Celestial Pearl Danio (Galaxy Rasbora)

Danio margaritatus

Discovered only in 2006, the *Danio margaritatus*, famous as 'Galaxy Rasbora' or CPD (Celestial Pearl Danio), caused a real frenzy in fishkeeping. This Lilliputian jewel of barely 2 cm (0.8 inches) has a dazzling livery: a deep midnight blue body studded with tiny golden pearl spots (the "galaxies"), with a fiery red belly and fins striped with intense red and black. Being so tiny and breathtaking, it has become the undisputed star of nano planted aquascapes, although its incredibly shy temperament requires special attention and precautions.

Family: Danionidae
Origin: Asia (Endemica di piccolissimi laghetti stagionali e paludi d'alta quota in Myanmar)
Tank use: Used in 0 tanks

Temperature

20 °C - 24 °C

6.5 - 7.5

Water type

Freshwater

Tank level

Zona media e inferiore. Si aggirano costantemente tra la vegetazione bassa, i muschi e i legni.

Adult size

2 cm

Description

The Flash Extinction Risk:

The story of this fish is a warning. Just 6 months after the discovery of the first photos online (2006), the global frenzy was such that local collectors in Myanmar drained and totally devastated the very few ponds (a habitat of a few square kilometers) where they lived. A few months after discovery, it was declared an 'endangered species'. Fortunately, being a hyper-prolific species that easily lays eggs in moss, today 100% of the specimens sold are reproduced in commercial captivity, saving the wild fish.

Care and observations

Defeating Extreme Shyness:

If you insert a group of Galaxies in an open tank or with impatient aquarists, you will never see them again: they will disappear behind the filter or among the bushes, terrified. The paradox with these fish is that, to see them swim in the light, you must fill the aquarium with dense hiding places (mosses, carpeting plants, roots). Only knowing they have a refuge 1 cm away will they dare to swim out in the open. An infallible trick is to insert surface "dither" fish (e.g., dwarf hatchetfish or boraras): seeing tiny fish swimming safely above them, they will understand that the area is free of predators.

Hunger and Micro-Food:

It is extremely difficult to feed them with pulverized generic flakes or granules; they repeatedly spit them out, struggling to swallow them, ending up dying slowly of malnutrition. The purchase of CPDs is recommended only if you are willing to hatch fresh brine shrimp nauplii weekly or to buy mini-frozen food such as cyclops and lobster eggs.

Relationships and Sparring:

Despite their size, males are fierce fighters. They will claim a ball of moss and spend all their time spinning around themselves, facing other males with spread fins. To prevent them from wearing themselves out, the tank must have many visual interruptions and there must be many more females than males in the school.

Fish profile

Temperament: Timido e cauto. Tendono a nascondersi tra le piante se spaventati. Tuttavia, i maschi sono formidabili "sparring partner" che passano le giornate a danzare in circolo (sparring) sfoggiando le pinne rosse per stabilire gerarchie e dominare piccole aree di muschio.
Diet: Micro-Predatore. Questa è la loro vera difficoltà. Hanno bocche microscopiche e non masticano il cibo sbriciolato. Richiedono alimentazione mirata con micro-cibo vivo o congelato di alta qualità: naupli d'artemia (freschissimi), anguillule dell'aceto, moina, daphnia e microworms. Se nutriti solo con scaglie deperiranno.
Tank level: Zona media e inferiore. Si aggirano costantemente tra la vegetazione bassa, i muschi e i legni.
Minimum group: 10
Adult size: 2 cm
Minimum tank: 30 L
GH: 5 dGH - 15 dGH
KH: n/a
TDS: n/a
Conductivity: n/a
Sex ratio: Harem (1 maschio per 2 femmine). Un errore comune è avere troppi maschi in spazi ristretti; si danneggeranno gravemente le pinne a furia di combattere in modo incessante per i territori.
Feeding frequency: Piccole quantità 2-3 volte al giorno (essendo molto piccoli hanno metabolismi veloci e poco spazio nello stomaco).
Bioload: Bassissimo
Flow: Corrente da Nulla a Debole (odiano i flussi forti)
Jump risk: Covered tank required
Reproduction: Egg-scatterers continui. Una volta ambientati depongono fino a 30 piccole uova poco adesive al giorno tra i muschi (Java Moss). Non praticano vere cure parentali, ma se il muschio è abbastanza fitto e il branco è ben nutrito, non è raro veder spuntare miracolosamente dei minuscoli avannotti in vasca senza aver fatto nulla.
Compatibility: Da tenere in vasche monospecifiche o uniti SOLO a pesci di stazza altrettanto lillipuziana (Boraras, Danio erythromicron, Corydoras pygmaeus). Ottimi coinquilini per le caridine Neocaridina (cherry shrimp). Se messi con pesci normali (es. Barbus, grossi Tetra), passeranno la vita nascosti per la paura.

Image gallery

Licensed images linked to the species or, when marked, to the closest representative taxon.

Primary

Generated via Deepmind Antigravity AI

Representative live aquarium/natural image from Danio erythromicron (same genus) because no reusable exact aquarium photo was found for Danio margaritatus.