All fish / Danionidae

Nilgiri danio

Devario neilgherriensis

Also known as nilgiri danio, neilgherry danio, nilgiri devario, danio neilgherriensis

This is a slim, active danio from cool hill streams in southern India. It has a silvery body with bluish horizontal stripes and a yellowish tint on the flanks and fins. Keepers like it as a lively, hardy shoaling fish for cooler, well-oxygenated tanks with some current.

Care at a glance

Care level

Easy

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

7 cm

Temperature

18 to 24 °C

pH

6.5 to 7.5

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

Southern India: streams of the Nilgiri Hills and nearby Western Ghats (Kerala, Tamil Nadu)

Breeding

It scatters eggs over plants or gravel and gives no parental care, so the adults will eat the eggs. Breeding is fairly easy in a separate tank with fine-leaved plants or a mesh base, and the fry can be raised on infusoria and then baby brine shrimp.

Good to know

It is a fast swimmer and a good jumper, so it needs a tight-fitting lid and plenty of open swimming space. It is rarely traded and the wild range is limited, so check that stock is correctly identified, as other Devario species look similar.