Breeding Celestial Pearl Danio (Danio Margaritatus (Celestichthys Margaritatus)) In The Aquarium

Location

This is a freshwater fish. It's name Rasbora Galaxy causes wrong classification of this species to genus Microrasbora. It lives in shallow ponds, morasses, marshes along Salween River in Myanmar and Thailand. They also live in shallow and densely overgrown waters of Inle Lake in Myanmar.

Body description

This is small (up to 2,5 cm) and very colourful fish. Colour of the body is dark gray-blue with red-orange under-side. There are white-pearl spots on the sides of the body. Fins are red-black. Male is more colourful and thinner than female. She has a dark spot in the anal area during the spawning season.

Temperament and behaviour

This is active, inquisitive and shoal fish. Fish prefers to live in a group of dozen minimum. It is less shy, less stressed and it quickly adjusts to the new conditions of the environment. Males are territorial during the spawning season but they don't hurt other males, they only chase them. This fish is recommended for the beginners.

Aquarium decoration

This species prefers a spacious tanks (minimum 20 litres) with a lot of plants and hiding-places. It may be kept in the single species aquarium or general tank with neon fish, corydoras, dwarft cichlids or shrimps. A partial water exchange should be done regularly.

Breeding

This is an oviparous species. The biggest problem is to care for the fry. The fry is very sensitive to water conditions and it has a very small mouth. You can stimulate fish to spawn through bigger partial water changes, increased temperature up to 26°C, more abundant feeding with live food and by adding some java moss to the aquarium. Males spread their fins during the spawning season. They choose the right place to spawn and they chase female to it. Female lays the roe among leaves of plants - up to 30 eggs. The parents eat the eggs and fry, so they should immediately be removed. The eggs hatch after 4-7 days. The larvae stick to the glass or float in the water. The fry starts to swim and feed 4 days later. The fry grows fast but unevenly.