Pearl danio / Danio albolineatus (Danio albolineatus) care guide

Quick facts

Adult size: 5.5 cm
Lifespan: can live up to 5 years; captive average is 3-4
Tank zone: mid
Temperament: peaceful
Difficulty: beginner
Schooling: recommended 6+ (critical minimum 5, thrives at 8+)

Water parameters

Temperature: 20–25°C
pH: 6.0 to 7.5
Hardness: 5 to 15 dGH

Tank requirements

Minimum volume: 90 L
Minimum length: 80 cm
Flow: moderate
Lighting: moderate
Substrate: any
Open swimming room: needed
Lid: required - jumper

Feeding

Diet: omnivore, feeds primarily at the all.

Eats anything. Flake, micro pellets, frozen bloodworm, frozen brine shrimp, frozen daphnia, live food. Surface and midwater feeder. Not picky, not slow. Feed twice daily. The iridescent pearl coloring shows best on a varied diet.

Compatibility

Active, peaceful schooling fish. One of the prettier danios but overshadowed by the more widely available zebra danio. Groups of 6+ for proper schooling.
Compatible with most peaceful community fish: tetras, rasboras, barbs, corydoras, and gouramis. Active swimmers that need horizontal space.
Tolerates cooler water (18–25°C), making them suitable for subtropical setups alongside white clouds, rosy barbs, and paradise fish.
Jumpers. Like all danios, they leap when startled or during play. A lid is necessary.

Habitat

Native to highland streams and rivers in Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, and parts of India (Assam, Manipur). Found in clear, cool to warm water with moderate flow over rocky and sandy substrates. The species (Danio albolineatus) has a pearlescent pink to purple sheen across the body, with a subtle orange-gold lateral stripe and iridescent blue undertones. Under warm-toned lighting, the pearl effect is pronounced. Males are slimmer and more colorful; females are deeper-bodied. Adult size is 5–6 cm. The species has been in the hobby since the 1910s but has never achieved the mass popularity of the zebra danio, partly because the pearlescent color is subtle and doesn't photograph well for store displays. In person, a school of pearl danios in a well-lit tank is one of the more attractive danio displays available. Commercially bred. Inexpensive.

Breeding

Easy egg scatterer. Condition a group with frozen food. Breeding tank with fine-leaved plants or spawning mops, temperature at 24–26°C. Spawning occurs at dawn with the group scattering eggs among the plants. Clutch sizes are large (100-300 eggs). Eggs are non-adhesive and fall through the plant mass. Adults eat eggs; remove them after spawning. Eggs hatch in 24-36 hours. Fry take baby brine shrimp within 3-4 days. Growth is fast. Standard danio breeding protocol; no special requirements.

Common problems

Minimal. Pearl danios are hardy and adaptable. Ich in new arrivals is the most common issue; standard treatment works. Jumping is a risk; keep the tank covered. Color can look washed out under bright, cool-white lighting; warm LEDs and a dark substrate bring out the pearl effect. Short lifespan (3-4 years) is typical for small danios.

Outdoor pond suitability

This species is suited to outdoor ponds, not just indoor aquariums.

Climate classification: subtropical
Outdoor pond zones (USDA): 8 to 12 (winter low around -12°C or warmer)

Outside the zone range, this species can still be kept indoors. Within the zone, an outdoor pond at least 60 cm deep usually has enough thermal mass to overwinter the species, though local frost depth and surface freezing matter.

Bioload

Bioload coefficient: 1.8 (slightly larger than zebra danio with similar active swimming; scaled up modestly from zebra).

Bioload coefficients are calibrated against the neon tetra as the anchor (1.0). See the methodology page for the formula and how each value was derived.