Leopard Danio
Picture Courtesy: Tropical Aquarium
Picture : Unknown
| Common Name | Leopard Danio |
| Species/Genus | Brachydanio frankei |
| Keeping | The Leopard Danio is an excellent beginner's fish, always active, easy to feed, peaceful and very tolerant of less than optimum aquarium conditions. This fish is at it's best when kept in a school of 6 or more, in neutral to slightly alkaline water and plenty of free swimming space. Food for these Danio's can include live or frozen brine shrimp, grindal worms etc., but they will get by just fine on flake food alone. They are a must in a beginner's tank. They are egg scatterers and are easy to breed. Females are more plumb than males and are easy to identify. Some believe that these are colour variants of Zebra Danio or are hybrid variety. A well kept Leopard Danio is a brilliant specimen with all the agility and is a treat to watch. A good specimen with suitable lighting looks golden yellow with the leopard dots. |
| Breeding | They are easy to breed. You need a 10G
tank for the purpose. No special conditioning periods are necessary.
The female should be plumb with eggs. Temperature should be maintained at
around 27 °C for mating to begin. Breeding tank should have plants at the bottom
or a nylon wire mesh net so that the eggs can drop below the net. This will
prevent the parents from eating the eggs. Introduce the fishes at dawn. Mating
takes place almost immediately at dawn with the male chasing the female around
the tank through plants and other things. If you have a rising column of air
bubbles then they swim around and through that and mate. It is a sight to watch.
Eggs will be eaten if the parents are not removed immediately after the spawn.
Leopard Danio's form pairs even though they all swim around chasing each other. If
you watch closely you can identify the pairs. Use only the pairs for most
successful breeding.
The fry hatch after a couple of days and tiny fry can take freshly hatched brine shrimps and powdered flakes. The fry grow fast provided enough room is given. Filtration is not required during the first two weeks, but water must be changed partly using the small air tube as hose with a nylon mesh net at the end. |
| Origin | Temp | Water | Temper | Size | Tank | Food | Breeding |
| India | 72-85 °F | Neutral to soft | Peaceful, Community | 1.5-2 inch | 5 Gallon | All, Worms | Egg Layer, Easy |