Zebra Danio

About

Zebra danios (Danio rerio) are probably the fish that have introduced more people to the hobby than any other freshwater species. Native to a broad sweep of South and Southeast Asia, from Pakistan east through India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Myanmar, they're found in everything from slow hill-stream riffles to rice paddies and roadside ditches, which goes a long way toward explaining why they're so forgiving in captivity. The body is slender and torpedo-shaped, patterned with horizontal blue and silver stripes that run from gill to tail, and adults stay compact enough to fit comfortably in smaller community setups. In the tank, zebra danios are tireless swimmers that spend most of their time in the upper and middle water column, zipping back and forth in a way that brings real energy to a display. They're genuinely peaceful with almost any fish of similar size, but they are a schooling species and keeping too few of them tends to make individuals pushy and prone to nipping fins. A group of eight or more keeps that behavior in check and also brings out the best coloration in males as they jostle for position. Worth noting: mass commercial breeding has led to some poor-quality stock carrying parasites like Pleistophora, so buying from a reputable source matters. Several ornamental forms exist, including long-finned and golden variants.