Glowlight Danio
Danio choprae
Cyprinidae
FishDifficulty: ●●○○○Data: well-established
About
The glowlight danio is a 3 cm cyprinid endemic to small rocky streams of the Mogaung Chaung system near Kamaing and Namma in Kachin State, northern Myanmar. A pearlescent blue flank stripe overlaid with a row of orange and turquoise bars gives it its name, and it is the more sedate, mid-water alternative to the frantic zebra danio. Those northern hill streams run cool, which is the detail most keepers miss: this is a subtropical fish, not a 27 °C tropical community filler.
Care
Keep 8-10 in a long tank at a subtropical 20-24 °C with moderate flow and a tight lid. Males spar inside the group, so the shoal has to be large enough to spread the pressure around.
Diet
Insectivore in the wild; takes any quality dry food but shows best colour on frozen or live bloodworm, daphnia and brine shrimp.
Tankmate compatibility
Gets along with (44)
Amano ShrimpAssassin SnailBlack Ruby BarbBlack Skirt TetraBlackline RasboraBladder SnailBloodfin TetraBlue Tiger ShrimpBlue Velvet ShrimpBorneo SuckerButterfly Hillstream LoachCelestial Pearl DanioCherry ShrimpCochu's Blue TetraDoctor FishDwarf Orange CrayfishFlame TetraFreshwater ClamGhost ShrimpGlass CatfishGold BarbGolden Dwarf CichlidJapanese Trapdoor SnailJulii CoryLeast KillifishLeopard DanioLittle CorydorasMalaysian Trumpet SnailMedaka RicefishMystery SnailOdessa BarbOtocinclusPanda CorydorasPearl DanioPeppered CorydorasPygmy CorydorasRamshorn SnailReticulated Hillstream LoachRosy BarbSalt and Pepper CoryScarlet BadisUmbrella Dwarf CichlidWhite Cloud Mountain MinnowZebra Danio
Possible with care (169)
Acei CichlidAfrican Butterfly CichlidAgassiz's CoryAgassiz's Dwarf CichlidAuratus CichlidBamboo ShrimpBanjo CatfishBetta (Siamese Fighting Fish)Black Moor GoldfishBlack Neon TetraBlack Phantom TetraBleeding Heart TetraBlood Parrot CichlidBlue AcaraBlue Dolphin CichlidBoesemani RainbowfishBolivian RamBorleyi (Redfin Hap)Brevis Shell DwellerBrichard's TeleogrammaBrichardi (Fairy Cichlid)Bristlenose PlecoBronze CorydorasBuenos Aires TetraBuffalohead CichlidBumblebee CichlidBumblebee GobyCardinal TetraCelebes RainbowfishCheckerboard CichlidCheckered BarbCherry BarbChili RasboraChinese Algae EaterChocolate CichlidChocolate GouramiClown KillifishClown PlecoCobalt Blue ZebraCockatoo Dwarf CichlidColombian Ramshorn SnailComet GoldfishCommon GoldfishCongo Dwarf CichlidCongo TetraConvict CichlidCrystal Red ShrimpCylindricus CichlidCyprichromisDemasoni CichlidDenison BarbDiamond TetraDogtooth CichlidDojo (Weather) LoachDwarf Chain LoachDwarf Flag CichlidDwarf GouramiDwarf Neon RainbowfishDwarf Pea PufferDwarf Petricola CatfishDwarf RasboraElectric Yellow LabElephantnose FishEllioti CichlidElongate MbunaEmber TetraEmerald CoryEmperor TetraEndler's LivebearerEven-spotted SynodontisFantail GoldfishFestivum (Flag Cichlid)Firemouth CichlidFive-bar CichlidForktail RainbowfishGerman Blue RamGlowlight TetraGolden JulieGolden PencilfishGolden TetraGreen Neon TetraGuppyHarlequin RasboraHead-and-Tail-Light TetraHoney GouramiHongi CichlidJohanni CichlidKenyi CichlidKeyhole CichlidKissing GouramiKribensisKuhli LoachLambchop RasboraLemon CichlidLemon TetraMacmasteri Dwarf CichlidMaingano CichlidMarble HatchetfishMarlieri CichlidMoonlight GouramiMultifasciatus Shell DwellerNeon TetraNerite SnailOcellatus Shell DwellerOranda GoldfishParadise FishParaguay EartheaterPeaceful BettaPeacock CichlidPearl GouramiPenguin TetraPlatyPolka Dot LoachPort CichlidPowder Blue CichlidPurple Emperor TetraRabbit SnailRainbow CichlidRainbow SharkRanchu GoldfishRed EmpressRed RainbowfishRed Whiptail CatfishRed Zebra CichlidRed-Tail SharkRedhead CichlidRegan's JulieRosy Red MinnowRosy TetraRubber Lip PlecoRummynose TetraRusty CichlidRyukin GoldfishSand-sifting XenotilapiaSaulosi CichlidScissortail RasboraSerpae TetraSeverumShubunkin GoldfishSiamese Algae EaterSilver Tip TetraSimilis Shell DwellerSkunk CorySparkling GouramiStar SapphireSterbai CorydorasStrawberry RasboraStriped KribensisSulawesi Cardinal ShrimpSunshine PeacockSveni EartheaterT-Bar CichlidTaiwan Reef CichlidTelescope GoldfishThai Micro CrabThick-lipped GouramiThreadfin AcaraThreadfin PetrochromisThreadfin RainbowfishThree-spot GouramiTiger BarbTurquoise RainbowfishUpside-down CatfishVampire ShrimpVenezuelan CoryWrestling HalfbeakX-ray TetraYoyo LoachZebra Mbuna
Avoid (58)
Adonis PlecoAfrican ButterflyfishAltum AngelfishAngelfishBala SharkCalvus CichlidClown LoachCommon PlecoCompressiceps CichlidCuckoo CatfishDemon EartheaterDiscusDuboisi TropheusElectric Blue AhliEndlicheri BichirFeatherfin SqueakerFigure-8 PufferFrontosaGoby CichlidGolden Wonder KillifishGreen DiscusGreen Spotted PufferfishGreen TerrorHeckel DiscusIridescent SharkJack DempseyJaguar CichlidJewel CichlidKoiLivingstoniMalawi EyebiterMalawi HawkMasked JulieMollyOrnate BichirOscarPeacock BassPictus CatfishPike CichlidRed DevilRed TerrorReticulated Flying FoxRostratusRoyal PlecoSailfin MollySailfin PlecoSalvini CichlidSilver ArowanaSilver MoonySpotted HoploStriped Raphael CatfishSwordtailTexas CichlidTropheusUaru (Triangle Cichlid)Venustus (Giraffe Cichlid)Wolf CichlidZebra Pleco
Computed by the AquaSage engine for a spacious reference tank — always check the full verdict for your exact setup in the calculator.
Telling males from females
What works for this species, most reliable first.
- Belly depthA hint only · only on well-fed adults, and only as a comparison
For most tetras, barbs and rasboras this is all there is: a conditioned female is deeper through the belly than a male of the same length.
Also in these lists
Frequently asked questions
- What tank size does a Glowlight Danio need?
- A Glowlight Danio needs an aquarium of at least 70 litres (18.5 US gallons) with a footprint at least 80 cm (31.5 in) long — for this species, swimming length matters as much as raw volume.
- What water parameters does a Glowlight Danio need?
- Glowlight Danio does best at 16–26 °C (60.8–78.8 °F), pH 6–8 and a general hardness of 1–12 °dGH.
- What group size does a Glowlight Danio need?
- Glowlight Danio is a social species — keep a group of at least 8 so natural behaviour emerges and stress stays low.
- Is the Glowlight Danio suitable for beginners?
- Yes — Glowlight Danio is one of the easier species to keep and forgives typical first-tank mistakes, as long as the aquarium is cycled and maintained.
Sources
Water & tank
Temperature16–26°C
Optimal temp.20–24°C
pH6–8
Hardness (GH)1–12°d
Carbonate (KH)1–10°d
Adult size3 cm
Min. volume≥ 70 L
Min. tank length≥ 80 cm
Group size≥ 8
Swimming zoneMid
TemperamentPeaceful
Water typeFreshwater
FlowModerate
Lifespan~4 yrs
Try in the calculator