Description

Danio margaritatus was officially described by Roberts in 2007. He described the species as Celestichthys margatitatus. However, more recent research showed that this species actually belongs to the genus Danio. Therefore, the official scientific name is Danio margaritatus. In Latin, margaritatus means: decorated with pearls. This refers to the white spots that can be found on the body of these fish.

The body of Danio margaritatus is green-blue to dark blue in color. In addition, white spots can be seen on the body. These white spots are the “pearls” mentioned above. The belly of these fish is bright red just like the fins. A black stripe pattern can be observed on the fins themselves. The caudal fin is an exception to this. The basic blue color of the body blends into this as a kind of stripe. However, the tips of the fin are bright red again. Gender distinction can be made by looking at the colors of the fish. males often have brighter colors. The blue color in particular is a lot darker in females than in males. The spotting pattern in females also extends less far onto the abdomen.

Diet

In nature, the Celestial Pearl Danio probably lives on small insects and their larvae. They will also probably eat zooplankton.

Specimens bred in captivity usually eat flake food. Nevertheless, it is advisable to occasionally feed frozen or live food. This is especially true for Daphnia and brine shrimp. This food ensures that the fish get a nice color.

Danio margaritatus specimens that come from the wild are a lot more difficult to get them to eat. It is therefore advisable in this case to first give them live food and slowly accustom them to dry food.

The Aquarium

These Danios are very shy compared to other larger fish species. This can prevent the Danios from getting enough food. Therefore, do not keep them with large or dominant fish species.

The Danio margaritatus can be quite aggressive with each other. Often the males will show off and chase each other. Torn fins are therefore more of a rule than an exception. The real damage from mutual aggression can be prevented by having a large school. The bigger the better. This way, the aggression is better distributed between the fish. This allows all fish to rest occasionally and not one fish is constantly the victim.

An aquarium from 60 centimeters is sufficient for this small fish. Provide dense planting between which they can take shelter and leave some swimming space open in the middle. This schooling fish performs best in a school of 10 or more. Better yet is a much larger school.