Leopard Danio

[ryan]

Common name/s: Spotted or Leopard Danio.

Scientific name: Danio rerio var. frankei, was formely known as D. frankei and thought to be a species in its own right but is now considered a variety of D. rerio, brachydanio rerio

Family: Cyprinidae

Origin: India.

Maximum size: 2" (6cm).

Care: They are not specific about water conditions providing extremes of pH and hardness aswell as the other parameters are avoided. As with most Danios an active shoaling fish that needs to be in groups. Inhabiting the more upper levels of the aquarium as with most other Danio species.

Feeding: As with other Danios, it is an insectivore and with an upturned mouth is ideally suited to taking insects from the waters suface. Fortunately for us, they are not fussy about food and will take mainly flake and frozen foods without hesitation.

Sexing and Breeding: Danios are prolific and very easy to breed. Males are slimmer and more intense in colouration than females. Pairs can often be used but most prefer them to shoal spawn. Set-up your breeding tank with Java moss or other suitable substances on the bottom so the fishes can scatter their eggs, but cannot eat them as no parental care is practised. As with barbs ensure they have a good supply of small live foods, starting with infusoria and newly hatched brine shrimp. Make sure the breeding tank is covered as the fishes can be so active that they leap from the water.

Comments: Another wonderful Danio species which has a long-finned form.

 

[The-Wolf]

and a golden variety

 

[Genesis]

How to breed:
Zebra/Leopard danios will usually spawn on their own with no need for any provoking. If a female is gravid (carrying eggs) she will appear fat around the middle this means she is ready to breed and will be looking for a suitable male to spawn with. Usually the parents will eat the eggs as they begin sink to the bottom of the tank, for best results a seperate spawning aquarium is needed, you should use marbles as the substrate in this spawning aquarium as it makes sure the eggs get deep between the cracks in the marbles, and the parents cant eat them. When you see a female full of eggs, lower the the water level to about 5 or 6 inches. After the female looks noticably thinner, you may remove the parents from the tank and return back to the main tank. If you look closely, you may be able to see eggs all over the tank. At this time darken the tank, the darker the better. The babies should start hatching in 36 to 48 hours. You will see them clinging on the side of the glass, they are very very small, DO NOT FEED until the fry are swimming. At this time you can start feeding liquid fry for egg layers (available from most LFS). Within a week you can start feeding dry food made for fry, or crushed fish flakes.

good luck breeding

 

[Ny82]

The pictures are not here anymore, here are some pics of my long finned leopard danios.

 

[Nosphaer]

The pictures are not here anymore, here are some pics of my long finned leopard danios...

Such beauties... Thank you for posting your posting these pictures. I'll have to consider making a home for some leopard danios someday, since I had wanted to in the past... I suppose this is an informative thread, though, so I shouldn't ramble.