Type of fish?       6/25/16 <Seven megs of uncropped pix? WHY?> Hiii there, I am just wondering what type of fish this is? Any ideas? <Brachydanio rerio, w/ clipped on jellyfish DNA. Bob Fenner> Chante Herbst

Thank you and one more question.......    7/18/12 Thank you, Neale for such a prompt reply!  I really appreciate your advice, and reassurance :) <Welcome.> If I could impose on you again for help.......  I just got some "Rosy" Danios, and when I looked online for information on these beautiful fish, I had a hard time finding anything. <These are Red Glofish.> Most of the pictures I saw looked very different - much paler in colour.  I thought they looked more like the genetically modified Red Zebra Danio - Glofish? (Supposedly, Glofish are illegal to import to Canada.  I live in Ontario.) <Yes and yes.> I have attached photos I took.  Please forgive the poor quality.  These are busy little fish!  The "zebra" stripes are quite visible when you look at them.  The stripes are more visible in the flashless photo, and not so visible in the flash photo.  Are you able to shed any light on this for me? <Think you nailed this yourself. Care much like regular Zebra Danios, though likely these will be a trifle more delicate, as with any inbred, mass-produced fish.> Thanks so much, Jen <Cheers, Neale.>

Re: Thank you and one more question.......    7/18/12 Thanks again, Neale! It's nice to have confirmation.  I quite enjoy watching these active little fish!  They love to play in the current from the powerhead. Till next time. Jen <Real good. Cheers! Neale.>

Brown Danios   7/6/10
Hello:
I notice at the aquarium stores that some zebra Danios are silver with blue stripes and others are brown with blue stripes. Is this a male/female thing or are they a different species?? Thank you
<Yes, some Zebra Danios (Danio rerio) have gold between the blue stripes, while others have silver between the blue stripes. Usually it's the males that are more golden and the females are more silvery, but this isn't always the case, and it can often be difficult to tell them apart because they swim so quickly! Note that there are some other Danio and Devario species in the trade, some of which can look very like Zebra Danios at first glance, e.g., Danio kerri and Dario aequipinnatus. Many species will hybridise, confusing things even further. There's a paper in the journal
Nature with a matrix of photos that illustrates this point nicely, here:
http://www.nature.com/hdy/journal/v97/n3/fig_tab/6800867f1.html
Cheers, Neale.>

"Glofish" ID... Zebra Danio care... sel.    11/9/09
I have recently seen a fish called a "Glofish" - a relative of the zebra, yet genetically enhanced to exhibit colors -
<Not "a relative" of the Zebra Danio (Danio rerio) but the same species, just with an extra gene. Maintenance is identical, though they're likely to be somewhat delicate by comparison to standard Zebra Danios thanks to inbreeding and less genetic variation.>
I thought they would make an interesting addition to my tank - What size tank do they require?
<Like Zebra Danios, tank 60 cm/2 feet long is the key thing; these fish get to about 5-6 cm in length and are highly active. In small tanks they're less happy and prone to becoming frustrated bullies.>
Are they a shoaling fish?
<Yes; keep in groups of 6 or more (either 6 Glofish, or a mix of 6 Glofish and standard Zebra Danios, as you prefer).>
Are they compatible with other species of fish?
<Like Zebra Danios in this regard. Community fish, provided not mixed with anything too slow that might be nipped or otherwise harassed.>
In general, what is the best way to keep them healthy and happy?
<As Zebra Danios, with due allowance for their preferred cool water temperature -- 22-25 C is ideal -- and their need for clean water with a good current and lots of oxygen.>
Also, Do they reproduce in species-only tanks?
<In theory they should be easy to spawn, just like Zebra Danios. But when you buy these fish, you actually accept a license that prohibits you from doing so (bizarre as that sounds):
http://glofish.com/license.html
Since these animals aren't sold in the UK, I don't know anyone who has actually bred them (the European Union has restricted sale of genetically modified organisms on public safety, animal welfare and ethical grounds).
Can't say I'm all that bothered by their absence, and I'd encourage you to look for some of the naturally occurring Danio species (like Danio choprae and Danio margaritatus) that are much prettier, in my opinion, and very definitely legal to breed! Cheers, Neale.>