Giant danio
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| Giant Danio | ||||||||||||||
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| Devario aequipinnatus (McClelland, 1839) |
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The Giant Danio (Devario aequipinnatus) is a tropical fish belonging to the minnow family (Cyprinidae). Originating in Sri Lanka, Nepal, and the West coast of India, it grows to a maximum length of 6 inches (15 cm), making it one of the largest of the danionins. They are characterized by a blue and yellow torpedo shaped body with gray and clear fins.
In the wild, Giant Danios live in clear streams and rivers among hills at elevations up to 1000 ft (300 m) above sea level. Their native substrate is small gravel . Giant Danios natively live in a tropical climate and prefer water with a 6.0 - 8.0 pH, a water hardness of 5.0 - 19.0 dGH, and a temperature range of 72 - 81 °F (22 - 27 °C). A surface dweller, their diet consists predominantly of exogenous insects, but is also supplemented by worms and crustaceans.
In captivity the Giant Danio will usually accept most foods. It is a peaceful fish that gets along well with other fish in community tanks. It is often used to "start" aquariums, although it is not as popular as the smaller, and very hardy, Zebra danio[citation needed]. The giant danio appreciates water movement to simulate the motion of the rivers and fast-moving streams that it comes from. It is a schooling fish when kept in larger numbers.
An egg-scatterer, danios produce around 300 eggs in a single spawning. They spawn in clumps of plants.
Often seen is a so called "Golden Giant Danio" which is in reality a semi albino fish.
Devario affinis, Devario browni, Devario malabaricus, and Devario strigillifer were originally deemed a synonym but are now valid species.
[edit] References
- Danio aequipinnatus (TSN 163697). Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved on 28 April 2004.
- "Devario aequipinnatus". FishBase. Ed. Ranier Froese and Daniel Pauly. July 2005 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2005.
- Lambert, Derek J (1997). Freshwater Aquarium Fish. Edison, New Jersey: Chartwell Books, 20. ISBN 0-7858-0867-1.
- Pethiyagoda, R (1996). "Danio aequipinnulus." 2003 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2003.
