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EveryFish
Giant Danio, Devario aequipinnatus

Giant danio

Large, active freshwater fish from South and Southeast Asia.

Photo: Faucon, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons

The giant danio is a ray-finned fish native to fast-flowing streams across the Indian subcontinent and Indochina. It grows up to 15 cm and is popular in aquariums for its blue and yellow colour and shoaling behaviour.

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  • Grows up to 15 cm, one of the largest danionins.
  • Native to fast-flowing streams from Pakistan to Cambodia.
  • Requires a secure lid as it is a known jumper.
  • Females lay around 300 eggs per spawning event.
  • Used as dither fish to encourage cichlid behaviour.

What it is

This species is a ray-finned fish belonging to the genus Devario. It has a torpedo-shaped body marked with blue and yellow stripes. The dorsal and anal fins are symmetric, which inspired its scientific name meaning equal-finned. Adults reach lengths between 10 and 15 cm. Females are larger than males and have rounder abdomens. The fins appear gray and clear against the bright body colours.

Where it lives

Native to the Indian subcontinent and much of Indochina, its range extends from Pakistan to Cambodia. It inhabits fast-flowing streams in hilly areas at elevations up to 300 metres. The fish prefers clear, shaded water with a gravel or sandy bed. Ideal conditions include a pH of 6.0 to 8.0, water hardness of 5 to 19 dGH, and temperatures between 22 and 27 degrees Celsius.

How it lives

As surface dwellers, they feed mainly on insects falling onto the water. They also eat aquatic invertebrates like worms and crustaceans. In tanks, they accept mosquito larvae, earthworms, and commercial foods. This species lives in shoals in the wild. Keeping six to ten together encourages natural behaviour. They can be aggressive towards other tank mates and are known jumpers, requiring a secure lid.

Breeding and life cycle

Males chase females and ram their abdomens to induce spawning. The female scatters about 300 eggs among plant clumps. Breeders can stimulate this process by raising water temperature and simulating rain. Young fish start to look like adults after roughly 65 days of development. The golden variant seen in shops is a partial albino, not a distinct species.

Giant danio
A drawing made by EveryFish from what this page says. It is a diagram, not a picture of the real fish.

Fish and people

Aquarists value this fish for its vivid colours and active swimming. It serves as a dither fish in cichlid tanks, prompting larger fish to show natural territorial behaviours. A tank should be at least 1.2 metres long with open swimming space. With proper care, they live five to seven years in captivity. Their lively nature makes them a staple in the ornamental fish trade.

Printed drawing of Devario aequipinnatus (McClelland, 1839)
Printed drawing of Devario aequipinnatus (McClelland, 1839). Photo: Sir Francis Day, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Questions people ask about Giant danio

How big do giant danios get?

They grow between 10 and 15 cm in length. This makes them one of the largest species in their family. Females are typically larger and rounder than males.

What do giant danios eat?

In the wild, they eat surface insects and aquatic invertebrates. In aquariums, they accept mosquito larvae, worms, crustaceans, and standard commercial fish foods.

Do giant danios need a lid on the tank?

Yes, a secure lid is recommended because this species is known to jump. They are active swimmers and require ample open space in a tank at least 1.2 metres long.

Good reading and sources

Where this page comes from

The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Giant danio", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). EveryFish rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.

It may contain mistakes, and figures change over time. Nothing here is investment or buying advice. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-11-15.

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Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

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