Veiltail leopard danio - Danio frankei "long fin

With its impressive veil fins and beautifully spotted body, the veiltail leopard danio , Danio frankei "long fin", has quickly swum its way into hearts and is a popular schooling fish and beginner fish. The leopard danio is presumably a breeding form of the ze bra danio , in which the zebra stripes have changed to a spotted leopard pattern. Since this is not completely clarified until today, therefore only little can be said about its habitat.

In any case it is a fact that the swim-joyful leopard dan io adapts to nearly every water value and can be maintained therefore also ideally by aquaristic newcomers. It is a peaceful, sociable schooling fish that usually leaves its fellow fish alone and can also be bred with a little skill. Its torpedo-shaped body has a gray-silver ground color, which is covered with yellow and dark "leopard speckles". It has small barbels on its superior mouth. All fins are elongated and transparent yellow, sometimes with black speckles. This partly active swimmer likes to live in a group and does not bother its fellow fish or invertebrates.

Purely externally the sex determination is rather difficult to accomplish. Usually the males are a bit more colorful and stronger in build and up to 6 cm in size. Females can appear somewhat smaller and stouter.

Leopard danios are free spawners and lay their eggs in plants or on mosses throughout the aquarium. It is possible that in the community aquarium a few young animals come up again and again. For selective breeding, a rearing aqu arium should be stocked with fine plants over which the animals spawn and are transferred again. Some breeders equip the rearing tank with spawning grids and Java moss, because the Leopard danios like to rob their nests sometimes. Usually the animals spawn in the morning hours. The larvae hatch after about 48 hours and in the first time still stay on the substrate and on objects until they swim free after another 48 hours. The juveniles can then be fed with fine live food such as slipper lizards and later also Artemia nauplii and should only be integrated into the community aquarium when they reach a significant size.

The aquarium of the leopard danios should have an edge length of at least 60-80 cm, because the animals are fast distance swimmers, which actually just dash through the tank the whole day. They even like current, which is why you should offer it to them. Due to their temperament the aquarium should be planted rather at the edge, so that the animals can swim out. However, since they are slightly prone to stress and jumping, an aquarium cover would be beneficial. The substrate, as well as further hardscape plays a rather subordinate role with the Leopard danio and can be adapted to the by-fish.

Leopard danios can besocialized with other peaceful fish and invertebrates without any problems. In the selection of their co-fish, however, care should be taken that these are not stressed by the lively behavior of the Leopard danios and care. Since the danios tend to stay in the middle to upper water zone, they also tolerate catfish and smaller Corydoras or other bottom dwellers. Leopard danios generally do not mess with aquatic plants or otherwise attract negative attention.

Even if the animals eat occasionally vegetable food, they should be fed varied and protein-rich, because they consume a lot of energy by their permanent scurrying. They can be accustomed to commercially available dry food like flake food and granulated food, but also Live food and Frozen food like mosquito larvae, nauplii, daphnia and artemia they do not reject.

Our food recommendation: NatureHolic professional main feed is a professional main feed for all aquarium fish. We supply Hauptfeed in the form of soft granules, which, thanks to its grain size of half a millimeter, can be easily absorbed by small to medium-sized fish. The soft consistency resembles the texture of insect larvae in nature and protects the fish mouth from micro-injuries.

Our plant recommendation: Use for planting NatureHolic InVitros. These are free of snails, planarians and other unwanted co-inhabitants. Also free from algae spores, bacteria and fungi.

Expert Tip: We recommend for fish keeping the NatureHolic 3 Phase Liquid. The care set offers the best all-round protection for your animals. It ensures optimal conditions for successful breeding and keeping.