Giant Danios - Most Underrated Fish Ever

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Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Nov 19, 2008
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I have to say I will never look at Giant Danios the same way ever again. I have seen them in stores for the past howevermanyyears, I have seen 1 or 2 in a few tanks at other people's houses, and so on...


Well, I was at the pet store yesterday to browse their fish selection, looking for some kind of dither or just some rare fish, when I came across the danio/tinfoil barb tank. It was nothing special, just danios and small tinfoil barbs. I walked around the store looking at all their other fish for awhile, and then decided to go back to danio tank. I put my finger on the tank's glass, and started moving it up and down and around. To my amazement, all of the danios clumped together in a big mass, and followed my finger wherever it went. I though this was just AWESOME. :headbang2:D

I decided to pick up 5 of the Giant Danios. :grinno:


I brought them back to the house, acclimated them, and in they went. Right away they started schooling. In a few minutes they were grazing the surface of the tank back and forth like a pack of wolves. I thought this was pretty neat. After about 10 minutes I dropped in some freeze-dried bloodworms --- HOLY (insert word here)!!! :WHOA:

They made exodons look bad. These fish were boiling. I couldn't believe how quick, percise, and rapid these fish were moving. I watched in amazement, and wondered why I had never new Giant Danios were such ferocious eaters. They really add some excitement to the tank, while still keeping it pretty tranquil when they are not eating. They're pronounced underbite makes them all the more cool to watch.


So, I just thought I'd post a thread telling everyone how cool this fish can actually be. I never would have guessed I would like them this much, they were just dithers for my severum/bgk tank. Now they are the fish that make the tank complete.



I can't believe I just typed all of this about Danios. :screwy:
 

Cichlaholics Anonymous

Polypterus
MFK Member
May 23, 2006
8,159
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Miami, Florida
I won't say they are the most underrated, but definitely overlooked, although there are many people who love using them as dithers and recommend them frequently for that purpose
 

ProblEmZ

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Apr 21, 2006
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Lynnwood, Washington what!
They are great schoolers, voracious appetites, and fast. Great dithers I had with my Severum, Convict, Festivum, and Leporinus. Not so great when I added an Istlanum, when I lost the Festivum. But the Istlanum didn't go after them until he knew he could eat it whole. He only got the runt though the other 2 kept going strong for a few years.

One day i'll keep them in a very large school heh
 

Japtastic

Gambusia
MFK Member
Oct 27, 2008
246
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London UK
I used them until my fish got too big and ate them, now I use SD's
 

banjocat

Candiru
MFK Member
Dec 5, 2007
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Michigan
I was going to get some giant danios, but ended up getting a couple four-lined pims instead. Activity wise the giants would have probably been a better choice. I know my smaller danios are very active and voracious feeders.

The moustached danio (Danio dagila) supposedly is the largest true danio. From what I've read their size doesn't seem that different from a giant's though. They might be interesting, because I don't think I've seen them in a LFS before. Anyone see moustached danios at their LFS?
 

FSM

Blue Tier VIP
MFK Member
Jan 1, 2008
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They like to kill themselves though.
 
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