Are My Zebra Danios, Fighting, Playing Or Starving?

My Zebra Danios are either playing or fighting. They chase each other around and then one goes after the other and when that one gets away it chases a different one.

Are they fighting, playing, starving (due to high ammonia, I cut down feeding to once a day).

There is also a rainbow shark who chases them around sometimes.

It is a 55 gal tank.

Thanks

 

Fish won't starve if you feed them once a day, they can survive for weeks without food. Danios are very playful and energetic, there's nothing to be concerned about when they chase each other unless all fish are targeting one victim.

 

How many danios do you have in there?

 

5

Thank you

 

I would add more. Danios seem to be more nippy and bullyish in smaller groups - add another 5-7 and you should see the behavior lessen.

 

Well they're definitely starving. Not because you're underfeeding them, but because they're always hungry.... Just the species of fish.

Also, that's how they play. Mine constantly chase each other and zip around the tank going 100 mile per hour. The only thing I would look out for is if they aggressively grab one's fins, where it looks like they're trying to hurt the fish. I've never seen mine do this, and think it's super rare.

If you watch closely, you'll notice that it's only chasing, and no biting. That's how you know it's playing.

 

Chasing, even without biting, can be stressful and a sign of bullying. Danios are one of the schooling fish that should be in larger groups to prevent aggression.

 

I would add more. Danios seem to be more nippy and bullyish in smaller groups - add another 5-7 and you should see the behavior lessen.

I love danios and I almost always have them around in a tank somewhere. This is perfect advice.

 

I would add more. Danios seem to be more nippy and bullyish in smaller groups - add another 5-7 and you should see the behavior lessen.

Are is there other species of fish that they will play nicely with that will count?

 

No, they should be in a large school of their own species. You do have room for another school in your tank, but you should still add more danios of the same species.