Description
Danio feegradei
Danio feegradei was first described by Hora in 1937. In this initial description, these fish received their currently valid name. Over time, however, different synonyms have emerged. For instance, for a few years, scientists believed that Danio feegradei and Danio dangila are one and the same species. Further research, however, showed that this is not the case. Therefore, D. feegradei and D. dangila are still seen as two separate species. Brachydanio feegradei has also emerged as a synonym of these fishes.
Description
Danio feegradei has an olive green body with yellow blotches. The belly, however, is white. The entire body shows a blueish shine. There is a distinctive yellow blotch behind the operculum. A yellow and a black line can be seen on the tail. These lines end in a dark spot at the base of the caudal fin. The base of the pectoral fins and the fins themselves are yellow. On the caudal fin an orange to red blotch can be seen at the upper and underside of the fin. The remaining fins are completely colorless and translucent.
The sexual differences can be seen on the basis of the colour of a horizontal line present on the anal and pelvic fins. For females the line is white while males have an orange line.
Distribution and Habitat
Danio feegradei can only be found in the Arakan Mountains (Rakhine Yoma). Here it is only caught surrounding the town of Kyeintali.
This Danio species inhibits small streams in forests. These streams are heavily influenced by the changes of the seasons. The brooks are little more than connected pools, during the dry season. These puddles are on average only 2 meters wide and 1 meter deep. However, once the monsoon arrives, they will start to collect water. This will turn the pools into one large stream until the water level increases up to one meter above the level of the dry season.
The brooks that form the natural habitat of Danio feegradei have a substrate of rocks and gravel. In its habitat, these fish cannot find any aquatic plants. The water of the streams is very clear.
Diet
Danio feegradei is not picky and will accept almost any type of food. However, keep in mind that these are carnivorous animals. Therefore, its main diet should be carnivorous as well.
The Aqaurium
This Danio species has a rather peaceful nature. It will not bother other species. However, Danio feegradei is not well combined with slow, quickly stressed species. These fish are, namely, rather active.
These Danios csn be rather aggressive towards its own species. Dominant fish will attack fish that are placed lower in the hierarchy. Therefore, torn fins are not an uncommon sight. The impact of this can be limited by keeping a large school. 15 fish is the absolute minimum to keep this species properly. However, more is better, as it will divide the aggressiveness even more among the different individuals.
Due to the activeness of these fish combined with the aggressiveness and a relatively large school size, a large aquarium is necessary. A tank for these fish should be no less than 120 cm (47 inch). When decorating the aquarium, extra attention is required for creating hiding places. Weaker fish of Danio feegradei can use this to escape from the more dominant individuals. A dark substrate will make the colour of these fish more pronounced. In addition, a strong current is appreciated. Be aware of their ability to jump out of an aquarium. Therefore, a lid is required to prevent unnecessary harm to these fish when they jump out of their tank.
Breeding
Danio feegradei is not difficult to breed. They are often spotted breeding in community tanks. Unfortunately, the eggs and fry are often eaten in community tanks. To increase the yield, a special breeding tank can be setup.
The aquarium should be relatively large, a minimum of 80 liters (21 US gallons). The aquarium should be half full. The decoration should be chosen in such a way that the parents can eat as little eggs as possible. This can be done by using special breeding mops or plants with fine leaves such as mosses. Furthermore, a substrate of marbles or a grid on top of the substrate can be used.
When the females become rounder bellied, they will be filled with eggs. In that case, a couple of fish can be moved to the breeding tank. After this, the tank can be slowly topped up with cool water. By stretching this filling over the course of several hours, the monsoon is mimicked. This will trigger the fish to start spawning.
The females will not deposit all their eggs in one time. Therefore, removing the eggs during spawning is recommended. When the adults are finished, they can be placed back in their original tank.
The eggs will hatch in 3 to 7 days. 24 to 48 hours later, the fry will start to swim freely. By then they need to be fed with fine fabricated food or artemia nauplii.
References
- Brachydanio feegradei – Yoma ‘Danio’ (Danio feegradei). (n.d.). Retrieved January 17, 2018, from http://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/brachydanio-feegradei/
- California Academy of Sciences. (n.d.). Retrieved January 17, 2018, from http://researcharchive.calacademy.org/research/ichthyology/catalog/fishcatmain.asp
- Kullander, S. O., & Britz, R. (2015). Description of Danio absconditus, new species, and redescription of Danio feegradei (Teleostei: Cyprinidae), from the Rakhine Yoma hotspot in south-western Myanmar. Zootaxa(2), 233-247.
- Torres, A. G. (n.d.). Danio feegradei summary page. Retrieved January 17, 2018, from http://www.fishbase.org/summary/61454
Author
Rick
Translation
R.Eltingh
Copyright foto’s
Choy Heng Wah
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