Slender Danios

About

Slender Danios (Brachydanio kyathit) are one of the more intriguing small danios to reach the hobby, largely because no two fish look quite alike. The body patterning varies considerably between individuals. Some carry solid lateral stripes running the length of the body and into the caudal fin, while others show wavy or broken markings that dissolve into rows of spots. All forms typically display reddish to orange coloration in the fins, which helps separate them from the superficially similar zebrafish. In the wild, this species comes from the upper tributaries of the Irrawaddy River drainage near Myitkyina in Kachin State, northern Myanmar. Like most danios, it is an active, thoroughly peaceful fish that does best in a proper school of at least eight to ten individuals. Keeping decent numbers brings out better color in the males, who compete actively with each other, and makes the whole group behave more naturally. It's a genuine beginner-friendly species, tolerant of a wide range of water conditions and compatible with most other small, non-aggressive community fish. For something a bit different, a themed setup around Kachin State species makes a rewarding project, as several attractive and interesting fishes share its native range. Breeding follows the typical egg-scattering pattern common to small cyprinids and is achievable without much specialist equipment.