Glowlight danio
Danio choprae
easy careOverview
The glowlight danio (Danio choprae) is a small, jewel-like danio from Myanmar, marked with glowing orange bars, red fin flashes and a coppery sheen. Peaceful, hardy and a little calmer than the familiar zebra danio, it is an excellent nano and community fish that tolerates cooler water. A shoal weaving through a planted tank is a lovely, low-fuss display.
Tank & water
A shoal is comfortable in 40 litres (10 gallons) or more, though extra length suits their active swimming. Priorities:
- Temperature: they prefer the cooler end of tropical, 22–26 °C; a heater keeps it stable.
- Water: adaptable at pH 6.5–7.5 and soft to moderately hard water.
- Filtration: a filter with gentle to moderate flow suits them; they enjoy a little current.
- A lid: like all danios they can jump, so keep the tank covered.
Feeding
Glowlight danios are easy omnivores. Feed a quality flake or micro-pellet staple with frozen or live foods such as daphnia, cyclops and baby brine shrimp to deepen colour. Feed small amounts once or twice a day, only what they clear quickly. They feed mostly in the upper and middle water.
Tankmates
Peaceful and small, they mix well with calm nano species: celestial pearl danios, ember tetras, harlequin rasboras, pygmy corydoras and dwarf shrimp. Avoid large or nippy fish. Keep at least six so they feel secure — see best nano fish for a small tank for more options.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Keeping too few, which leaves them shy or pushy
- Water kept too warm at the top of the tropical range
- An uncovered tank they can jump from
- Boisterous tankmates that outcompete them
Give glowlight danios a cooler, planted, gently flowing tank and a proper group, and their glowing bars make an easy, eye-catching nano display.
Glowlight danio — frequently asked questions
Are glowlight danios the same as zebra danios?
No. The glowlight danio (Danio choprae) is a smaller, more colourful cousin with glowing orange bars and a copper sheen. It prefers slightly cooler, calmer conditions and is a touch less boisterous, though just as easy to keep.
Do glowlight danios need a heater?
They tolerate cooler water than tropical species and do well around 22–26 °C, so in a warm room they may manage without a heater. A small heater still gives valuable stability and is recommended for most tanks.
How many glowlight danios should I keep?
At least six, ideally eight or more. They are a shoaling fish that shows its best colour and relaxed behaviour in a group; kept singly or in pairs they become shy and can pester tankmates.
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