Aquariumrasbora & danio · freshwater
Zebra Danio: adult size, tank size & tankmates
The Zebra Danio (Danio rerio) grows to about 2.4 in (5 cm SL). It needs a tank at least 35 inches long and about 21 gallons. Keep at least 8 together, at 64–77°F.
How big it really gets
Drawn to scale against common tank lengths. Green bars meet the minimum tank length from our sources.
Needs special care. Very active fish needing a 90 cm (36 in) tank per SF, but routinely sold (esp. GloFish) for small starter/nano kits.
Will it fit your tank?
Quick facts
- Adult size
- 2.4 in (5 cm SL)
- Minimum tank
- 35 inches long and about 21 gallons
- Temperature
- 64–77°F
- pH
- 6–8
- Hardness
- 5–20 dGH
- Group size
- 8+
- With other fish
- peaceful
- With its own kind
- peaceful
- Swims
- top of the tank
- Diet
- omnivore
- Care level
- beginner
- Lifespan
- 3.5 years
Watch for: nips fins · may eat baby shrimp · jumps, so keep a lid
Zebra Danio tankmates
Checked with the same rules as our tank builder: temperature overlap, pH and hardness, predation and mouth size, fin-nipping and temperament. Tank size is left out here; check it in the builder.
Good tankmates
- Neon TetraAdult ~1.4 in · 70–77°F
- Cardinal TetraAdult ~1.7 in · 73–84°F
- Harlequin RasboraAdult ~2.1 in · 70–82°F
- Ember TetraAdult ~0.9 in · 68–82°F
- Chili RasboraAdult ~0.9 in · 68–82°F
- Celestial Pearl DanioAdult ~1 in · 68–79°F
- Cherry BarbAdult ~2.4 in · 68–81°F
- Rummy-nose TetraAdult ~2.4 in · 73–79°F
- Black Neon TetraAdult ~1.7 in · 73–82°F
- Glowlight TetraAdult ~1.9 in · 75–82°F
Use caution
- GuppyZebra Danio nips fins, and Guppy has long fins.
- Honey GouramiZebra Danio nips fins, and Honey Gourami has long fins.
- Dwarf GouramiNeeds careZebra Danio nips fins, and Dwarf Gourami has long fins.
- Pearl GouramiZebra Danio nips fins, and Pearl Gourami has long fins.
- AngelfishNeeds careZebra Danio nips fins, and Angelfish has long fins.
- Cherry ShrimpZebra Danio may eat baby Cherry Shrimp. Adults are usually safe, but expect fewer shrimplets.
- Amano ShrimpZebra Danio may eat baby Amano Shrimp. Adults are usually safe, but expect fewer shrimplets.
- Mystery SnailZebra Danio (pH 6–8) and Mystery Snail (pH unknown) prefer different pH.
Avoid
- BettaNeeds careZebra Danio nips fins, and Betta has long fins.
- German Blue RamNeeds careZebra Danio (64–77°F) and German Blue Ram (81–86°F) need different temperatures.
- Boesemani RainbowfishZebra Danio (64–77°F) and Boesemani Rainbowfish (81–86°F) need different temperatures.
- Chinese Algae EaterOutgrows tanksChinese Algae Eater grows 6× longer than Zebra Danio and may treat it as food.
- Convict CichlidNeeds careConvict Cichlid is aggressive toward tankmates. Zebra Danio is peaceful.
- DiscusNeeds careZebra Danio (64–77°F) and Discus (79–86°F) need different temperatures.
- Iridescent SharkOutgrows tanksIridescent Shark eats small fish, and Zebra Danio only grows to about 2.4 in.
- OscarOutgrows tanksOscar eats small fish, and Zebra Danio only grows to about 2.4 in.
All 105 species we checked against the Zebra Danio
| Species | Verdict | Why |
|---|---|---|
| African Dwarf Frog | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Assassin Snail | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Bala Shark | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Black Neon Tetra | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Bleeding Heart Tetra | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Bolivian Ram | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Bristlenose Pleco | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Bronze Cory | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Buenos Aires Tetra | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Bumblebee Goby | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Cardinal Tetra | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Celestial Pearl Danio | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Cherry Barb | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Chili Rasbora | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Clown Killifish | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Clown Loach | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Clown Pleco | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Common / Comet Goldfish | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Common Pleco | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Denison Barb | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Diamond Tetra | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Dwarf Neon Rainbowfish | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Ember Tetra | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Endler's Livebearer | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Forktail Blue-eye | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Giant Danio | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Glass Catfish | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Glowlight Tetra | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Gold Barb | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Harlequin Rasbora | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Head-and-tail-light Tetra | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Hillstream Loach | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Japanese Trapdoor Snail | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Julii Cory | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Kribensis | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Kuhli Loach | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Lambchop Rasbora | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Lemon Tetra | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Malaysian Trumpet Snail | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Marbled Hatchetfish | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Molly | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Neon Tetra | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Nerite Snail | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Odessa Barb | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Otocinclus | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Panda Cory | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Pea Puffer | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Pearl Danio | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Penguin Tetra | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Peppered Cory | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Platy | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Pristella Tetra | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Pygmy Cory | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Ramshorn Snail | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Rosy Barb | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Rummy-nose Tetra | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Scissortail Rasbora | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Serpae Tetra | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Siamese Algae Eater | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Silver Hatchetfish | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Silver Tip Tetra | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Sparkling Gourami | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Sterbai Cory | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Swordtail | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Tiger Barb | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Tinfoil Barb | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Upside-down Catfish | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Variatus Platy | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Weather Loach | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| White Cloud Mountain Minnow | Compatible | No conflicts found |
| Amano Shrimp | Caution | Zebra Danio may eat baby Amano Shrimp. Adults are usually safe, but expect fewer shrimplets. |
| Angelfish | Caution | Zebra Danio nips fins, and Angelfish has long fins.; Angelfish can bully smaller, peaceful Zebra Danio. |
| Bamboo Shrimp | Caution | Zebra Danio may eat baby Bamboo Shrimp. Adults are usually safe, but expect fewer shrimplets. |
| Black Skirt Tetra | Caution | Black Skirt Tetra can bully smaller, peaceful Zebra Danio. |
| Blood Parrot Cichlid | Caution | Zebra Danio and Blood Parrot Cichlid only share 76–77°F. That's a tight window.; Blood Parrot Cichlid can bully smaller, peaceful Zebra Danio. |
| Cherry Shrimp | Caution | Zebra Danio may eat baby Cherry Shrimp. Adults are usually safe, but expect fewer shrimplets. |
| Congo Tetra | Caution | Zebra Danio nips fins, and Congo Tetra has long fins. |
| Crystal Red Shrimp | Caution | Zebra Danio may eat baby Crystal Red Shrimp. Adults are usually safe, but expect fewer shrimplets. |
| Dwarf Gourami | Caution | Zebra Danio nips fins, and Dwarf Gourami has long fins.; Dwarf Gourami can bully smaller, peaceful Zebra Danio. |
| Electric Blue Acara | Caution | Electric Blue Acara can bully smaller, peaceful Zebra Danio. |
| Electric Yellow Lab | Caution | Electric Yellow Lab can bully smaller, peaceful Zebra Danio. |
| Fancy Goldfish | Caution | Zebra Danio nips fins, and Fancy Goldfish has long fins. |
| Firemouth Cichlid | Caution | Firemouth Cichlid can bully smaller, peaceful Zebra Danio. |
| Ghost Shrimp | Caution | Zebra Danio may eat baby Ghost Shrimp. Adults are usually safe, but expect fewer shrimplets. |
| Guppy | Caution | Zebra Danio nips fins, and Guppy has long fins. |
| Honey Gourami | Caution | Zebra Danio nips fins, and Honey Gourami has long fins. |
| Kissing Gourami | Caution | Kissing Gourami grows 5× longer than Zebra Danio and may treat it as food.; Kissing Gourami can bully smaller, peaceful Zebra Danio. |
| Moonlight Gourami | Caution | Zebra Danio and Moonlight Gourami only share 77–77°F. That's a tight window.; Zebra Danio nips fins, and Moonlight Gourami has long fins. |
| Mystery Snail | Caution | Zebra Danio (pH 6–8) and Mystery Snail (pH unknown) prefer different pH.; Zebra Danio (5–20 dGH) and Mystery Snail (unknown dGH) prefer different water hardness. |
| Paradise Fish | Caution | Paradise Fish can bully smaller, peaceful Zebra Danio. |
| Pearl Gourami | Caution | Zebra Danio nips fins, and Pearl Gourami has long fins. |
| Pictus Catfish | Caution | Pictus Catfish can bully smaller, peaceful Zebra Danio. |
| Rainbow Shark | Caution | Rainbow Shark can bully smaller, peaceful Zebra Danio. |
| Red-Tail Shark | Caution | Red-Tail Shark can bully smaller, peaceful Zebra Danio. |
| Three-spot Gourami | Caution | Three-spot Gourami can bully smaller, peaceful Zebra Danio. |
| Yoyo Loach | Caution | Yoyo Loach can bully smaller, peaceful Zebra Danio. |
| Betta | Avoid | Zebra Danio nips fins, and Betta has long fins. |
| Boesemani Rainbowfish | Avoid | Zebra Danio (64–77°F) and Boesemani Rainbowfish (81–86°F) need different temperatures. |
| Chinese Algae Eater | Avoid | Chinese Algae Eater grows 6× longer than Zebra Danio and may treat it as food.; Chinese Algae Eater is aggressive toward tankmates. Zebra Danio is peaceful. |
| Convict Cichlid | Avoid | Convict Cichlid is aggressive toward tankmates. Zebra Danio is peaceful. |
| Discus | Avoid | Zebra Danio (64–77°F) and Discus (79–86°F) need different temperatures. |
| German Blue Ram | Avoid | Zebra Danio (64–77°F) and German Blue Ram (81–86°F) need different temperatures. |
| Iridescent Shark | Avoid | Iridescent Shark eats small fish, and Zebra Danio only grows to about 2.4 in. |
| Oscar | Avoid | Oscar eats small fish, and Zebra Danio only grows to about 2.4 in. |
Care notes
Needs: Fast, active schooler needing a 90 cm (36 in) tank; tight lid advised; cooler end of tropical range; GloFish are illegal in the EU
Group: SF: group of at least 8-10; very active, needs open swimming space
Temperament: peaceful toward other fish, peaceful toward its own kind. Lives in the top of the tank.
Common questions
How big does a Zebra Danio get?
About 2.4 inches (5 cm SL) as an adult, according to seriouslyfish.com.
What size tank does a Zebra Danio need?
At least 35 inches long and about 21 gallons. The smallest standard tank that meets that is a 40 gallon breeder.
How many Zebra Danios should be kept together?
At least 8. SF: group of at least 8-10; very active, needs open swimming space
What fish can live with a Zebra Danio?
Species that passed every check include Neon Tetra, Cardinal Tetra, Harlequin Rasbora, Ember Tetra, Chili Rasbora, Celestial Pearl Danio.
Gear for a Zebra Danio setup
TankSmallest standard tank that meets its minimum: 40 gallon breeder (36 in long).Find on Amazon →HeaterAbout 200 W for 40 gallons, holding 64–77°F.Find on Amazon →LidIt jumps. A full lid keeps it in the tank.Find on Amazon →FoodA quality flake or micro-pellet as a staple.Find on Amazon →Test kitCheck ammonia, nitrite and pH. Cycle the tank before adding fish.Find on Amazon →
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Related guides
Sources
Values come from these pages, in our own words. Status: verified (independent spot-check). Last reviewed 2026-10-12.
- seriouslyfish.com /species/danio-rerio/
- fishbase.se /summary/Danio-rerio.html
- aquariumcoop.com /blogs/aquarium/zebra-danio-care-guide
- fishkeepingworld.com /zebra-danio/
- tankflare.com /blogs/zebra-danio-care-guide