Zebra fish (Danio rerio) in the aquarium, our advice to take care of this type of fish
The zebrafish (Danio rerio) is a
small animal that is very easy to raise in an aquarium. Indeed, it is sociable,
calm, tolerant, and simple to reproduce, which is ideal for beginning
audiophiles. He gets along very well with many other peaceful species, making
him a good candidate for a community aquarium. In addition, it is a popular and
model fish in the scientific world, particularly because of its impressive
regenerative abilities. Discover the identity card of this zebrafish and the
methods of aquarium farming.
Who is the zebrafish?
Zebrafish (Danio rerio) is a small
fish native to India. Very appreciated in audiophilia, it is easy to raise,
it is very tolerant, it is simple to reproduce and it is very pretty with its stripes
that recall the zebra. There are several varieties of Danio fish, including the Danio leopard, which often competes with zebrafish.
This small fish, which is cheap to
buy, has a strong gregarious instinct and will need to live among a minimum of
8 to 10 individuals. In addition, it gets along well with most other species,
being peaceful and sociable.
In nature, it can live up to 5 years
and exceed 6 cm in length. But in an aquarium, it lives only 3 to 5 years and
is only 4 cm long. The zebrafish shall have a bluish body covered by small
horizontal strips; males are golden in color. It is conical in shape, but the
body of the female is more rounded and wider than that of the male. Each has a
pair of small barbs on each side of the mouth.
For the record, the zebrafish is the
first vertebrate organism to be cloned and is known for its great regenerative
abilities. The species was widely described in the rivers bordering the Ganges,
notably by zoologist Francis Buchanan Hamilton in 1822, as Cyprinus rerio. Today,
the animal is very present in the United States, either because of voluntary
implantation or because it escaped from farms. It was not imported into France
until 1905.
The behavior of the zebrafish
As a gregarious, it is always
advisable to buy a bank of zebrafish for at least 10 individuals. If you need
to complete your bench, buy at least 5 to help integrate the new ones; this is
preferable to individual "replacement".
Being peaceful and sociable, zebrafish
are understood to include all species that are not aggressive. He especially
likes Guppys, but also shrimps and snails. However, avoid placing it in a bin
that is used to accommodate large or agitated fish species, as it may be
hunted, which causes stress and makes fish that get sick more fragile.
Zebrafish fish breeding
It is relatively easy to reproduce
the zebrafish in an aquarium, as long as it is placed in a small suitable tank.
Cover the bottom with glass or clay beads to protect the eggs, as parents may
eat them. Lighten the tank well for 14 hours each day to encourage spawning,
which is a natural condition for future parents. Also, bring live food, as it
encourages reproduction, like plants, true or false.
Place two males in the box for a female
(the female is recognizable by its rounded belly) and preferably remove the
parents as soon as the egg is laid. The female lays 300 to 400 eggs and lays
them on the leaves of the plants. The eggs hatch after 2 days of incubation if
the water is above 28°C and 3 days if it is at 26°C.
The nascent larvae measure 3 mm and
are immediately able to swim and feed on their own. Curiously, all fry are
female. Generally, the youngest children turn into males after 5-7 weeks
depending on the heat of the water and the amount of food available. Males can
reproduce after 3 months of life, once their gonads are formed.
How to raise zebrafish in an aquarium?
The zebrafish aquarium
The zebrafish is a very resistant,
hardy, and highly tolerant fish in an aquarium, making it very attractive to
beginning audiophiles.
It supports water with a pH between 6
and 8 and is not really concerned about the hardness of the water, although it
is recommended to keep it at a high between 10 and 20.
In its natural environment, the
temperature of the water varies from 24 to 38°C depending on the season and
falls in winter, which is why it is recommended to maintain the aquarium
temperature between 18 and 25°C.
Allow a minimum of 80 liters for a
school of 10 fish. The zebrafish can be placed in a community tank, but only
with calm species of its size.
The diet of zebrafish
The zebrafish has a superior mouth,
i.e. upward, meaning that it feeds on the surface by catching its prey. So you
can give it glitter without any problems, as well as all kinds of freeze-dried
foods.
However, zebrafish are carnivorous
fish that love to feed on live insects, but also on larvae, mud worms, and small
crustaceans.