Details
Danio rerio
The zebra danio is a small striped cyprinid. It schools in bright shallow freshwater and feeds by day on tiny animals and plant material.
Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)
It occupies streams, rice fields, pools, and grassy freshwater habitats in the Indomalayan region. Shallow, slow water is commonly used.
Length 4-6 cm; weight 1 g-3 g. A slim silvery body carries blue horizontal stripes to the tail. Light build and clear fins make it quick in shallow water.
Diurnal and loosely schooling, it often moves near the surface. When alarmed, the school turns and darts away together.
An omnivore, it eats small insects, zooplankton, and algae. It quickly takes food that falls onto the surface.
Adults scatter eggs among plants or other cover. Parents provide no care, and larvae feed on microscopic foods in the shallows.
It is listed as Least Concern, though local populations can still be affected by habitat change, collection, or pollution.
