Giant Danio (Devario aequipinnatus) Fish Species Profile
The Giant Danio is an active and peaceful fish. It is the biggest of the danios and therefore requires a large aquarium with plenty of swimming room. A tight-fitting lid should always be placed on the aquarium housing these fish, as they like to jump.
Giant Danios fair better when kept in a group containing five or more fish. The Giant Danio is an excellent addition to a large community tank, especially if you're already raising big fish.
The Giant Danio is a gorgeous torpedo-shaped fish with a beautiful iridescent blue colouration that reflects a pale blue-green background as the fish swiftly changes direction. It displays gold splotches and stripes running lengthwise from the gills to the tail. The fins are grey and clear and rounded in shape, while the tail fin is forked.
| Scientific Name | Devario aequipinnatus |
|---|---|
| Other Names | Golden Giant Danio |
| Family | Cyprinidae |
| Genus | Devario |
| Origins | India |
| Temperament | Semi-Aggressive |
| Aquarium Level | Middle - Top |
| Difficulty | Beginner - Intermediate |
| Shoaling | No |
| Best kept as | Groups 5+ |
| Diet | Omnivore |
| Reproduction | Egg-Scatterer |
| Lifespan | 5 plus years |
| Maximum Size | up to 10 cm |
| Water Type | Freshwater |
|---|---|
| Temperature | 72 - 81 ℉ (22.2 - 27.2 ℃) |
| PH | 6.0 - 8.0 |
| GH | 5 - 19 |
Origins of the Giant Danio
Giant Danios are endemic to the Indian subcontinent and most of Indochina. They can be found in Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Cambodia and northern Thailand.
These fish inhabit fast-flowing streams, and ponds usually in hilly areas. They prefer shaded and clear water and a gravel or sandy substrate.
Diet
Giant Danios will happily accept a wide variety of foods, which includes flake, granules, freeze-dried, frozen, and live foods. To bring out the best colouration, provide live foods, such as mosquito larvae, bloodworms, brine shrimp, chopped earthworms and daphnia.
If live meals are no longer available, give them frozen food as an alternative. Occasionally encompass vegetable flakes in their feedings to supply a well-balanced diet.
Sexing the Giant Danio
It is relatively hard to differentiate males from females. Still, typically the females tend to be larger than males, possess a more rounded abdomen, their golden lines are much more broken than the male, they are not as vibrantly coloured, and the lower jaw of the females does not seem to protrude as much as that of the male.
Breeding the Giant Danio
Giant Danios are exceptionally convenient to breed, and the fry is pretty easy to raise.
It would be best to attempt breeding in a spacious tank that has some exposure to daylight if possible, as this triggers spawning. Keep the water warm, with a low pH and provide fine-leaved plants, such as java moss; alternatively, you can use a spawning mop.
Condition the breeder pair with live and frozen foods such as brine shrimp daphnia or mosquito larvae.
During spawning, these fish can produce up to 20 eggs for the duration of every pairing, which will continue until all the eggs have been scattered on the plants. Remove the breeding pair as soon as the eggs are laid, or the parents will consume the eggs and fry.
Eggs hatch in 24 to 36 hours and the fry will grow to be free-swimming around 48 hours after that. Feed the fry with infusoria or powdered food until they are big enough to accept freshly hatched brine shrimp.
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