15 Gallon Tank More Excitement! Celestial Pearl Danios!

HI everyone. More excitement for me today as I picked up my 6 Galaxy Rasboras from the LFS. Had them on hold for weeks, and whilst I have had them reserved the store have had offers from other people to take them, for extra money too! The store held up their end of the bargain and held them for me, so today they joined the 15 Gallon with the Orange Shrimp. I will probably get a few more at the next opportunity as they are absolutely stunning. As soon as they hit the tank they grouped up and started crusing around above the substrate and between the plants. However I have a few questions.

- Out of the 6, the group tends to split into 5 that are schooling and one that is sort of on its own on the other side of the tank, how come? Is it being bullied?

- How do you distinguish between male/female? If I have a good ratio, will they breed?

I know, I could probably google this stuff, but then, what would be the point in ever asking questions here? This way I get a response tailored for my situation and not one 'like' or 'close to'. Also, google feeds back so much mixed information I wouldnt be surprised if someone tried convincing me they are not Raboras but infact Sharks.

Pictures when they stay still enough for my phone, which is off for repair

Dan.

 

I notice that with lone swimmer with most schools. Don't know for sure, but I suspect it's the lookout. LOL.

 

I've heard that schools will ostracize sick fish, as they don't want to associate with him/her. I would keep an eye on the fish for any signs of illness.

Congrats on your new fish!

 

I've heard that schools will ostracize sick fish, as they don't want to associate with him/her. I would keep an eye on the fish for any signs of illness.

Congrats on your new fish!

Okay thanks a lot. Keeping a close eye on him/her, still can't tell. Though, has gradually become more invold with the group. So hopefully all is okay. Will make some check ups every few hours see how its going. They are very active and inquisitve for new fish, exploring everything and even chasing the shrimp out of the shrimp tubes. Very entertaining.

 

Don't forget, we love pictures..

 

Don't forget, we love pictures..

Pictures will come soon, as it happens my phone broke last week so is off for repair (I don't own a camera) and so until I get it back in a few days no pictures. They are also a little shy at the moment, so it might be a bit blurred as they dash between plants.

 

My CPDs in my 10 gallon are great. Ive observed that thry like tiny live and frozen foods like daphnia and chopped up bloodworms. They don't take to flake but they love NLS Thera A small fosh but evant THAT is a tiny bit big for them.
(sorry for my typos. I hate typing on an iphone)

 

I can definitely empathize with typing on an iPhone..

I've been thinking of what to put in my 10 gallon once it's done being a quarantine tank, and I've thought about CPDs. For some reason I feel like pictures on google searches don't do them justice.. I would love to see pictures of my fellow FishLorians' fishes!

 

Keep an eye on this thread, I will try photo them ASAP. I can tell you now, if you have a dark substrate and a planted tank, these will look fantastic. Mine seemed to dull out of colour whilst in transit but even after a few hours in their new home, it came right back. Its almost like a charcoal grey with hundreds of tiny gold dots all over the body, a nice reddy orange streak to the fins and a sort of reddy orange underbelly too. I'm sorry the description is not great, its currently lights off and I don't really want to disturb them at the moment. They are very small too, much smaller than you expect, so you could easily have a happy school in a 10 Gallon.

Hope I helped in some way.

 

HI Dan, congratulations on your new CPD's. They are very cool and unique little fish.

How do you distinguish between male/female? If I have a good ratio, will they breed?

The easiest way to sex these fish is by a gravid spot on the females. It's a dark spot near the vent like what you find on many livebearers.

If you have both sexes they will most likely spawn. They are as easy to breed as guppies, the problems come with keeping the adults from eating all the eggs and/or fry.

I wouldnt be surprised if someone tried convincing me they are not Raboras but infact Sharks.

Actually they are Danios, not Rasboras, Danio margaritatus to be exact.

Dennis

 

I've always wondered why they're called both "danios" and "rasboras"...

 

Thanks for the help identifying, I have 3 Males and 3 Females, however I plan to round the numbers off to 10 in the near future, so probably 1 Male and 3 Females. Thanks also for the weblink, a fantastic site, just what I have been looking for. You seem like the go to person for these Celestial Pearl Danio's, what's the best feed for them? At the moment I have flake and artemia shrimp but I have read that they won't take flake so well. Also being small I have to crush what I do have up. Also this morning one was dead. Well, actually it looked dead, was upside down on the sand next to a rock. I quickly grabbed the net to get it out and prevent any harm, as I had no idea how long it had been there. But, as soon as it was in the net it scarpered away. Is this normal behaviour? They are all chasing each other around at the moment which is fascinating to watch.

Dan.

 

I always wanted to get those fish but no one around here sells them. One LFS has them but they are in their "Shrimp Show Tank" and will not sell them. Congrats on the Celestial Pearl Danios, they are beautiful looking fish.

 

...whats the best feed for them? At the moment I have flake and artemia shrimp but I have read that they won't take flake so well.

If you have them in a species tank, they will often NOT come to the surface to eat. This is just their natural tendency. That said, I tend to feed sinking foods. Shrimp and veggie sticks, algae wafers, Golden Pearls also sink slowly in the water column and work very well for me. You can't go wrong with live foods either. As you mentioned brine shrimp, also daphnia moina and small mosquito larvae are some of my favorites. Here's a video of some young CPD's eating a shrimp stick...

Also this morning one was dead. Well, actually it looked dead, was upside down on the sand next to a rock. I quickly grabbed the net to get it out and prevent any harm, as I had no idea how long it had been there. But, as soon as it was in the net it scarpered away. Is this normal behaviour?

I can't say I've ever noticed any of mine playing dead.

Dennis

 

Hey Dennis are those yours? Are you breeding them? If so, are you selling any of them ;-)

 

I've always wondered why they're called both "danios" and "rasboras"...

When they were first discovered they were an unidentified species. The exporter initially thought they might be a microrasbora and listed them on export lists as Galaxy Rasbora. That's the origin of the Rasbora moniker.

That was changed in February of 2007 by Tyson R. Roberts with his formal discription of the species. He suggested a new common name for the fish since his discovery of a family relationship between the fish and the family of fish known as danionins. The name Celestial Pearl Danio was born. Roberts said he coined the name since the scientific name Celestichthys margaritatus translates to "heavenly fish adorned with pearls." In 2008 the scientific name was changed to Danio margaritatus while the trade or common name remained Celestial Pearl Danio.



Whatever you want to call them, they are very lovely little fish!

Dennis

 

I see! You seem quite knowledgeable in the world of CPDs. Thanks for the information! My LFS has a tank labeled "Celestial Pearl Danios" but there never seem to be any in there... Fortunately I won't be stocking the tank for quite awhile, so I have some time to think about it.


(PS. Unless you took the photo, you should provide a link to where you found it or the name of the website. We've been making an effort to give credit where it's due in regards to posting others' pictures.)

 

Hey Dennis are those yours? Are you breeding them? If so, are you selling any of them ;-)

Yes, those were mine - that is an old video. I've been raising several hundred of these a year for about the last 4 or 5 years.

Dennis

 

Are they your fish? They're very vibrantly-colored; the ones I see usually don't show quite as much orange in the fins.

 

Credit to yourself, in this case! Are they your fish? They're very vibrantly-colored; the ones I see usually don't show quite as much orange in the fins.

Honestly, the ones in the photo are not. The site has several members and past members that have allowed me to use their fantastic photos of these beautiful fish. That's not to say I don't have fish that look every bit as good, I just don't have the camera equipment or photographic skills to get such clear and detailed photos of my fish.

Also, it's been my experience that it takes almost a year before the males show really great colors. While they are typically sexually mature at around 12 weeks old and can easily be sexed, it takes some time before the colors are fully developed and show the best. Perhaps the ones you have seen are still younger fish?

Dennis

 

Also, it's been my experience that it takes almost a year before the males show really great colors. While they are typically sexually mature at around 12 weeks old and can easily be sexed, it takes some time before the colors are fully developed and show the best. Perhaps the ones you have seen are still younger fish?

Dennis

It's entirely possible, I'm sure they try and sell them at LFSs as soon as possible. I'll keep that in mind next time I see some. Of course, usually fish's colors are kind of muted when living in a stressful environment such as a store anyway.

 

Hey Dennis are those yours? Are you breeding them? If so, are you selling any of them ;-)

Yes, those were mine - that is an old video. I've been raising several hundred of these a year for about the last 4 or 5 years.
Dennis

Please limit any b/s/t discussion to pm or the b/s/t forum.

(PS. Unless you took the photo, you should provide a link to where you found it or the name of the website. We've been making an effort to give credit where it's due in regards to posting others' pictures.)

The credit is imprinted on the photo

 

Hello! I have six in a tall tank as well, 3 males and 3 females. Here's a pic of one grazing among the plants!




Vincent Wang