Q&A for How to Breed Danios

You can use tap water as long as you add a dechlorinator. A dechlorinator will remove the chlorine and other additives put in regular tap water. You may be able to skip this step if your tap water comes from a well and not a city water system. It is recommended that the breeding tank have a filter in order to provide the healthiest environment for the eggs and baby danios. You can certainly try breeding your danios without a filter in the breeding tank, but it may not be successful.

The males will chase the female more often, and the females will become more round.

One female danio can lay around 100 eggs during one breeding session. Therefore, if you put 2-3 female danios in a breeding tank, you can expect several hundred eggs. Danios need to be separated before breeding and a separate tank needs to be used for the actual breeding process and an eventual nursery. This means you'll need at least 3 tanks to successfully breed danios.

"Conditioning" simply means preparing your adult danios to breed. Danios need to consume high-quality food for a couple of weeks before breeding in order to ensure their reproductive organs are ready. In the case of females, the high-quality food helps form the eggs that they will eventually lay in the breeding tank.

Cut back to just one male. This way there is less stress for the females.

Yes, it's fine to use stones as long as they are round and smooth.

Yes, but the spawning will take longer. Separating them will give you quicker results.

Yes, this won't prevent breeding.

You can feed danios usual flake fish food, but for better chances of fry, try live food (daphnia, bloodworm, mosquito larvae, etc). Frozen food is an alternative.

Danio eggs are not photosensitive, and simulating daylight hours will not affect the prospective parents or harm the fry or hinder the development of scattered eggs.

Some may be fertilized, others not. Eggs should be white or clear with two little "eyes" close to hatching.

You'll want to keep your breeding tank at a temperature between 72F and 82F for the best results.

It is possible you are seeing the bones develop, healthy eggs should be clear or white. Unless you see anything that looks like a fungus (fuzzy or hairy growths on the outside), the eggs ought to be fine.

Zebra danios are prolific breeders, they will spawn every few days as long as they are in good condition and fed well. If your female keeps getting plump and then slims down again it is probable that they are spawning. Unless you have made some arrangement to protect the eggs or the fry, they will be eaten by any other fish in the tank, even by the parents themselves. Most danios kept in community tanks spawn regularly, but none of the eggs or fry survive.

Yes, you may do that while doing a partial water change to make it warm, but eventually, without a heater, the tank water will become room temperature.

Male danios are normally skinnier than female danios, and male danios' colors are usually more vibrant. If the females have started to produce eggs, they’ll look chubbier.

All tanks need to be cycled before you put any fish in.

If you mean one couple in one breeding tank, then, it's very likely. For better chances, though, you should try two males per female.

It is not necessary to put aquarium salt in the breeding tank. Danios can breed in a tank without aquarium salt. Remember to perform daily water changes.

Of course, it won't hurt them at all. Sometimes fish breeders encourage a light cycle for tanks, but this is for the benefit of the adult fish rather than for the eggs or fry.

If the eggs are fertilized then yes. Mine did the same, but only one was fertilized. He hatched and is doing great.

Yes, though you are much less likely to have fry or surviving eggs due to the other (even really small) fish eating them.

It would be fine. Use a filter for a better and healthier environment.

Yes, but you might want to do your research before crossbreeding them. Also, sometimes only a few make it.

If you have a filter, you are fine. But make sure the eggs and fry don't get sucked in. Cover the filter with mesh for safety.

A heater is not necessary for your danios as long as the temperature doesn't go below 70 degrees.

No. Light is not necessary, but do be sure to maintain the proper temperature.

Feed it brine shrimp. It is ideal for growth. And be patient - eggs take a long time to hatch.

It is unsafe unless the fry are about as large as the parents. The parents will actually eat the fry, or might pick on them if larger, such as juveniles. Therefore, you should just stick to keeping them separate.

You don't really, but it will give you a higher chance of successful breeding and quicker results. However, it is very possible to do it without 3 tanks but might take longer.