A large, fast and exceptionally hardy schooling danio from the hill streams of South Asia, marked with blue and gold stripes. Its size, speed and durability make it an outstanding active dither fish for bigger community and even subtropical tanks.
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Up to about 10-12 cm (4-4.7 in); elongated, slab-sided silvery-blue body with golden-yellow horizontal stripes and spots.
Lifespan
5–7 years
Social needs
group
Native region
Sri Lanka and the western coast of India, with related populations in Nepal and Bangladesh
Origin
Old World
Climate
⛅ Subtropical
Water type
💧 Freshwater
Family
Cyprinidae
Genus
Devario
Part of the Danios
Lively, hardy cyprinids — from tiny nano jewels to fast mid-water shoalers — that do best in active groups and tolerate a range of temperatures, including cooler subtropical setups.
From the minimum an animal needs to be kept humanely, up to the ideal setup. Bigger is almost always better — minimums are floors, not targets.
Photo coming soon
Minimum
Active shoal long tank
40 gal / 151 L long
Devario aequipinnatus reaches 5 in and is a fast active schooler — keep 6+. 40-gal long minimum, with open swim space, moderate to strong flow, slightly cool water, and tight lid (jumpers).
Photo coming soon
Recommended
Active community
75 gal / 284 L long
75-gal long with a shoal of 8+, strong flow, plants along sides, and peaceful active tankmates. Excellent dither fish for larger cichlids.
Photo coming soon
Ideal
Asian river biotope
125 gal+ / 473 L+ biotope
Six-foot+ Asian hill-stream biotope with strong current, river rocks, sand, and a large shoal of 10+. Closest to wild ranging behaviour.
Life & growth stages
How this animal changes through its life — each stage often has its own care, diet and space needs.
Photo coming soon
Egg
Fish eggs are small, translucent spheres, often laid in clutches on plants, substrate, or in a nest — or carried/brooded by a parent in livebearing and mouth-brooding species. A dark eye spot and the curled embryo become visible inside as development progresses.
Photo coming soon
Fry
Newly hatched fry are tiny and semi-transparent, frequently still carrying a yolk sac that fuels them before they feed freely. They lack full fin structure and adult coloration, staying near cover until they can swim and forage on their own.
Photo coming soon
Juvenile
Juveniles look like miniature adults but with developing fins and muted or different markings; many species shift pattern and color as they mature. Growth is rapid at this stage given clean water and steady feeding.
Adult
Adults show the species' full size, finnage, and mature coloration, and are sexually mature. Many fish develop sex-specific differences in size, color, or fin shape, which can intensify during breeding.
Habitat & enclosure
Being large and energetic, these need a long tank of at least 200 L (45-55 gal) with plenty of horizontal swimming length. They are adaptable: temperature 20-25 C (68-77 F) — tolerant of cooler subtropical conditions — pH 6.0-8.0 and soft-to-hard water, with moderate-to-strong flow to suit their stream origins. Open swimming space is more important than heavy decor.
Wild fish inhabit fast, clear, well-oxygenated hill streams and rivers across Sri Lanka, the west coast of India, Nepal and Bangladesh.
Substrate
Fine gravel or sand with smooth river stones and driftwood recreates their hill-stream habitat. Plant around the margins and back, leaving a long open lane in front; choose robust or attached plants that withstand the current and active swimming.
Equipment & setup
A strong canister filter, optionally aided by a powerhead, provides the current and oxygenation they enjoy. A heater is optional in warm rooms; standard lighting is fine, and a tight lid is important because they are powerful jumpers.
Diet
Omnivorous and enthusiastic surface/mid-water feeders. Provide a quality flake or pellet base with regular frozen and live foods (bloodworm, brine shrimp, daphnia) and some vegetable matter. They eat readily, so feed measured amounts to avoid overfeeding.
Behavior & temperament
Peaceful toward fish too large to be prey but very fast and active; keep a group of 6+ to keep them calm and confident, as lone or small groups become nervous. Excellent companions for larger barbs, rainbowfish, peaceful medium cichlids, loaches and catfish, and they make superb 'dither fish' to settle shy species; do not mix with tiny fish that could be chased or eaten.
Health
One of the hardiest aquarium fish, tolerating a wide range of conditions. Standard concerns are ich (often from chilling) and fin/skin infections from poor maintenance; quarantine new fish. Their resilience makes them forgiving for newcomers, though their adult size and speed must be planned for.
Tips, DIY & hacks
Prolific, easy egg-scatterers — condition a group, move them to a planted/marble-bottom spawning tank, and remove the adults after spawning since they readily eat eggs. Use a small shoal as energetic dither fish to coax nervous bottom-dwellers and cichlids into the open. Always keep the tank covered to prevent jumps.
