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Species profile

Glowlight Danio

Danio choprae

Common names: Glowlight Danio, Choprae Danio

Recognized speciesDanios
Glowlight Danio (Danio choprae)

Adult size

Up to 3.1 cm

Typical adult length 2.5–3.1 cm.

Up to 3.1 cm

Countries of origin

  • See all stock from Myanmar

Good fit for your tank?

Good fit for

  • Keepers able to maintain an active school of at least 12 fish.
  • Mature freshwater aquariums with open swimming room, good oxygenation, and regular maintenance.

Think carefully if

  • The aquarium is shorter than 80 cm or cannot hold at least 8 fish.
  • Tankmates are slow, long-finned, very timid, or small enough to be intimidated or eaten.

Glowlight Danio is a small to medium schooling danio requiring a group, a secure lid, clean oxygen-rich water, and at least 72 litres.

Appearance and Identification

A small, vivid danio with an orange-red lateral stripe, blue-black bars, and brightly marked fins.

The accepted spelling is Danio choprae. Danio choprai and Celestichthys choprae are older usages.

Adult females are generally fuller-bodied and slightly larger. Mature males are usually slimmer and show stronger colour, especially during courtship.

Tank Requirements

Suggested filter
About 290–360 litres an hour
Suggested heater
About 75–100 W for this tank
Minimum tank volume
72 litres
Minimum tank length
80 cm
Minimum group size
8
Recommended group size
12
Activity level
High
Flow preference
High
Planting preference
Moderately planted
Hiding places
Yes
Lid recommended
Yes
Jumping risk
High

Keep a group of at least 8 in an aquarium at least 80 cm long. Provide open swimming space, secure cover, efficient filtration, and strong but broken-up water movement.

Use plants, wood, and rounded stone around the margins while preserving a clear central swimming area.

Direct the current through open water but leave calmer pockets behind plants, wood, or stone so every fish can rest without being forced against the flow.

Behaviour and Tankmates

Glowlight Danio is a social, active schooling fish that should be maintained with its own kind. Most chasing is part of normal group interaction, but cramped quarters or a group that is too small can concentrate aggression.

Maintain at least 8, preferably 12 or more. A larger group produces more natural schooling and spreads chasing. Not truly territorial, although males may spar or defend short-lived display positions within the group.

Choose peaceful, similarly active fish that share the same temperature and water requirements. Very slow, timid, or long-finned tankmates may be stressed by constant movement or persistent feeding competition. Small shrimp and shrimplets may be eaten.

Check tankmates for this species

Water Parameters

Temperature
18–26 °C
pH
6–7.5
GH
1–8
KH
0–5
TDS
30–180
Stability importance
Important

Keep the water clean and oxygen-rich. Soft to moderately hard water is preferable, with no sudden chemistry changes.

Parameter caveat
Do not chase a precise number at the expense of stability. Acclimate slowly, match the supplier's water where practical, and change mineral content gradually.

Feeding

Diet types
Insectivore, Omnivore
Feeding frequency
Daily
Preferred foods
  • Quality micro pellets or flakesUse as the staple and choose a size that can be swallowed easily.
  • Artemia and DaphniaOffer regularly for conditioning, colour, and natural feeding behaviour.
  • Small frozen invertebrate foodsUse suitable portions and avoid large, tough pieces for small species.

Use finely crushed flakes, micro-pellets, cyclops, small Daphnia, microworms, and newly hatched Artemia that can be swallowed easily. Offer modest portions that the school can finish promptly, and distribute food across the surface or current so subordinate fish have access. A varied diet supports colour, condition, and breeding readiness better than relying on one dry food.

Feed small portions once or twice daily. Active danios feed quickly, so check that slower tankmates receive food.

Breeding

Breeding type
Egg Scatterer
Breeding difficulty
Moderate
Breeding temperature
23 °C
Breeding pH
6.8
Brood or egg count
Usually tens of eggs per spawning event; exact output varies with female size and conditioning.
Incubation
2 days
Parental care
None
Baby foods
  • Infusoria or very fine fry foodUse for the smallest newly free-swimming fry.
  • MicrowormsIntroduce once fry can take moving foods.
  • Newly hatched Artemia naupliiUse after the fry are large enough to swallow nauplii.

An egg-scattering spawner with no parental care. Condition adults well, then use fine-leaved plants, spawning mops, mesh, or marbles to protect eggs from the adults. Remove the breeders after spawning and raise the fry on infusoria or very fine prepared food before moving to microworms and Artemia nauplii. For uncommon species, keep detailed notes on temperature, timing, adult condition, and fry growth because dependable species-specific aquarium reports may be limited.

Habitat and Origin

Geographic origin
Asia, Myanmar, Southeast Asia
Natural habitat
Clearwater, Fast Stream
Aquarium contexts
Freshwater Aquarium, Freshwater Community, High-Flow Aquarium, Planted Aquarium
Audience level
Intermediate

Classification

Profile type
Recognized species
Genus
Danio
Family
Danionidae
Species group
Danios, Fish
Previous scientific names
Celestichthys choprae, Former generic placement., Brachydanio choprai, Historic generic placement and alternate spelling., Danio choprai, Alternate spelling used in older literature.

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