Family: Cyprinidae
A peaceful omnivore cyprinidae from East Asian freshwaters — beginner-friendly.
Danio margaritatus of the family Cyprinidae is an aquarium-kept Cyprinidae. Peaceful and omnivore; quality prepared foods with variety, it grows to 1.5–2.1 cm and prefers 18–26 °C water. Other Danio species in our database include Danio rerio, Danio albolineatus, Danio choprae.
Very — they're tolerant across 18–26 °C and undemanding about water, making them ideal for a 21 L desktop tank. Two quirks: they jump (a tight lid is mandatory), and at 2 cm they can't be kept with anything big enough to fit them in its mouth.
21 L upward is fine for a group of 10–15. They swim a lot but stay tiny, so small tanks work — the key is dense planting. They retreat into vegetation to rest, and a bare tank keeps them skittish permanently.
Their flanks are sprinkled with pearly blue-white spots like a galaxy — the species name margaritatus literally means 'pearl-like'. Males are more vivid with denser red spotting; females run silvery.
Tiny mouths need fine granules or powder foods, supplemented with rotifers and baby brine shrimp. They feed mid-column and miss food that sinks fast, so feed little and often.
Yes with small caridina and neocaridina adults, but they will eat newly hatched shrimplets. If you're breeding shrimp, pack the tank with moss so the babies have cover.
They come from shallow highland pools in Myanmar's Shan Plateau and bolt when startled. Sudden light changes or tapping the glass can trigger it. Beyond a lid, a dark background on the glass reduces reflective scares.
Moderately easy. They scatter eggs over plants and moss, with no guarding and little egg-eating. Move spawning moss to a rearing tank at 24–26 °C — eggs hatch in 3–4 days and take rotifers or microworms as first food.
Yes. Sustained temperatures above 26 °C shorten their lifespan and dull their color. In hot southern summers with tank water past 30 °C, use a fan or chiller. They're a highland fish that likes it cool.
Males show a vivid blue body with red spots and red-edged fins; females are silvery-gray with rounder bellies. In a group, males flare and spar — that's display, not fighting.
Think highland pool: fine foreground grass, clumps of moss, a little driftwood and dark substrate. Keep flow gentle — they hail from still water, and strong current makes them hide instead of display.