are hearty and are comfortable in temperatures from 65 to 75 Fahrenheit. You can often maintain this temperature without a heater, but a heater will help. A slightly higher temperature, 78 Fahrenheit, is optimal for encouraging breeding.
How many danios can you put in a 10 gallon tank? ›As a general rule, you can keep five zebra danios in a 10-gallon tank. Consider providing one gallon of water per inch of fish to ensure enough space in the tank. Avoid overcrowding your zebra danios tank as it can affect their growth and lead to severe health issues like stress in your fish.
Do zebrafish like light? ›Several studies have reported that zebrafish exhibit a preference for light, while others have found a preference for black.
Do zebrafish eat their eggs? ›First of all, zebras lay eggs every day! They eat most of their own eggs as a way of recycling the protein that is lost from producing the eggs. Feed your zebrafish LOTS of high protein foods. The best is LIVE brine shrimp but frozen will also work well.
Do zebrafish need light? ›All larvae kept under DD died before 18 dph, but the survival rates improved in larvae transferred to LD at 5 dph and at 10 dph. In summary, these findings revealed that lighting conditions are crucial factors influencing zebrafish larval development and growth.
What is the best food for Danio fish? ›They will greedily accept wingless fruit flies, blackworms, bloodworms, brine shrimp and daphnia. If you can't provide live foods, then they can be provided with frozen bloodworms, daphnia, blackworms and brine shrimp.
What is the best fish food for zebra Danios? ›You can provide live foods like mosquito larvae, brine shrimp, and daphnia to your zebra danios. You can also provide live/frozen food like egg yolk, vegetables, and shrimp to your zebra danios for their well-being.
Do danios need air pump? ›
Zebra danios need an air pump as it helps to keep the tank well-oxygenated. The air pump maintains the tank's oxygen level by creating water movements on the tank's surface. Adding lots of aquatic plants, a water filter, and regular water changes also helps keep your zebra danios tank oxygenated.
Can you fill a fish tank too much? ›You never want to risk overfilling your aquarium because it could be dangerous to your fish and the surrounding environment. However, you never want the water level to be too low either; otherwise, you could risk not having enough room for your aquatic pets to swim.
How many fish should I put in my tank at once? ›The most widely known rule for stocking a tank is the one inch of fish per one or two gallons of water rule.
Can danios be mixed? ›Any community fish species can mix with danios from barbs, rasboras, gouramies and tetras to rainbowfish, small catfish, loaches and dwarf cichlids. Livebearers are fine to mix with danios too.
How do I oxygenate my fish tank? ›Increasing water movement is the quickest way to increase oxygen (O2) levels in a fish tank, as it allows more O2 to dissolve and carbon dioxide (CO2) to be released. This can be easily done using an air pump, performing large water changes, manually stirring the water, or placing a fan near the aquarium.
Why are my fish dying? ›Stress is the number one cause for constantly dying fish, subsequently caused by many reasons related to water quality, unsuitable water parameters, poor aquarium ecosystem, poor fish acclimation, and aggression from other fish, to mention a few.
Why is my fish tank cloudy? ›This is normal when an aquarium is first set up. It is referred to as a bacteria bloom. The cloudiness should be gone within anywhere from two days to a couple of weeks. You can do a 10 to 15 percent partial water change and gravel vacuuming after a week to speed it up.
What time do danios lay eggs? ›Normally danios will breed within 24 hours of being placed in the breeding tank. If they do not, leave them for another 24 hours. If 48 hours pass with no spawning, put your danios back in their separate conditioning tanks for a little longer, and continue to feed them live food.
At what age do zebra danios breed? ›Chapter 2 - Breeding
Although zebrafish reach sexual maturity in 10-12 weeks, the breeding fish should be between 7 and 18 months of age for maximum embryo production. Keep males and females in separate tanks with up to 8 females or 16 males per 10 gallon tank.
These small fish like cool water and do very well in unheated tanks, making them good candidates for smaller aquariums.
How long do danios carry eggs? ›
Let us find out. Zebra danios eggs take 2-4 days to get hatched, depending on the water conditions. You will discover wrigglers with attached yolk sacs on the bottom of your tank. We recommend placing your zebrafish eggs in a separate tank to protect them from the adult zebra danios and the other fishes.
Do danios like fast moving water? ›Danios are native to southern Asia, where they live in freshwater streams. These school fish like to live in strong currents near the surface, where they're very active. Danios love to play fast-flowing water, and since they're very energetic, they can be pretty fun to watch.
How do you breed zebrafish at home? ›The fish are photoperiodic and breed at dawn. Keep the water temperature between 23 and 28 degrees C and a pH between 6.2 to 7.5. For successful breeding: In the late afternoon of the day before eggs are wanted, cover the bottom of the tank with a single layer of marbles.
Are danios good in a 5 gallon tank? ›In general, a 5 gallon fish tank will be big enough for 6 to 7 danios, although a 10 gallon tank is ideal. Alternatively, you can keep three or four small zebrafish in a 5 gallon tank.
Can zebra danios live in a 5 gallon tank? ›Don't keep fish in anything smaller than a 10 gallon. That will work for 5 zebra danios. There has to be enough water to keep the water chemistry stable between partial water changes.
Do danios like caves? ›In a freshwater tank, zebra danios are curious fish who love to race around and explore caves, cubby holes, and the ins and outs of clusters of aquarium plants.
What size tank do danios need? ›The ideal Zebra Danio tank size is anything larger than 10 gallons. Of course, bigger is always better. Author Note: A 10-gallon tank is enough to support a small group of Zebra Danios and nothing more. If you want to keep a larger community, it's always better to bump up the space to give your fish room to live.
How do you know if a Danio is stressed? ›Strange Swimming: When fish are stressed, they often develop odd swimming patterns. If your fish is swimming frantically without going anywhere, crashing at the bottom of his tank, rubbing himself on gravel or rocks, or locking his fins at his side, he may be experiencing significant stress.
Do danios need darkness? ›Fish don't necessarily need complete darkness to sleep, but it's best to provide them with the amount of darkness they would have in their natural environment. They may sleep when tired if the lights are on, but it will be better for their sleep and overall health if they can rest in darkness.
Do danios like aquarium salt? ›1 Tbsp Salt per 1 Gallon of Water
We personally have found rasboras, danios, tetras, silver dollars, livebearers, and most cichlids (as well as their fry) to be fairly salt tolerant.
What is the biggest danio? ›
The giant danio (Devario aequipinnatus) is a tropical fish belonging to the minnow family Cyprinidae. Originating in Sri Lanka, Nepal, and the west coast of India, this species grows to a maximum length of 4-6 inches (10-15 cm), making it one of the largest of the danionins.
How can you tell if a zebra danio is male or female? ›Examine the shapes of danios through the glass. Females tend to have rounder, deeper body shapes than their mates.
What fish can live in 1 gallon tank? ›Neon Tetras
Tetras are also a great choice for your 1-gallon aquarium. These fish fare well in small schools and are extremely adaptable in wild. They are small species that can grow 1 inch long and do not need extensive care. However, due to their hypersensitivity to different parameters, they are difficult to keep.
Typically, you should wait at least 24 to 48 hours and even up to a week before adding fish to a new tank. Waiting ensures that all the set conditions for the ecosystem have had time to establish themselves. This also gives your fish enough time to acclimate to their new environment.
How many danios can I put in a 50 gallon tank? ›| Gallon | Minus 10% | Bengal Danio (6 inch) |
|---|---|---|
| 40 | 36 | 4 |
| 50 | 45 | 5 |
| 60 | 54 | 6 |
| 75 | 67 | 8 |
They even play and chase tank mates when there is enough swimming space. If you want to raise Glofish Danios, you can only keep one in 3 gallons of water, but be aware that your fish probably won't be too happy. You can keep Danio fry, though, and move them when they grow up.
What do zebrafish eat in captivity? ›Zebra fish will eat anything smaller than themselves -- including their offspring -- either in the tank on the surface. Sprinkle a small amount of tetra flake food on the surface of the water twice each day. Between feedings, give your zebra fish a rinsed brine shrimp.
How much brine shrimp to feed zebrafish? ›A general rule for feeding is one pipette full per 10 fish, so a tank with 50 fish will get 5 pipettes of brine shrimp. Some adult fish may also need a supplement of baby brine shrimp to help them grow better. These tanks should be marked (e.g. indicated by round, green stickers) and should get one pipette per 20 fish.
What is special about zebrafish? ›Because of its fully sequenced genome, easy genetic manipulation, high fecundity, external fertilization and rapid development, and nearly transparent embryo, zebrafish are a unique model animal for biomedical research, including studies of biological processes and human diseases.
How much water does a zebrafish need? ›They can be most easily maintained in 10 gallon (45 liter) aquaria heated to 28.5C (above 31C and below 25C, zebrafish probably won't breed and development will be abnormal) with 25 fish per tank.
How many danios can I put in a 5 gallon tank? ›
Because they are relatively small fish, you can safely add two Danios per gallon of tank space.
What temperature do Danio fish like? ›Danios are native to the streams of Eastern India. Temperature: 16°C - 28°C. pH: 6.5—7.5 · General Hardness: 50—150 ppm. These fish are a hardy, undemanding fish suitable for a tropical or temperate community tanks.
How many times should I feed brine shrimp to my fish? ›Feed your brine shrimps no more than twice a day, ideally while it is still light. As they grow bigger, you may be able to increase the amount of food slightly without fouling the water.
Can I put brine shrimp in my fish tank? ›Brine shrimp (Artemia salina) (especially nano brine shrimp) are an excellent live food that can be added to any saltwater aquarium. They are more nutritionally complete than most dry or frozen foods. They can also be used to feed or train finicky fish.
Do zebrafish need filters? ›Zebra danios tanks must have a filtration system as it helps maintain water quality by eliminating the leftovers and toxic chemicals like ammonia and nitrites from the water. A water filter also helps maintain a healthy environment in the tank and prevents several health issues in your fish.
How fast do zebrafish grow? ›The zebrafish lifecycle
They also grow and mature very quickly and reach full adulthood within three months.
The zebrafish adult heart has one atrium and one ventricle; it is smaller and simpler than the mammalian heart but the histological and structural composition is very similar to that of other vertebrates.
How many danios can you put in a 10-gallon tank? ›As a general rule, you can keep five zebra danios in a 10-gallon tank. Consider providing one gallon of water per inch of fish to ensure enough space in the tank. Avoid overcrowding your zebra danios tank as it can affect their growth and lead to severe health issues like stress in your fish.
What size tank do Danio fish need? ›The ideal Zebra Danio tank size is anything larger than 10 gallons. Of course, bigger is always better. Author Note: A 10-gallon tank is enough to support a small group of Zebra Danios and nothing more. If you want to keep a larger community, it's always better to bump up the space to give your fish room to live.