Zebra Danio (Brachydanio rerio) is a type of freshwater fish which originated from the rivers located in the northeastern Indian states in Asia. The species is grouped under the Cyprinidae fish family and zebra danio can be easily recognized based on its slim and thin body appearance marked by presence of 4 horizontal lines that runs along its body starting from the gill and ending at the tail fin. The golden stripes appear against a blue color body background in which both color combination blend well and makes the fish look stunning and impressive.
Overall Zebra danio only grows up to 2 inches in length (with the female slightly larger) and they are an active surface swimmer which spends most of their time on the upper region of the fish tank. The fish is non-aggressive and is basically a community species that can get along with other tropical tank mates. If you are an avid hobbyist looking to setup the perfect community tank comprising different species of community fish, then zebra danio should be among those in your list. Since the fish occupies the top area of the tank region, I would recommend you consider getting the small sized otocinclus catfish which stays on the bottom, while for the middle dwellers, it can be a selection of either neon fish or the other tetra species.
Maintaining the strong coloration of these pet fish requires a brightly illuminated fish tank using fluorescent type aquarium lighting that will turn on and off by itself replicating the natural outdoor condition. Apart from that, in order to ensure that the fish stays healthy you should do your best to provide variety of foods to enrich their diet. Zebra danio is not picky when it comes to feeding period as they will readily accept microworms, live daphnia, fish powdered flakes and mosquito larva. It is also a good idea to maintain a soft water condition with hardness level in the region of 3.5 to 6.7dGH and if possible ensure that you have a good filtration system to get a crystal clear water condition.
Just like any other Amazon fish that demands a surrounding tank environment full of vegetation, the zebra pet fish is no exception as well. It is important that you also have a variety of big and small leaves aquarium plants to makeup the area and fill the gap so that the fish can rest and hide when it feels threatened. In fact, this kind of tank condition is also needed if you intend to breed and continue to collect the offspring. Apart from that, this will also ensure that the aquarium water is rich with oxygen to maintain a healthy and active fish companion.
