Home / Fishes / Carp, barbs, minnows, loaches / Danionidae / Malabar danio
No federal permit to keepMalabar danio
Devario malabaricus
Fishes › Carp, barbs, minnows, loaches (Cypriniformes) › Danionidae (Danios and rasboras)
The Malabar danio (Devario malabaricus) is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish in the family Danionidae.
Care at a glance
Species-specific aquarium care
- Tank: At least 24 in long and 12 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 3.1 in / 8 cm; the largest recorded was 4.7 in).
- Water: Freshwater.
- Temperature: 64–77°F (range recorded for this species).
- Layout: Uses both the bottom and open water: give open swimming space plus cover near the substrate.
- Diet: A predator: feed meaty foods sized to its mouth (frozen fish, shrimp, worms); it will eat tankmates that fit in its mouth. FishBase classes it as a omnivore.
Calculated from this species' own FishBase record: tank size from its typical adult length and swimming zone, water values from its recorded ranges. The group guide below fills in general care.
Care guide
Species care notes
- Tank: a base of at least 47 × 18 in (roughly 64 US gallons); space needed is rated “large tank”.
- Water: a fairly wide range, from slightly acidic to slightly alkaline, 64–77 °F, pH 6–8, 2–15 dGH.
- Behaviour: a shoaling fish best kept in a group of six or more; suited to a community tank.
- Difficulty: Moderate (Seriously Fish rating).
Short excerpts from the species profile:
- Setup: “Not difficult to keep in a well-maintained aquarium.”
- Diet: “Almost certain to prey chiefly on insects and their larvae in nature though in captivity it's far from selective and easily-fed.”
- Tankmates: “Not an aggressive fish but may upset slow-moving or timid tankmates with its constant activity and vigorous feeding behaviour, and is therefore most appropriate for larger aquaria containing robust, similarly-sized fishes.”
- Breeding: “Like most small cyprinids Devario spp.”
From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167
Danios and rasboras
Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: These Asian fishes occupy habitats ranging from zebra-danio pools and rice paddies to shaded harlequin streams, rocky Devario streams and planted galaxy-rasbora wetlands. [fg159-zebra, fg159-harlequin, fg159-giant, fg159-galaxy]. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.
Housing & setup
- Use at least 90 × 30 cm (36 × 12 in) for zebra danios.
- Harlequins require at least 60 × 30 cm (24 × 12 in), shaded planted cover and subdued light.
- Devario aequipinnatus needs at least 120 × 45 cm (48 × 18 in), oxygenated water, moderate flow and a tight lid.
- Galaxy rasboras need dense planting and broken sight lines in at least 45 × 30 cm (18 × 12 in), with gentle sponge filtration.
- Match chemistry: harlequins pH 5.0–7.5, 1–12 dGH; galaxy rasboras pH 6.5–7.5, 5–15 dGH.
Climate & lighting
| Water | 64.4–77°F |
Diet
- Quality flakes or granules sized to the fish.
- Live or frozen Daphnia and Artemia.
- Bloodworms for zebra danios, harlequins and Devario.
- Small sinking foods for galaxy rasboras, which rarely feed at the surface.
Social life
- Keep zebra danios and harlequins in groups of at least 8–10. Galaxy males spar: dense cover and larger groups distribute aggression. Active Devario can overwhelm timid feeders.
Health watch
- Pseudoloma microsporidiosis in zebra danios.
- Pleistophora infection and columnaris can produce similar white lesions in zebra danios.
- Nipped fins among rival galaxy males.
Understanding the animal
About this animal
About this animal
Originating in Sri Lanka and the west coast of India, the fish has been circulated throughout the world through the aquarium trade. The Malabar danio is found in tropical climates in a wide variety of waters, from mountain streams to small pools, but it prefers flowing waters.
Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Malabar danio” (CC BY-SA 4.0) 174
In the wild
In the wild
From this species’ own FishBase record (habitat, bottom type, water and breeding data), not its family. Good care copies these conditions.1
| Where it lives | Lives in freshwater, in rivers and streams, lakes. Uses both the bottom and open water. Found in a variety of habitats from boulder-strewn mountain torrents to small pools in dry zone streams. Most common in flowing water than in reservoirs and tanks. Forms medium sized shoals and prefers flowing water. Feeds on terrestrial insects and detritus. Spawns in shallow water, among marginal weeds and roots usually after heavy rains. Eggs are light orange and sticky; more than 200 eggs are laid and hatch in 1-2 days. Fry are free-swimming on fifth day. Exhibits cannibalism on eggs. |
| Water it lives in | Freshwater, 64–77 °F (18–25 °C). |
| Climate | Tropical climate. |
| Wild diet | Hunting macrofauna (predator). |
| Behavior to plan for | Breeding: brood hiders. |
What this means for care
- Keep water within its wild range, 64–77 °F.
Native climate (measured)
Native climate (measured)
| Warm-season highs | about 92°F (up to 98°F in the hottest sampled areas) |
| Cool-season lows | about 65°F (down to 54°F in the coldest sampled areas) |
| Average temperature | 74–82°F across sampled records |
| Relative humidity | 67–77% on average (driest month about 66%) |
| Rainfall | about 2020 mm a year, with strong wet and dry seasons |
Measured at 71 wild occurrence records sampled against WorldClim 2.1 climate data (1970–2000 averages). Air conditions in the range are ecological context, not enclosure settings: microhabitats such as burrows, leaf litter or basking rocks can be cooler, warmer or more humid.
From the sources
From the sources
Quoted from the matching sections of reputable sources for this exact species. Specialist databases are used first; Wikipedia (community-edited, CC BY-SA 4.0) only fills gaps. Other sources are short credited quotes.
| Overview | The Malabar danio (Devario malabaricus) is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish in the family Danionidae. Originating in Sri Lanka and the west coast of India, the fish has been circulated throughout the world through the aquarium trade. The Malabar danio is found in tropical climates in a wide variety of waters, from mountain streams to small pools, but it prefers flowing waters. It is an active shoaling fish. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Where it lives | Home ranges Population dynamics Growth parameters Max. ages / sizes Length-weight rel. Length-frequencies Mass conversion Recruitment Abundance Life cycle Reproduction Maturity Maturity/Gills rel. — FishBase |
| Reproduction | Spawns in shallow water, among marginal weeds and roots usually after heavy rains. Eggs are light orange and sticky; more than 200 eggs are laid and hatch in 1-2 days. Fry are free-swimming on fifth day. — FishBase |
| Appearance and size | The Malabar danio is a relatively small (although comparatively large compared to many other species in the family), brightly colored fusiform fish. It is laterally compressed and has a superior mouth. It has a few orange longitudinal stripes on its flanks that may be broken up, and there are a few irregular vertical bars on the anterior half of their bodies, just in front of the longitudinal stripes. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Biology | Found in a variety of habitats from boulder-strewn mountain torrents to small pools in dry zone streams. Most common in flowing water than in reservoirs and tanks. Adults form medium sized shoals and prefer flowing water. — FishBase |
| History and naming | The Malabar danio was described in 1849 as Perilampus malabaricus by the English physician and zoologist Thomas C. Jerdon with the type locality given as Chalakudy River, a river in the southern Indian state of Kerala. The specific epithet refers to this fact, as southern India was then known as Malabar. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Conservation | The IUCN Red List listed the Malabar danio as Least Concern as of August 2019. The IUCN had previously assessed this species as Least Concern in 2009 and 2011, suggesting that this species had had a relatively stable overall population. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
Data and studies
The numbers
The numbers
Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.
Adult length
Common length to maximum recorded length. Measured as total length. Fish in home aquariums often stay smaller than wild records.
Water temperature
Range the species tolerates in nature; aim for the middle.
pH
Water hardness
Minimum tank footprint
Seriously Fish recommends a tank base of at least 47 × 18 in (about 64 US gallons).
Sources for this sheet
- FishBase (Froese & Pauly, eds.), version 24.07 Peer-reviewed researchThe global scientific database on fishes, maintained by a consortium of research institutions; every value is referenced.
- Seriously Fish species profiles Experienced keeper or breederLong-running aquarium reference written and peer-checked by experienced fishkeepers and ichthyologists; each profile covers habitat, tank size, water, diet, behaviour and breeding.
- Seriously Fish: Zebra danio (Danio / Brachydanio rerio) Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Seriously Fish: Trigonostigma heteromorpha Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Seriously Fish: Devario aequipinnatus Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Seriously Fish: Danio / Celestichthys margaritatus Experienced keeper or breederAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- iNaturalist (captive observations) Community referenceCommunity observation platform run by the California Academy of Sciences and National Geographic; observations marked captive show animals living in homes, zoos and aquariums.
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