Kedah danio

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Kedah Danio
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Actinopterygii Order: Cypriniformes Family: Cyprinidae Genus: Danio Species: D. albolineatus
Binomial name
Danio albolineatus (Blyth, 1860)
Synonyms
Brachydanio tweediei Danio tweediei

The Kedah Danio (Danio tweediei) is a synonym of the widely known Pearl Danio, but differs noticeably in coloration. It is a tropical fish belonging to the Danio family (Cyprinidae). Originating from South-east Asia in south Thailand, Kedah and Sumatra, this fish is rarely found in the fish keeping hobby, usually accidentally mixed with the pearl danio.

The fish is similar to D. albolineatus, but is easily distinguished from it by virtue of its markings. It has a prominent, almost luminous, brilliant orange line from the tail to below the dorsal, which in some specimens extends almost to the gills. Below this is a steel or powder blue line. Above the main orange line is a further fainter blue line which peters out below the dorsal and below the main blue line a further faint orange line which, again, usually expires under the dorsal. In some specimens, a faint mottle of blue and orange spots is visible on the chest below the orange and blue lines. In the female, the main orange line often has a slight kink below the dorsal.

When in sunlight, the Kedah danio shines in steel blue and purple and can be (and frequently has been) mistaken for Danio kerri, however it lacks the broad blue band, more yellow coloration and deeper body of D. kerri.

It was described by Dr Martin Brittan in 1956 and named after Dr Tweedie, Director of the Raffles Museum and Library, Singapore. Subsequently it was deemed to be a synonym of Danio albolineatus, a status which may or may not become permanent.

The Kedah danio is a peaceful, active schooling fish that is usually kept in groups. They prefer a well planted environment but still need plenty of space to school. Kedah Danios prefer water with a 6.5 to 7.0 pH, a water hardness of 8 to 12 dGH, and a temperature range of 70 to 77 °F (21 to25 °C).

Kedah danios are egg-scatterers that spawn among a course gravel bed (marbles or java moss are often used by hobbyists). They will typically spawn at the first light of day. The eggs will hatch in approximately 36–48 hours.

[edit] External links

• Danio Tweediei

[edit] References

• Bulletin of the Raffles Museum No 27, 1956. A New Species of the Fish Genus Danio (Cyprinidae) from Kedah, Malaya by Martin R. Brittan PhD, Sacramento State College, Sacramento, California, USA