Danio rerio
No common name
Collection Details
Event Specimens
Photos
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Records
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Cypriniformes (Carps and Minnows)
Cyprinidae (Carps and Minnows)
Danio
Danio rerio
Description
This species account was compiled from
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Characters
Body shape: fusiform / normal. Five uniformly, pigmented, horizontal stripes on the side of the body, all extending onto the end of caudal fin rays. Anal fin distinctively striped. Lateral line absent. Rostral barbels extend to anterior margin of orbit; maxillary barbels end at about middle of opercle. Branched anal fin rays 10-12. Vertebrae 31-32.
Distribution
Asia: Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Myanmar (Ref. 41236). Reported from Bhutan (Ref. 40882). Appearance in Colombian waters presumably by escape from an aquarium fish rearing facility (Ref. 1739).
Habitat Associations
Freshwater. benthopelagic. Found in: streams, lakes.
Biology
Adults inhabit streams, canals, ditches, ponds and beels (Ref. 1479). Occur in slow-moving to stagnant standing water bodies, particularly rice-fields (Ref. 4832); and lower reaches of streams (Ref. 58912). Common in rivulets at foot hills (Ref. 41236). Feed on worms and small crustaceans (Ref. 7020); also on insect larvae. Breed all year round (Ref. 58913). Appears to be primarily an annual species in the wild, the spawning season starting just before the onset of the monsoon (Ref. 72224). Domesticated zebrafish live on average 3.5 years, with oldest individuals surviving up to 5.5 years (Ref. 58923). Spawning is induced by temperature and commences at the onset of the monsoon season (Ref. 58913). Food availability also acts as cue for breeding (Ref. 58913). Growth rate is a vital guiding environmental factor for sexual differentiation for this species as observed in a study (Ref. 58948). In this same study, frequency and amount of food prior to and throughout gonadal differentiation period resulted in more individuals differentiating to become females and is more pronounced in hybrid than pure bred groups (Ref. 58948). Often used for mosquito control (Ref 6351). Popular for aquarium purposes (Ref. 44325). Used as a model system (=organism) for developmental biology (Ref. 47810). Aquarium keeping: in groups of 5 or more individuals; minimum aquarium size 60 cm (Ref. 51539).
Max length: 3.8 cm SL.
Reproductive mode: dioecism; fertilization: external; mating system: polyandry; nonguarders (open water/substratum egg scatterers); parental care: none. Breed all year round (Ref. 58931). From Johnson (1932), 'a female never extrudes eggs during active courtship until the genital organ comes in contact with that of the male, whereupon a small stream of eggs is ejected' (Ref. 205). Violent dashing and chasing characterise courtship finally culminating in eggs being shed a few at a time, settling freely without adhering to the bottom surface (Ref. 205).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC), assessed 2009-10-09. Resilience: High (tmax=5.5 (in captivity); tm<1; multiple spawning per year; Fec=400-500).
Commercial or Environmental Importance
Fisheries: of no interest; aquarium: highly commercial.
References
Riehl, R. and H.A. Baensch (1991) Aquarien Atlas. Band. 1. Melle: Mergus, Verlag für Natur-und Heimtierkunde, Germany. 992 p.
Talwar, P.K. and A.G. Jhingran (1991) Inland fishes of India and adjacent countries. vol 1. A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam. i-liv + 1-541, 1 map
Fang, F. (1998) Danio kyathit, a new species of cyprinid species from Myitkyina, northern Myanmar. Ichthyol. Explor. Freshwat. 8(3):273-280.
Menon, A.G.K. (1999) Check list - fresh water fishes of India. Rec. Zool. Surv. India, Misc. Publ., Occas. Pap. No. 175, 366 p.
Spence, R., M.K. Fatema, S. Ellis, Z.F. Ahmed and C. Smitz (2007) Diet, growth and recruitment of wild zebrafish in Bangladesh. J. Fish Biol. 71(1):304-309.
Delaney, M., C. Follet, N. Ryan, N. Hanney, J. Lusk-Yablick and G. Gerlach (2002) Social interaction and distribution of female zebrafish (Danio rerio) in a large aquarium. Biol. Bull. 203:240-241.
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