All fish / Danionidae

Devario acuticephala

Also known as pointed-head devario, danio acuticephala, sharp-headed danio

No free-to-use photo of this fish yet. Took one yourself? Send it to us and we will credit you.

Tankmates, for sale near you Identify a fish from a photo

A slim, active devario from hill streams in northern Myanmar, with a silvery body marked by bluish horizontal stripes and bars along the flanks and a pointed snout. It is kept by enthusiasts of wild-type cyprinids for its lively shoaling behaviour in a well-oxygenated tank with some current.

Care at a glance

Care level: Easy
Temperament: Peaceful
Adult size: 7 cm
Temperature: 18 to 25 °C
pH: 6.5 to 7.8
Smallest tank: 120 litres
Keep as: Shoal of 8 or more
Diet: Omnivore: quality flakes and small pellets, plus live or frozen bloodworm, daphnia and brine shrimp
Swims: Top of the tank
Lifespan: 3 to 5 years
Water: Freshwater
Wild range: Myanmar (Chindwin basin, upper Irrawaddy) and adjacent Manipur, India

Breeding

An egg-scattering species that gives no parental care and will eat its own eggs. Spawning in captivity is thought to resemble other devarios, using a separate tank with fine-leaved plants or a mesh over the base, but there are few detailed reports.

Good to know

Rarely seen in the trade and often confused with other striped Devario species, so identification of imported fish can be unreliable. A fast jumper that needs a tight-fitting lid and should not be housed with slow, long-finned fish.