The Pearl Danio is one of the most widely kept and longest-established danios in the freshwater hobby. Native to the streams and rivers of Myanmar and Thailand, it has been in cultivation since the early twentieth century. Despite its long history, it remains popular because of its graceful, understated beauty: its body shimmers with pearlescent iridescence, displaying shifting tones of violet, pink, and gold along the flanks under good lighting, while a faint mid-lateral stripe runs from behind the head to the tail. Males are slimmer and more vibrantly colored, particularly on the belly and fins. The Pearl Danio reaches approximately 6 cm and is a classic community species. It is wholly peaceful, adapts to a wide range of water conditions, and accepts virtually all aquarium foods without hesitation. Like all danios it is an active, schooling fish that spends most of its time in the middle and upper reaches of the water column, and it should be kept in groups of six or more to display its best behavior and reduce stress. Its tolerance of cooler temperatures also makes it suitable for unheated tanks in temperate climates. A school of Pearl Danios shimmers beautifully under soft, warm aquarium lighting.
