Malabar danio

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Malabar Danio

Malabar danio, Devario malabaricus

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Cypriniformes
Family:	Cyprinidae
Genus:	Devario
Species:	D. malabaricus

Binomial name

Devario malabaricus
(Jerdon, 1849)

Synonyms

Danio malabaricus
Perilampus aurolineatus
Perilampus canarensis
Perilampus ceylonensis
Perilampus malabaricus
Perilampus mysoricus

The Malabar Danio (Devario malabaricus formerly Danio malabaricus) is a tropical fish belonging to the minnow family (Cyprinidae). Originating in Sri Lanka and the west cost of India, the fish has been circulated throughout the world through the aquarium fish trade. It grows to a maximum length of 6.0 in (15.2 cm).

The Malabar Danio is found in tropical climates in a wide variety of waters, from mountain streams to small pools, but it prefers flowing waters. They are an active, schooling fish that prefers to be in groups. Their diet consists of insects and plant matter.

Malabar Danios are egg-layers that spawn in shallow water after heavy rains among the plants growing at the bottom of the water. An adult will spawn around 200 light orange, sticky eggs that will hatch in 1 to 2 days. The fry will be free-swimming after the fifth day. The parents must be removed in order to prevent them from eating the eggs.

The species was earlier incorrectly considered a synonym of Devario aequipinnatus which is a valid name for a different species.