How to Care for a Zebra Danio

Last Updated: March 29, 2019 References

The zebra danio is a particularly hearty breed of fish that is great for first-time owners. They are small (about two inches long) and attractive. Importantly, they’re also a social species that enjoys interaction with other fish and breed rapidly.^{[1]
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Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Preparing a Tank

1
Purchase a ten-gallon tank or larger. Danios are social animals and need space for themselves and their friends.^{[2]
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Research source} The tank should come equipped with an exterior power filter, a bio-wheel, and an aquarium heater.
- Because they are hearty, it is generally possible to keep danios without a heater. However, a heater is good for maintaining optimal conditions, especially if you plan to breed the danios.^{[3]
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- You might be required to assemble the tank. If so, follow the instructions on the box.
2
Purchase chemicals for water treatment. Local water companies will usually use some chemicals, like chlorine, that can be harmful to your fish. At the pet store purchase some testing kits to determine if the water is safe. You will probably want a sodium thiosulfate solution to treat chlorine and Amquel to treat chloramine.
- To get more information about the chemicals in your water supply, ask the local pet store owner or call the water utility directly.^{[4]
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3
Add gravel to the tank. Fish like a layer of gravel at the bottom of the tank. Keep approximately 1/4th of an inch of gravel in the tank.^{[5]
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4
Pour water into the tank. Simple tap water is generally good for your fish, though you will need to treat it. Fill the water nearly, though not all the way to the top of the tank. It is necessary to keep a layer of oxygen at the top of the tank. ^{[6]
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5
Treat water. In addition to adding sodium thiosulfate and Amquel to the tank, treat the tank for pH levels. There are a variety of acids and bases that can be purchased at the pet store to adjust the pH level in your tank.^{[7]
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Research source} Test the level and adjust the pH until it is in the 6-8 range, preferably 7.^{[8]
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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Introducing Danios to the Tank

1
Get a group of 6 or more danios. Danios are social animals that like to be in the company of other fish. A group of 6 or more is optimal.^{[9]
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Research source} Danios get along with some other varieties of fish as well, including corydoras and tetras.^{[10]
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2
Get danios of different sexes. If you want to breed your fish, you should be sure to get some danios of different sexes. To distinguish between the two, remember that males have yellow stripes and females are generally larger.^{[11]
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- Danios breed rapidly when left to their own devices. However, they will often eat many of their fry.^{[12]
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3
Move fish to their tank as quickly as possible. Even the mighty little Zebra Danio cannot survive longer than 8 hours in the bag that the pet store provides. When you transfer the fish to the tank, do not transfer the water they came in with them. It will have too much ammonium.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Maintaining the Tank

1
Feed the danio. Danios enjoy a variety of food sources. Commercial produced flakes will usually suffice. You can also feed them blood worms, daphnia, and brine shrimp.^{[13]
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2
Maintain tank temperature. Danios are hearty and are comfortable in temperatures from 65 to 75 Fahrenheit.^{[14]
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Research source} You can often maintain this temperature without a heater, but a heater will help. A slightly higher temperature, 78 Fahrenheit, is optimal for encouraging breeding.^{[15]
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3
Clean the tank weekly. When you clean the tank, you do not need to remove all of the gravel, however, you should use a siphon to suck up the waste that accumulates on the bottom of the tank. Use a scrapper to remove algae from the glass on the tank. After finishing these tasks, remove and replace 10-15% of the water.
- Do not remove fish when changing the water, this will cause unnecessary stress.
- When replacing the water, put new water into a bucket that is exclusively used for this purpose (If you use it for household tasks it might accumulate dangerous chemicals). Test and treat the water as discussed previously. Use a siphon to slowly introduce the new water back into the tank.^{[16]
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