🐟 General Overview

• Common Names: Veil Zebra Danio, Longfin Zebra Danio, Veiltail Danio

• Scientific Name: Danio rerio (Veilfin variety)

• Family: Cyprinidae

• Origin: India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Myanmar

• Type: Freshwater schooling fish

• Temperament: Peaceful, energetic, and social

🌊 Natural Habitat

• Native to slow-moving streams, ponds, and rice paddies in South Asia.

• Found in shallow, clear waters with gravel or sandy bottoms and aquatic vegetation.

• In nature, they experience seasonal variations in water flow and temperature.

📏 Size and Lifespan

• Adult Size: 2–2.5 inches (5–6.5 cm)

• Lifespan: 3–5 years (can live up to 6 with excellent care)

🏡 Aquarium Requirements

• Tank Size: Minimum 15–20 gallons for a small group

• Tank Shape: Prefer long tanks for swimming space

• Aquascape: Mix of open swimming areas with plants and rocks along edges

• Lighting: Moderate — bright light enhances their metallic stripes

• Substrate: Gravel or fine sand

• Tank Lid: Essential — very active jumpers

💧 Water Parameters

• Temperature: 22–27°C (72–81°F)

• pH: 6.5–7.5

• Hardness: 5–12 dGH

• Flow: Moderate; they enjoy some current

• Oxygen: Well-oxygenated water with surface movement

🍽️ Diet

• Type: Omnivore

• Preferred Foods:

  • High-quality flakes and micro pellets

  • Live or frozen foods: daphnia, brine shrimp, bloodworms

  • Vegetable-based foods (spirulina flakes or blanched spinach) occasionally

• Feed small amounts twice daily for best color and vitality.

🤝 Behavior and Tankmates

• Temperament: Peaceful, active, and playful

• Best kept in groups of 6 or more to reduce fin-nipping and stress

• Ideal for community aquariums with similar-sized, peaceful fish

• Good Tankmates:

  • Tetras, rasboras, guppies, mollies

  • Corydoras catfish, loaches, small gouramis

• Avoid long-finned or slow fish (like bettas) — danios may chase their fins playfully.

🌿 Breeding

• Type: Egg scatterer (no parental care)

• Breeding Setup:

  • Separate tank with marbles or mesh bottom (to protect eggs)

  • Slightly warmer water (around 27°C / 80°F)

  • Fine plants or spawning mops for egg scattering

• Spawning Behavior: Males chase females vigorously; females release hundreds of tiny eggs

• Incubation: Eggs hatch in 2–3 days; fry become free-swimming in about 5 days

• Feed fry infusoria or powdered fry food until they can eat baby brine shrimp.

⚕️ Care Tips & Health

• Very hardy and beginner-friendly

• Adapt well to a range of water conditions but prefer cleanliness and stable temperature

• Perform 25–30% weekly water changes

• Avoid sharp decorations that may tear their long veil fins

• Watch for fin rot or fungal infections — usually from poor water quality

• Maintain group size to prevent fin-nipping behavior

🧠 Interesting Facts

• The Veil Zebra Danio is a selectively bred variety of the common Zebra Danio, known for its long, flowing fins and shimmering blue-gold stripes.

• One of the most popular aquarium fish worldwide for both beginners and experts.

• Very active swimmers that thrive in cooler, oxygen-rich environments.

• Danio rerio is a well-known research species in genetics and biology because of its hardy nature and transparent embryos.