The Malabar danio (Danio aequipinnatus, Giant Danio) is a large fish, larger in size than other subspecies of the zebrafish family. Despite this, the fish has a peaceful character, but last years its popularity among aquarists has fallen sharply.
History of discovery
The first descriptions of this species appeared 165 years ago: in 1849, the British physician, zoologist and biologist Thomas Jerdon, having visited India, characterized a previously unknown fish and included it in the order Cyprinidae. But there are other sources reporting that Danio malabar was discovered ten years earlier, in 1839.
Initially, the fish were called Danio aequipinnatus, then this name was changed to Devario aequipinnatus.
Natural habitat
Range: territories of northern India and Thailand, as well as Nepal and Bangladesh. Currently, this breed of zebrafish is widespread and is not protected by animal protection structures. Places of settlement: streams, rivers and reservoirs with clean and clear water, located 300 meters above sea level and where the current is not too strong.
Most often, the bottom is covered with gravel and smooth surfaces, which is why it seems hopelessly dark. Sometimes there is overhanging vegetation on the water. Danio Malabar likes to swim on the very surface of the water in whole groups, feeding on insects that have fallen into the water.
This aquarium fish is absolutely unpretentious in keeping, so it won’t cause any trouble even for a novice aquarist. Malabar Danio likes to live in a flock. Therefore, it is recommended to keep them in groups of 4-6 individuals in a home aquarium. For such a flock you need an aquarium with a volume of 50 liters. It is advisable to plant aquarium plants in it. There should be plenty of room for swimming.
As for the optimal water parameters in a fish house, the temperature for keeping fish should be 20-25C°, hardness - up to 20°, acidity - up to 7.8 pH. Neighbors of Danio Malabar can be the same peaceful fish, similar in size.
The unpretentiousness of the fish is manifested in the fact that they can easily do without water filtration and purging. But it will not be superfluous if the neighbors in the aquarium are fish that are demanding about the purity of the water.
Since Malabar Danios are very jumping, the aquarium should always be kept covered with a lid or cover glass.
What does Danio Malabar eat? With great pleasure, he eats live food in the form of bloodworms and coretras, tubifex and daphnia. Consumes dry mixtures and canned food.
Reproduction
Malabar Danio reaches sexual maturity at the age of one year. The females of this aquarium fish have a more rounded body and a full abdomen. Males differ from them in being slender. 
The aquarium that will serve as a spawning ground should be 30-40 liters in volume. It must be densely planted with different plants. At the bottom there should be bushes of small-leaved plants, which will serve as a substrate for fish spawning. It is advisable to install a security net at the bottom of the spawning area so that the female and male do not eat their offspring. Aeration in the spawning area is also desirable. The temperature must be maintained at 28°C, hardness - up to 5°, acidity - 6-6.5pH.
Before being planted in the spawning area, the couple is placed in different aquariums for 14 days. You need to feed the fish more carefully during this period.
The spawners should be planted for spawning in the evening. The female begins to spawn in the morning. Its productivity per spawning is up to 1000 eggs. The duration of spawning is 2-4 hours. The males immediately fertilize the eggs. Then the pair should be released from the spawning tank. 
The first larvae will appear in 24-36 hours. They stick to aquatic plants and glass of the spawning ground. Then the fry appear. They need to be fed immediately. A good starting food would be slipper ciliates and small rotifers, boiled yolk. After a week, the young can be fed Artemia nauplii and Cyclops.
Appearance of Danio aequipinnatus: characteristics
Body shape and length: elongated torpedo-shaped body reaching 10-15 centimeters in length. In their natural habitat, fish grow larger in size than in captivity. If Danio Malabar is contained in good conditions, then can live up to 5 years!
Coloring: one cannot fail to note the grace and brightness of this fish, and the color of the skin changes from one individual to another. Usually the body is colored in green-blue shades with yellow stripes throughout the body and transparent fins.
Malabar albinos are sometimes found in nature, but they are so rare that they are an exception rather than a separate independent species.
What does it eat?
This fish is unpretentious in its choice of food; it eats any food offered to it. But activity and rapid swimming takes a lot of energy - you need to eat heavily to restore strength. The diet should be varied, regular and complete.
In nature, they pick up various insects from the water surface and often no longer strive to pursue and raise the “food” floating in the middle layers. This should be taken into account and make flakes the main food, regularly mixing artificial or live food into them.
Danio aequipinnatus is usually fed twice a day, in the morning and in the evening. It is necessary to give out food in such quantities that they eat it in two to three minutes.
Comes from the Hindustan Peninsula and the island of Sri Lanka. The exact habitat is not established, but it is probably limited to the west coast. The fish are found in rivers and streams flowing down from the Western Ghats mountains. Reservoirs are characterized by clean running water, rocky substrates, high dissolved oxygen content and a small amount of coastal vegetation.
Brief information:
- Aquarium volume - from 200 l.
- Temperature - 18–25°C
- pH value - 6.0–8.0
- Water hardness - 2–15 dGH
- Substrate type - rocky
- Lighting - any
- Brackish water - no
- Water movement - weak to moderate
- The size of the fish is 7–8 cm.
- Food - any food
- Temperament - peaceful
- Keeping in a group of 8–10 individuals
Description
Adults reach a length of about 7–8 cm. Unlike their slender relatives, they have a rather heavy body. The color is gray-blue with rows of longitudinal yellow stripes and specks. Sexual dimorphism is weakly expressed; males are practically indistinguishable from females in appearance. The latter may look somewhat larger, especially during the spawning period, when they are filled with eggs.
Outwardly, it very much resembles the Giant Danio, which has led to great confusion in the aquarium hobby. On sale you can often find the same species being sold under two names at once. These two species are really similar. The main difference is in the tail; in the Malabar Danio it is deeply forked.
Nutrition
Unpretentious and not pretentious to the composition of food. Accepts most popular foods. The daily diet may consist entirely of dry foods (flakes, granules). In this case, it is advisable to purchase food from well-known and trusted manufacturers to be sure of the quality.
Maintenance and care, arrangement of the aquarium
For long-term maintenance you will need a tank of 200–250 liters. The design should resemble the bottom of a river in a mountainous area: moderate flow, soil made of pebbles of variable size, boulders, several snags, live or artificial plants. When choosing living plants, you should give preference to unpretentious species that can survive in such conditions, for example, from among anubias, aquatic mosses and ferns.
Malabar Danio needs high quality water with suitable hydrochemical values and does not tolerate the accumulation of organic waste. The aquarium must be equipped with a productive filtration system, which not only purifies the water, but is also capable of creating the necessary flow. Additional aeration is welcome. Aquarium maintenance includes several standard procedures: cleaning the soil and glass, design elements, weekly replacement of part of the water (30–50% of the volume) with fresh water, equipment maintenance, monitoring and maintaining stable pH and dGH values.
Important! Danios can jump out of the water, so a lid over the tank must be used to keep them safe.
Behavior and Compatibility
Peaceful, active fish. Able to get along with many other freshwater species. However, their activity can negatively affect slow-moving fish. They prefer to be in a flock of 8–10 individuals; keeping them alone will make Danio overly modest, timid and will significantly shorten their lifespan.
Breeding/reproduction
Reproduction is typical for most Karpovs. During the spawning period, fish lay many eggs directly on the ground or among plants. The incubation period lasts 24–36 hours, after another two days the fry begin to swim freely. Parental instincts are not developed, so adult fish do not care about their offspring; moreover, if given the opportunity, they will definitely eat their eggs or the emerging fry. This explains the low survival rate of juveniles in a community aquarium.
In order to preserve the fry, you will need to prepare a separate tank where the eggs will be placed. A volume of 10–20 liters is sufficient. The equipment set includes a simple airlift filter with a sponge and a heater. The design is arbitrary.
Fish diseases
In a balanced aquarium ecosystem with species-appropriate conditions, diseases rarely occur. Often, diseases are caused by deterioration of the habitat, contact with sick fish, and injuries. If this could not be avoided and the fish demonstrates obvious signs illness, then drug treatment will be required. Read more about symptoms and treatment methods in the section "
Or zebra devario, as it is also called, one of the largest representatives of the subspecies. A very nimble and beautiful fish, unfortunately, over time it lost its popularity.
But everything in our world is twisting in one big spiral, and now the hunt for the Malabarian in pet stores has begun again. What kind of fish is this and why it suffered such a fate given its former popularity, let's try to find out.
This particular type of fish will easily become a favorite in a freshwater aquarium. The activity of the pets can be envied, and combined with interesting school behavior and amazing colors, watching danichkas is a pleasure.
At different lighting angles, the fish shimmer from green to blue color. In addition to the usual coloring, albino forms of Malabar are also found in stores.
This type of aquarium fish is very hardy compared to its counterparts, and even if water has only recently been poured into the tank, but there is aeration and flow, the Malabar zebrafish feels at home, despite the far from ideal water parameters in a fresh aquarium.
The presence of a current is a fundamental factor in the comfortable stay of Malabarians in the aquarium. Strong and resilient Malabarian swimmers enjoy spending a lot of time fighting the current from the filter.
Malabarians are pack animals, but this does not mean it is necessary to buy 50 individuals. The number of individuals in a school affects behavioral nuances: in a large “family” the fish will reveal themselves in the most complete way.
The optimal number of Malabar danios in an aquarium is from 8-10 pieces. The upper limit is limited only by the aquarist's love for this species fish and the capacity of the container. In such a school, even in a small tank, the fish actively interact and play with each other.
Over time, each flock establishes its own hierarchy. The nature of the pets is good-natured and non-aggressive, however, their hyperactive lifestyle frightens phlegmatic and slow-moving fish. Therefore, neighbors need to be selected carefully in order to avoid constant stress from racing these nimble creatures among other aquatic inhabitants.
It is completely unpretentious to water conditions and can adapt to almost any aquarium. The fish occupy the top layer of water and try to stay near the current.
A strong current is only a joy for the Malabarians, and if they have a filter more powerful than what is expected by the technical characteristics for the volume of water, this fact will bring frantic pleasure to the Danks.
A fish that has the opportunity to be exhausted in a day eats well and is not prone to obesity, because excess weight entails the consequences of early death.
With these comrades, the light is not too bright and be sure to cover it with a lid. At high speeds, fish can simply leave the walls of their pond and this will not end well. Similar behavior in case of stress.
It is worth choosing shade-loving plants for the aquarium, for example Vallisneria or Cryptocoryne. It is necessary to plant plants, but place them along the end edges and in the corners, otherwise they will take away space for the fish to maneuver.
- temperature 21-24 degrees Celsius;
- acidity 6.0-8.0;
- hardness 2-20 dGH.
In groups of about 10 individuals, the established hierarchy will lead the school to a state of collective behavior, and this is already close to the behavior of fish in natural conditions a habitat.
Reproduction
Before breeding Malabar, it is important to learn to distinguish between male and female. In mature individuals, the male is slender and has a brighter color. Females in the abdominal area look like a herring with caviar from a store counter. Their abdomen resembles a barrel.
This type of zebrafish reproduces well at home, and there is nothing military or complicated in the process. Sexual maturity occurs when the body length reaches about 7 centimeters. Spawning most often begins around 7 o'clock in the morning.
It is worth remembering that Malabarians are prone to eating their own caviar. Their caviar is sticky, like barbs. When the female spawns, she sticks to everything she encounters on her way: plants, decor, stones and driftwood.
For breeding purposes, take an aquarium with a capacity of 70 liters or more. There should be quite a lot of plants planted there. In order not to cause stress to future parents, the water in the spawning area must be as close in parameters as possible to where the spawners were kept before. The only difference is the need to raise it to 28 degrees.
It is not uncommon for a pair of sires to form for the rest of their lives. First of all, the female is placed in a spawning tank for 24 hours. A day later, the male is placed and with the first rays of the sun the breeding process begins.
The female lays eggs in the water column, and the male fertilizes them. The female releases 30 eggs at a time until she releases all 300. Afterwards, in order to avoid eating the eggs, the spawners are placed in a separate container.
After 24-48 hours, the larvae will hatch and after another 3-5 days the fry will swim. Once the fry has swum, you can start feeding them ciliates and egg yolk. Over time, as the fry grows, you should switch to larger varieties of food.
Conclusion
Today you learned about the Malabar Danio fish. An extremely interesting fish, with unique behavioral accents and incredible beauty. Quite easy to keep and reproduce and is ideal as the first fish for a novice aquarist.
It's worth remembering a few things:
- the Malabar zebrafish is able to live in almost any type of water;
- for maximum beauty of behavior, keep flocks of 8-10 pieces;
- the aquarium is preferably rectangular in shape, elongated in length, at least 120 liters;
- plants are planted on the ends and in the corners.
And if you create the necessary conditions, then you will reveal the invaluable beauty of this fish and we hope that this article will be able to return the Malabar zebrafish to its former popularity.
The aquarium fish Zebrafish Malabar is a member of the genus Zebrafish. This is the largest representative of the genus, which is kept en masse in aquariums. Like other representatives of the zebrafish genus, it is very beautiful and active. You can watch his behavior for hours.
The color, sparkling brightly in the rays of the sun with rapid movements, is somewhat reminiscent of Brachydanio rerio, but it also has its own characteristics.
Aquarium fish Malabar zebrafish are not whimsical and although they require a relatively large container for their maintenance. They can please both beginners and experienced lovers with their never-ending play and behavioral characteristics. Knowing which you can watch them without stopping for a long time.
Their peaceful disposition and unpretentiousness allow them to be kept with many other species. This type of zebrafish is relatively simple in reproduction, although it has its own secrets. Danio malabar will enliven any underwater landscape.
Latin name: Danio malabaricus
Described by Jerdon in 1849.
Synonyms: Danio malabaricus, Perilampus aurolineatus, Perilampus canarensis, Perilampus ceylonensis, Perilampus malabaricus, Perilampus mysoricus
In nature, it lives on the island of Ceylon and in the rivers of the western coast of India.
Danio malabar description:
This is a fairly large representative of the zebrafish genus in our aquariums. In nature, it can reach 15 centimeters in length. In aquarium conditions, its size rarely exceeds ten centimeters. Body,
strongly flattened laterally, tall. The back is olive-colored, the body is silver. Along the body there are two wide blue stripes behind the gill covers, forming a lace pattern. The pectoral and dorsal fins are blue. The ventral, anal and caudal parts are pinkish.
In nature, zebrafish live in schools of 7 to 10 individuals. Mainly found in the upper layers. They more readily take food from the water column or from its surface. Reaches sexual maturity at the age of 8 - 10 months. Aquarium fish Danio Malabar They are resistant to disease and rarely get sick under normal conditions.
Gender Differences:
The female has a more rounded abdomen and her anal ventral and caudal fins are less intensely colored.
Danio malabar content:
For a flock of 10 representatives, a capacity of 100 liters is desirable. At least 70 centimeters long and up to 30 centimeters high. Water parameters for keeping 21 - 23°C. Hardness up to 20°dH. However, it is better for this parameter to be about 10°dH. pH - 7.
It is better to cover the bottom with dark-colored soil. River sand, small pebbles, and granite chips are suitable. Plants you can use are vallisneria, hornwort, cryptocorynes, and elodea. It is advisable to plant them along the rear and side walls, leaving free space for swimming near the front glass.
A worthy representative of the Danio genus The aquarium should be equipped with a lid or at least covered with glass, since the fish are quite shy and can jump out at the slightest push. The light is bright from above. It is better to use LB fluorescent lamps.
The zebrafish does not suffer from impaired appetite. Aquarium fish Danio Malabar eat any type of live food (bloodworms, tubifex, daphnia). He also does not disdain dry food.
Malabar Danio breeding:
A week before spawning, two males and one female are seated and kept separately. At this time they need to be fed generously. Simultaneously with the seeding of the spawners, it is necessary to pour fresh tap water into the spawning area. It should sit for about seven days. It is better to use a vessel from 50 to 100 liters as a spawning ground. Since the female lays up to two thousand eggs. This number of fry will be easier to keep in a larger aquarium.
After the water has settled at the bottom of the spawning area, either a separator net is laid or densely covered with small-leaved plants, pressing them cleanly washed
stones. Temperature 25 -28°C. Hardness up to 10°dH. pH – 7. Be sure to provide several aeration points. Eggs and fry are very demanding in terms of oxygen content.
In the evening, two males and one female are placed in the prepared spawning area. In the morning, when the spawning ground is illuminated by the sun's rays. The males will begin to chase the female. Which will spawn. In a few hours she will lay up to two thousand eggs.
If the rut does not occur on the first day. The spawners can be kept in the spawning tank for another day, feeding them generously. After spawning is completed, the spawners must be removed so that they do not eat the eggs. Stones pressing the grass to the bottom can be removed. The plants will float and eggs will remain at the bottom.
Half of the water must be replaced with fresh water of the same composition and temperature. It is advisable to add disinfectants to the water. Methylene blue to a pale blue tint or rivanol at the rate of 1.5 mg per 1 liter.
Incubation lasts up to three days. Then larvae appear, which attach to the glass using secretions secreted by the skin glands. After about 5-7 days the fry will swim. The starting material for them is ciliates and nauplii of crustaceans. As they grow, they are switched to larger feeds and placed in different containers to avoid overcrowding.
Additional information:
It can be interesting to observe the strictly expressed hierarchy of the flock. The strongest male is often in the center of the pack. It also has the most horizontal position. As you move away from the center of the flock, there are weaker individuals. They swim at a large angle to the horizon. The weaker the tail, the lower the tail is lowered. It is believed that such distinctive behavior is monitored by the leader of the pack. If the strongest male is removed, all members of the flock swim horizontally. Such a hierarchy is not always visible in aquarium conditions.
So we met another inhabitant of the underwater expanses of our planet, which can be kept in an aquarium and observed the peculiarities of its behavior. In addition, a beautifully decorated aquarium with these fish can be an excellent decoration for any interior. And these moving fish will attract attention and delight the eye.
Danio equipinnatus. Malabar Danio or Danio aequipinnatus - detailed description, photos, videos, features of keeping and breeding in a home aquarium
Description of the genus “DANIO”
Order: Cypriniformes
Suborder: Cyprinoidei
Family: Cyprinidae
They inhabit bodies of water with standing and flowing water from India to Thailand.
Peaceful, mobile, schooling fish, stay in all layers of water.
Water: 21-25°C, dH 5-15°, pH 6-7.5, weekly change required.
Feed: live, substitutes.
Spawning is paired or in a small group with a predominance of males. Spawning aquarium for a couple from 60 cm long with a water level of 15-20 cm, on the bottom there is a separator net and on it a bush of plants with small leaves.
Water: 26-28°C, dH 5-10°, pH 6-6.8. Aeration.
They are planted for spawning in the evening; in the morning, with the first rays of the sun, spawning begins. The female lays more than 1 thousand eggs. The fish are removed after spawning because... eat caviar. The incubation period is 1-3 days, the fry swim in 3-6 days.
Starter food: ciliates.
Puberty at 8-12 months.
Other species of the genus:
Danio equipinnatus. Malabar Danio: keeping and breeding fish.
Size up to 10 cm.
It lives in water bodies on the western coast of India and Sri Lanka.
Females are much plumper than males.
Water for maintenance: dH up to 20°; pH up to 7.5; t 20-23 °C.
Pre-spawning preparation consists of abundant and varied feeding and keeping them in a spacious aquarium.
Water for dilution: dH up to 10°; pH 6.5-7.0; t 24-26 °C.
You need a spawning tank of 50 liters or more with a spawning grid, a small bunch of plants in the center and a sprayer. Females lay more than 1000 eggs, and the smaller the volume of the spawning tank, the more difficult it is to preserve a large number of fry The larvae and fry of this species are quite demanding on the oxygen content in the water, therefore, when breeding, it is necessary to ensure a low water level in the spawning area and several aeration points. It is advisable to use disinfectants to prevent massive spoilage of caviar. You can use methylene blue (added until the water turns pale blue) or rivanol at a rate of 1 to 2 mg per 1 liter of water. You should plant 2 males per female.
Spawning usually occurs the next morning. After spawning, the spawners are planted and 1/3 of the water is replaced with fresh water of the same composition and temperature. After a day, the larvae hatch and hang on the walls of the aquarium. As soon as the fry begin to swim, they should be fed rotifers and Cyclops nauplii. The fry grow very quickly and as they grow they need to be transferred to larger aquariums.
