Bring dynamic energy and striking patterns to your freshwater aquarium with the Longfin Leopard Danio (Danio rerio var. frankei). Known for its eye-catching metallic gold-and-blue speckles paired with flowing, dramatic fins, this peaceful schooling fish is an ideal choice for aquarists of all experience levels. Highly energetic, hardy, and constantly active in the upper levels of the tank, the Longfin Leopard Danio provides constant movement and color to any community setup.

Place of Origin The Leopard Danio is a captive-bred color and fin strain derived from the wild Zebra Danio, which is native to the slow-moving streams, rivers, and flooded paddies of South Asia, particularly India and Bangladesh.

Care Level & Parameters

• Care Level: Very Easy (Beginner-friendly)

• Water Temperature: 64°F – 75°F (18°C – 24°C)

• pH Range: 6.5 – 7.5

• Water Hardness: 2 – 15 dGH

• Lifespan: 3.5 to 5 years

Minimum Tank Size A 20-gallon long tank is recommended. While these fish remain small—maxing out at around 2 inches—they are fast, relentless swimmers that require ample horizontal swimming space to thrive. Always ensure a tight-fitting lid, as they are prone to jumping.

Environment & Setup Longfin Leopard Danios do best in a well-planted aquarium with plenty of open space in the middle and upper water columns. Moderate water flow mimics their natural stream origins and encourages schooling. Darker substrates and dense background plants like Vallisneria, Java Fern, or Stem plants accentuate their shimmering golden spots and flowing fins.

Feeding & Diet As naturally active omnivores, they are eager feeders. Offer a high-quality tropical flake or micro-pellet as a daily staple. For optimal coloration, health, and breeding condition, supplement their diet with live or frozen foods like bloodworms, daphnia, and brine shrimp.

Temperament & Tank Mates These fish are peaceful, peaceful community members, but they must be kept in a school of 6 or more (8 to 10 preferred). Keeping them in proper group sizes reduces stress and prevents them from nipping at slow-moving fish. Great tank mates include Corydoras catfish, Tetras, Rasboras, Bristlenose Plecos, and peaceful Gouramis. Avoid pairing them with aggressive species or long-finned, slow-moving fish like Betta fish or Fancy Guppies that might invite tail-nipping.

Breeding Longfin Leopard Danios are prolific egg-scatterers and easy to breed in a home aquarium. To spawn, set up a separate breeding tank lined with marbles or a breeding mesh at the bottom to protect the eggs from being eaten. Condition the pair with live foods and lower the temperature slightly before introducing warm morning light to stimulate spawning. Remove the parents immediately after eggs are laid. Fry hatch within 24 to 36 hours and require infusoria or liquid fry food once free-swimming.

PLEASE READ BEFORE ORDERING

• The photos shown on fish product pages are representations of adult fish and are NOT the actual fish that you will be receiving. 
• Please visit our “Ordering/Shipping fish” page prior to checking out to familiarize yourself with our process.
• We ship fish exclusively using overnight shipping with either FedEx or UPS. We will not ship fish with lesser expensive shipping services like “Ground” or “Priority Mail”. This is to ensure the safety of the fish.
• Unless specified, all fish are sold as unsexed.