Care
The Giant Danio is known from fast-flowing, boulder-strewn, cool mountain streams with dense marginal vegetation. Here they swim amongst the highly-oxygenated water in large shoals, feeding on terrestrial insects. This large sized danionin is best suited to spacious sub-tropical river type aquaria with decent current and high level of oxygenation. Giant Danios are generally quite peaceful, although they tend to be rather boisterous at feeding times; slow, shy, and long-finned tankmates are best avoided. As a shoaling species, these fish should be maintained in groups of 6 or more (10+ is better if space allows). The tank should be furnished with smooth rocks (pebbles, cobbles etc) as well as tangles of driftwood. Robust plants that are able to cope with some current, such as Java Fern (Microsorum spp.) and Anubias spp. could be tied onto the wood. A spacious swimming area should be left along the front of the aquarium for these active fish to enjoy. As riverine fish that are used to continual fresh, clean waters being conveyed to them, regular partial water changes on the aquarium are absolutely essential as they are very sensitive to the build-up of organic wastes. Good companions could include many of the subtropical loaches (nemacheilids or botiids), catfish, Garra spp., Barilius/Opsarius spp., bitterlings etc. Be sure that the tank has tight fitting coverslides with no gaps where equipment feeds into the aquarium, as these fish are accomplished jumpers.
After some investigation, it was determined that the Giant danio in the hobby is actually the Malabar danio (Devario malabaricus) and not Devario aequipinnatus. As this misidentification is so well established, it might take a while for the common name to change. A marbled form of this fish has recently started to appear from Asian breeders, as can be seen in the photographs, their colouration can be quite varied.
Feeding
Offer a variety of small meaty foods such as frozen bloodworm, white mosquito larvae, daphnia, vitamin-enriched brineshrimp, Mysis shrimp etc., plus a good quality flake.
Breeding
An egg scattering species that can be spawned in a good sized breeding aquarium with a substrate of marbles and large clumps of Java moss. The parents should be acclimatised back to the main aquarium after spawning has ceased, in order to prevent them predating on the eggs. Although largely temperature dependent, the eggs should hatch within 24-36 hours and the fry will be free-swimming a few days later.
