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Pearl danio (Danio albolineatus) — Cyprinidae

Pearl danio

Danio albolineatus
Family: Cyprinidae
LC · Least Concern
NativeIntroduced

The Pearl danio (Danio albolineatus) is a freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae that grows up to 10 cm.

Length
9.6 cm
Water
Freshwater
Diet
Omnivore
Behaviour
Schooling
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Mixed bottom
Danger
Harmless
Range
Southeast Asia
Edibility
Not eaten

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Description

The pearl danio is a small cyprinid from Southeast Asia, from Myanmar and Thailand to Sumatra. The species grows to about 6 cm and has a slender body with a pearly, purplish-pink sheen and a glowing lateral stripe. It forms lively schools in clear streams and rivers and feeds on insects, small crustaceans and plant matter at or near the surface. The fish is harmless to humans, popular in the aquarium trade and assessed as Least Concern (LC) by the IUCN.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Pearl danio?

The Pearl danio has an elongate, eel-like body, is mainly pink-purple and shows a horizontal stripes pattern. Mother-of-pearl sheen and a luminous lateral stripe; lively schooling fish

Where does the Pearl danio live?

The Pearl danio lives in fresh water and is mostly found around mixed bottom. Southeast Asia

How big does the Pearl danio get?

The Pearl danio grows to a maximum of about 10 cm. On average the species is around 3 cm.

Is the Pearl danio dangerous to humans?

No, the Pearl danio is harmless to humans. This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status.

Is the Pearl danio edible?

The Pearl danio is not usually eaten.

More photos

Pearl danio (Danio albolineatus) — Cyprinidae — 2
iNaturalist ((c) Jiayuan Lin, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Pearl danio (Danio albolineatus) — Cyprinidae — 3
Florida Museum of Natural History Ichthyology (CC BY-NC 4.0) via GBIF — UF
Pearl danio (Danio albolineatus) — Cyprinidae — 4
Wikimedia Commons — Danio_albolineatus.jpg: The original uploader was Sc99cs at English Wikipedia. (Original text: Steven Coburn sc99cs) derivative work: Haplochromis (talk) (Public domain)
Pearl danio (Danio albolineatus) — Cyprinidae — 5
Florida Museum of Natural History Ichthyology (CC BY-NC 4.0) via GBIF — UF
Fin

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All data

Identification

English name
Pearl danio verified
Scientific name
Danio albolineatus
Family
Cyprinidae
Other names
Golden danio; Pearl danio; Gold danio; Spotted Danio verified

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
9.6 verified
Average length (cm)
3.4 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Pink / purple inferred
Pattern
Horizontal stripes sourced
Tail shape
Forked inferred
Mouth position
Superior (upward) sourced
Lips
Thin sourced
Barbels
Yes sourced
Dorsal fins
One continuous sourced
Dorsal spines
No sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Freshwater sourced
Substrate
Mixed bottom sourced
Natural range
Southeast Asia verified
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Omnivore sourced
Diet (detail)
Insects, small crustaceans and plant material inferred
Social behaviour
Schooling sourced
Territorial
No sourced
Activity
Diurnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No sourced
Seasonality
Schooling small surface fish; present year-round. sourced
Special features
Mother-of-pearl sheen and a luminous lateral stripe; lively schooling fish sourced

For anglers

Edibility
Not eaten sourced
Fishing method
Not a target species for angling; at most an incidental catch or usable as baitfish. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced
First aid
This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status. verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Danio

More from the family Cyprinidae

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