Relative newcomers to the aquarium trade, the Celestial Pearl Danio (Danio margaritatus) is a little fish with attractive good looks which are easy to care for. What’s not to love?
Zippy personalities coupled with a social scene amongst themselves, these little Danios have a lot to be admired.
These freshwater fish were discovered in 2006 in Myanmar at a relatively high altitude of over 3000 ft. and can also be found in Thailand.
Also known as Galaxy Rasoboras or Fireworks Rasboras, the common name changed when it was realized that they were closer in classification practice to Danios by scientists later in 2007.
This new fish was so spectacular looking; many didn’t believe it was real!
Read on to find out more about this winsome little fish that turned out to be very much the real deal.
Celestial Pearl Danio Discovery & Controversy
When the person who photographed this fish in Myanmar circulated the picture of their discovery, many thought the picture was fake and had been cobbled together. The fact that it had apparently been found in a part of the world where Westerners weren’t allowed made many suspicious. How could something this vibrant and unique be missed for all of this time?
Well, species evolve all the time too. New species develop while others go extinct. It’s entirely possible to have a new species of fish develop and evolve quickly when it’s in a limited area habitat.
This little fish was unique and didn’t really belong to any one Genus. So it was a guessing game when they began exporting it to the trade to feverish excitement labeled as the Galaxy Rasbora and Firework Rasbora. Later it was reclassified as being closer to the Danios and Danionin family.
Where does the controversy fit in?
Because there was so much interest in this fish and everyone wanted to get their hands on them, and into their tanks, things started to gather steam online.
Their habitat is really quite small and consists of a string of shallow ponds in the wild at over 3000ft altitude. Such a limited natural habitat meant that reports started to proliferate online, saying that they had already been wiped out. It was inaccurately reported that they came from a single pond, and trading ceased after lobbying the government.
It turns out that they are incredibly prolific spawners who do so almost daily! They also occur in a more widespread area of ponds and shallow pools than was originally reported, and they are not extinct.
Much of this was due to rampant internet scaremongering, but the reality is that the wild population is thriving and they are more often now bred commercially for the trade. So nobody needs to believe the panic stations when it comes to this beautiful little fish.
Celestial Pearl Danio Behavior
Celestial Pearl Danios are not schooling fish, although some dealers present them as such. Most of the time, males are chasing females and squabbling with other males over them at the same time.
Since they spawn so frequently, it’s best to keep your number of males down so that the females are less harassed. For such a diminutive fish, the males do go at it against one another with quite a lot of gusto that ends up with a battle display when they fight for the right to mate.
On top of that, the male who fails to win the fight can often be hurt from nipping damage by the winner. Reports of the losing males being bullied to the death abound, so even though they are small, larger tank sizes will fare better so they can have their own space or refuge in addition to keeping the number of males down. There will nevertheless always be a dominant male regardless of how many you keep. Most hobbyists would recommend sticking to one in the tank for an easier life.
Outside of the argumentative males within their own kind, these fish are peaceful and will get along with others really well. They can get skittish and jumpy around larger fish in the tanks, so keeping them alongside similarly-sized fish and types is best to keep them less stressed.
Females are easygoing and the easiest to manage and should form most of your population.
These fish are active, darting swimmers who like to be on the go exploring all areas of the tank. They tend to prefer to inhabit the mid to lower sections of the tank, and they like plants to dart in and out of.
They don’t hang out in groups and like to do their own thing once settled in the tank, so as long as they have plenty of open room to swim and little pockets to chill in on their own, they should be quite happy.
Celestial Pearl Danio Lifespan
Normally you can expect Celestial Pearl Danios to live for an average of up to 3 – 5 years if they are provided with their ideal tank setup. This is a pretty decent amount of time for such a wee fish!
We will discuss more on tank requirements a little later in this article.
Celestial Pearl Danio Appearance
Considered a ‘nano fish,’ these guys only reach about one inch when fully grown. When you read on to see what makes up their appearance, it’s actually quite surprising that nature went to all that effort for something that is relatively hard to see and appreciate from a distance.
Their bodies have a deep blue base color which is punctuated by high-contrast white pearl-like spots all over the length. And we’re not talking about just a few either. They are jam-packed onto the body, which is where they get their ‘celestial’ from in their common name. It looks like a starry sky.
Their fins have deep orange-red shades, which perfectly complements the blue body. They all also have two black lines that run along their length at the edge closest to the body and also another at the tip.
Large eyes are another trademark of these fish.
Sexual dimorphism is present, and females are usually a duller shade. This may disappoint some in the hobby since most of the photos you see trumpet the males’ vibrant shading. Since you should really only aim for a single male, expect the rest of your CPD community to be a little less electric.
Celestial Pearl Danio Habitat And Tank Requirements
This mountain pond-dwelling fish enjoys warm waters and next to no water flow. They come from clear, pure waters that are vibrantly full of vegetation.
They will often nibble on the plant life, so ensuring you have a lot of live plantings not only helps keep your water conditions in good order but also offers a small food source too.
Tank Conditions
These tropical freshwater fish like warmer waters, so a heater is encouraged so you can keep the temperature even.
Vegetation that works well with these fish tends to be the typical varieties like Java Fern, Hornwort, Jungle Val, Chain Swords, Bacopa, Water Lettuce, and Frogbit, along with any other low growing plants for cover at the bottom. Mix it up with taller plants, so they feel secure when exploring upper layers too.
Substrate should be of a darker variety, and gravel or other rocky substrates often works a treat. Creating sandbars will mean your tank is easier to clean if you can add that in.
They prefer lots of rocky formations, caves and try to avoid anything that can scratch these little guys. One scratch can cause a lot of damage to their small surface, meaning you should avoid plastic trinkets and the like.
Driftwood is okay to use, but ensure all tannins are leached out and washed thoroughly as well.
For filtration, you can use additional devices besides the live plantings. Bubble-up filters work well, but if you decide to use another type, ensure you have a fine mesh covering or sponge to protect them from getting into the filter.
Airstones will help oxygenate but use ones that can be set on a low level so as not to disturb the water too much.
Water changes should be done weekly.
Water conditions should be noted, tested regularly, and maintained as follows:
- pH of 6.5 – 8.4
- Water hardness 5 – 10 dGH
- Temperature between 73 – 79ºF (22 – 26ºC)
- Lighting should be moderate to high as in the wild they get a lot of direct sunlight
Tank Size
The minimum tank size needed is10 gallons for a group of around 5 – 6 Celestial Pearl Danios. If you add more, add another 2 gallons per fish.
In terms of tank shape, you want to aim for a long and low tank so that the water height stays relatively shallow, which is what they are more accustomed to in nature.
Choosing Tank Mates For Celestial Pearl Danios
Being a peaceful but shy and skittish fish species, you’ll need to ensure you don’t try and pair these fish up with anything that is going to stress them out or encourage predation. After all, they are bite-sized to most fish! So care needs to be taken when designing your community if you choose to house them with other species.
Some excellent fish to include as tank mates for these tiny little temptations are:
- Tetras
- Corydoras
- Killifish
- Guppies
- Mollies
- Honey Gourami
- Sparkling Gourami
- Red Cherry Shrimp
- Endler’s Livebearer
- Snails
- Mature Shrimp
Remember that you should aim for a group of 5 – 6 of your Danios to begin like as they like living amongst their own kind, just not schooling and swimming around with them all the time.
How To Feed Celestial Pearl Danios
Celestial Pearl Danios are omnivores who will nibble on the live plant life in your tank when the mood takes them. Algae is another food source.
They have sharp little teeth that enable them to predate on live baby brine shrimp, daphnia, grind worms, white worms, and moina. Live foods are the best for them as they don’t like surfacing to eat, so when you do feed anything non-live, ensure it’s of the sinking variety and clean up anything uneaten to keep that water clean and pure.
Good quality flakes and micro-pellet food will help keep your CPD’s in shape. If you want to enhance their red fin tones, try adding some freeze-dried krill to see what happens!
Celestial Pearl Danio Common Health Issues
The most common issue for these littlest fish is of the swimbladder variety. Other conditions like fin and tail rot can be prevalent too. Extra care should be taken to observe any non-dominant males (should you be so bold as to have any) and ensure they have no wounds as they will surely end up perishing through infection.
They are not used to water chemistry changing drastically, so care should be taken to keep their preferred parameters steady to avoid any environmental shock.
Ich or White Spot Disease is possible to catch for any freshwater fish. This external parasite presents as white spots on the body and proliferates quickly, and is highly contagious.
How To Breed Celestial Pearl Danios
As long as you have a male in the tank and the fish have enough peace from others, you will have more Celestial Pearl Danios. These fish spawn prolifically without any encouragement.
Separate tanks for the eggs are usually the way to go, or the adults will consume the eggs. Once they spawn, eggs can often scatter, so having a rearing tank will help make life easier so you can remove the parents without worrying about trying to relocate tiny eggs.
Fry hatch in a few days, and micro food supplies are what you’ll need for those ultra-tiny mouths.
Are Celestial Pearl Danios The Right Choice For My Aquarium?
For anyone new to the hobby, Celestial Pearl Danios make a rewarding investment that is easy to care for.
Stunning good looks for a nano-fish make them a really easy choice for newcomers to the hobby. Experienced folks in this game love them too because they make a really easy way to incorporate a smaller tank into other areas of the home without too much fuss and bother yet still look superb.
You really don’t have to go to the ends of the earth to find a little fish that is truly ‘out of this world.’
