Zebra Danio Fish Species:

The zebra danio is a species of minnow that populates the foothills of the Himalayas.



This is a fish that is considered a starter species with aquarium enthusiasts that are just beginning their hobby. Apart from this, the fish is of extreme importance to scientists for a wide variety of reasons. The first and most peculiar aspect of the fish is that sperm is not fundamentally necessary for the process of embryogenesis to begin but it is required to complete the process.



This means that the initial cellular divisions do take place but stop in the absence of sperm.

The zebra danio is easily distinguishable from its characteristic horizontal stripes that occur on the adult fish. Like all minnows, this is an extremely small fish but also extremely sturdy, being able to survive in waters of varying brackishness and acidity levels.



The only requirement is that the fish be raised in temperatures that mirror the temperatures of tropical waters, which should not go below 22 degrees centigrade. From a pet health care perspective, feeding is the only thing that you need to pay attention to. The zebra danio is not a very picky eater and is omnivorous like most minnows; however, it is therefore important that you balance out the diet of these fish between plant and animal matter. The animal matter of the fish in natural circumstances includes plankton and the like. This can be acquired from your local pet store. Pet health issues that affect the fish include mycobacterium infections that can sometimes occur as well as other bacterial infections. Ensure that you stock up on adequate quantities of antibiotics from your pet store before getting these fish.

Breeding is a rather simple exercise for these fish – as is the case for many of the minnow species. Mating is a brief affair that ends with the eggs being laid upon a leaf or similar sort of a permanent structure. The females will actually spawn every week if necessary and in the right conditions. The male then fertilizes the eggs and then leaves. Neither parents are caregivers and in fact, are quite the opposite of good parents. Any hatched egg and fry are prime targets to be swallowed up by a bigger fish including the parents; therefore, when you do find out that your zebra fish have spawned, it is prudent to remove the eggs or the parents from the tank.