A staple in the freshwater hobby, the well known Leopard Danio is a great starter fish for a new enthusiast as well as a delightful addition to any community aquarium!
Longfin Leopard Danio
Leopard Danio
Photos © Animal-World |
The Leopard Danio is generally believed to be a spotted color morph of the Zebra Danio, and is one of the most common danios available. Truly a 'leopard with spots', they sport an overall brownish gold metallic color stippled with many bluish gray spots. The Longfin Leopard Danio adds another attraction with long flowing fins.
An ideal fish for the beginner, this attractive little fish is hardy and a prolific breeder. They do well in most community tanks and are a great addition to any collection of danios. Their behavior is pretty typical of the danio group, friendly enough, but definitely active and fast moving. The Leopard Danio is a schooling fish and should be kept in a small group of at least three, ideally ten. A school of danios can be housed with most any fish, provided that the danios will not be eaten and that the other fish aren’t startled by swift movement.
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Geographic Distribution
Danio rerio |
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| Data provided by FishBase.org |
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Actinopterygii
- Order: Cypriniformes
- Family: Cyprinidae
Distribution:
The Leopard Danio is generally believed to be a color morph of the Zebra Danio. In the wild, the Zebra Danio is found in clear freshwater streams of South East Asia.
Status:
These fish are not endangered.
Description:
The attractive Leopard Danio, as well as the Longfin Leopard Danio, has a slender elongated body. The background color is golden or brownish with many bluish gray spots, both on the body and on the fins. When they swim at the top of the aquarium close to the light their gold bodies are very reflective, giving them a metallic appearance.
The Longfin Leopard Danio, as its name suggests, sports long flowing fins and an extended tail. This finnage will be extra sensitive to fin rot and other diseases affecting that region. Fins may also be damaged during normal activity of this fish, and if large tears are noticed, it may be wise to add a fin repair medication.
Size - Weight:
The Leopard Danio and the Longfin Leopard Danio will grow to about 2.4 inches (6 cm) in the home aquarium.
Care and feeding:
Leopard Danios are omnivorous. A balanced diet for them would include flake or pelleted foods, plant based food, and occasional live prey. As with all danios, these fish are quite active and have high nutrient requirements, so select a flake food that will provide for their needs.
These fish are fairly hardy and will adapt to most aquarium conditions. Though a school of danios can be kept in a smaller aquarium, they will do best in about a 20 gallon size.
Don’t present them with an opportunity to jump; keep a tight lid on the aquarium and be mindful during maintenance. Dense tall plantings around the sides and back are great, but these fish prefer open water in the middle of the tank for swimming.
Water Region: Top, Middle, Bottom:
The Leopard Danio and the Longfin Leopard Danio will spend most of their time primarily in the upper region of the aquarium, particularly if there is open water or water current.
Acceptable Water Conditions:
Temp: 64-75° F (18-24° C)
pH: 6.0.0-8.0
Hardness: 2-20° dGH
Social Behaviors:
Although they may tease each other and even engage in harmless fights, the danio tank is usually one of uneasy peace. Danios really need to be kept in a group to feel comfortable, a small group of at least three, ideally ten works best. Don’t keep them with fish that can eat them or fish that demand a peaceful aquarium. Also, those with long flowing fins are a temptation too great for any fin nipper to resist, so pick other tank mates carefully.
Sexual Differences:
Males are more streamlined and slim in body shape, while mature females are plumper.
Breeding/Reproduction:
The Leopard Danios are very easy to breed, and it may even occur on accident. Two fish will form a breeding pair which they often keep for life. If you wish to retain the young, the breeding tank should be empty except for a two inch layer of large (.5- 1 inch in diameter) glass marbles. Add the female to the tank and let her settle for about a day before adding the male. When they are both in the tank, adding a few cups of cold water will cause the courtship to begin.
If conditions are favorable, the female will release her eggs in open water and the male will fertilize. The eggs will then sink to the bottom and fall through the marbles, out of their parents reach. The fry will emerge from the marbles after about 7 days. At that time or before, parents should either be removed or kept constantly well fed.
Availability:
The Leopard Danios and Longfin Leopard Danios are readily available and inexpensive. They can be found in pet stores, on the internet, and through mail order.
Back to Cyprinids
Author: Clarice Brough, CFFS.
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