Zebra danio care
Danio rerio · Streams and rice paddies of South Asia
Zebra danios are tough, fast and always moving: a 10 gallon or larger tank (longer is better), six or more, and room temperature up to 77 °F suit them, so many tanks need no heater.
- Tank size
- 10 US gal or larger
- Temperature
- 64 to 77 °F (18 to 25 °C)
- Group size
- 6 or more
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Adult size
- 2 in
- pH
- 6.5 to 8
- Hardness (GH)
- 4 to 18 dGH
- Lifespan
- 3 to 5 years
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Care level
- Easy
In a 10 gallon
20¼ × 10½ × 12 9/16 in outsideHow to keep zebra danios
Zebra danios are tough, fast and always moving: a 10 gallon or larger tank (longer is better), six or more, and room temperature up to 77 °F suit them, so many tanks need no heater. They are one of the best fish for a beginner, but they can harass slow, long-finned fish.
Also sold as the GloFish danio, a color form with the same care.
Diet: Omnivore: flakes, pellets, frozen foods. Fish food types compared · how often to feed.
Where they swim: Top of the tank.
Zebra danio tank mates
Share the temperature and water, and neither side eats, nips or bullies the other. Check the full group in the stocking checker.
Silvertip tetra
2 in · 20+ gal · 72–82 °F
Harlequin rasbora
2 in · 10+ gal · 72–81 °F
Cherry barb
2 in · 20+ gal · 73–81 °F
Panda corydoras
2 in · 15+ gal · 68–77 °F
Otocinclus
2 in · 20+ gal · 72–79 °F
Amano shrimp
2 in · 10+ gal · 68–80 °F
Ghost shrimp
2 in · 5+ gal · 65–80 °F
Mystery snail
2 in · 10+ gal · 68–82 °F
Keep apart
German blue ram: No shared temperature: zebra danios need 64 to 77 °F, German blue rams 78 to 85 °F.
Pea puffer: Pea puffers belong in a tank of their own.
Zebra pleco: No shared temperature: zebra danios need 64 to 77 °F, zebra plecos 79 to 86 °F.
Red-tail dwarf puffer: Red-tail dwarf puffers belong in a tank of their own.
Everglades pygmy sunfish: Everglades pygmy sunfish belong in a tank of their own.
Axolotl: Axolotls belong in a tank of their own.
What a zebra danio tank needs
A tank of 10 US gallons or more (such as the 10 gallon) with a tight lid (they jump), and the equipment below. Zebra danios are comfortable at room temperature, so a heater is optional in a normal home.
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Aquarium Co-Op Easy Flow Sponge Filter, Small
A sponge filter gives gentle flow and cannot pull in small fish. It runs from an air pump, with airline tubing and a check valve, all sold separately.
hygger AquaFall Aquarium Filter, S
Rated by the maker for 7–10 US gal, which covers a 10 gallon zebra danio tank without being built for a far bigger one.
Aqueon QuietFlow Internal Power Filter 5–15 gal
Rated by the maker for 5–15 US gal, which covers a 10 gallon zebra danio tank without being built for a far bigger one.
API Freshwater Master Test Kit
Tests ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH, the readings that matter most before and after adding zebra danios.
Seachem Prime 100 mL
Removes chlorine and chloramine from tap water at every water change.
Fluval Edge Thermometer
Shows the water temperature at a glance, so you know it stays within 64 to 77 °F.
More choices, each with the reason it is in or out: Filters for a 10 gallon tank. We don’t list fish food: any good brand of the foods under Diet will do. Plan the whole tank's equipment →
Common zebra danio problems
- Constant chasing of slow tankmates; keep them with active fish of similar size.
- They jump when startled; use a lid.
Test the water first whenever fish look unwell: see what your readings mean, then match the symptom. For disease, a vet who treats fish can diagnose it and advise treatment.
More to compare
Sources
Name, origin and adult size checked against Wikipedia: Danio rerio. Temperature, pH, hardness, group size, lifespan and minimum tank size are common hobby guidance, not figures from that article. Ranges are the range the species tolerates; aim for the middle. Minimum tank sizes are for an adult group. Drawings are our own; photo credits follow.
Photo credits
Real photographs from Wikimedia Commons, resized and cropped to fit; each is used under the license named.
- Zebra danio Roundish, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Silvertip tetra Filtropat; cropped by Kyknos, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Harlequin rasbora NasserHalaweh, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Cherry barb Brian Gratwicke, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Panda corydoras Chronotopian, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Otocinclus CHUCAO, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Amano shrimp Stefanie Leuker, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Ghost shrimp Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Mystery snail Gabriel Resende Veiga, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- German blue ram Eric Mengel, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Pea puffer Beta Mahatvaraj, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Zebra pleco Peaceinpianos, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Red-tail dwarf puffer Neale Monks (English Wikipedia), CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Everglades pygmy sunfish Brian Gratwicke, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Axolotl LoKiLeCh, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Chili rasbora JoKrimmel, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Celestial pearl danio Cisamarc, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- White cloud mountain minnow Petrtyl, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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