All fish / Danionidae

Blue Danio

Danio kerri

Also known as kerr's danio, kerri danio, blue danio, kerr danio, blue sapphire danio, ダニオ・ケリー, 蓝斑马鱼, 克氏鿕

A slim, active danio with a steel blue body crossed by two thin golden lines along the flank. It suits community tanks well, where its constant schooling in the upper water adds movement and a soft blue sheen.

Care at a glance

Care level

Easy

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

4.5 cm

Temperature

22 to 27 °C

pH

6.5 to 7.5

Smallest tank

80 litres

Keep as

Shoal of 8 or more

Diet

Omnivore: small live and frozen foods such as daphnia and bloodworm, plus quality flakes and micro pellets

Swims

Top of the tank

Lifespan

3 to 5 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Southern Thailand and northern Peninsular Malaysia (Langkawi, Krabi area)

Breeding

It scatters eggs over plants or fine-leaved mops and gives no parental care, so the adults will eat eggs unless they are moved out. Spawning is easy in a separate tank with mesh or marbles on the base, and the fry take infusoria and then baby brine shrimp.

Good to know

It is a fast swimmer and a good jumper, so use a tight lid and avoid housing it with slow, long-finned fish. Kept in small numbers it can become nippy among its own kind.