Glowlight danio care guide
Also called: Choprae danio, Choprai danio
A small danio about 3.5 cm (1.4 in) long with orange, gold and dark bars that seem to glow in good light. Peaceful and active, it needs a group of six or more, a long planted tank with a tight lid and calm tankmates of similar size.
Glowlight danios need a tank of at least 20 gallons (76 L), a group of 6 or more, and water at 20–24°C (68–75°F) with a pH of 6–7.5. They grow to about 3.5 cm (1.4 in) and are peaceful.
Plan a tank with glowlight daniosSee all tank mates
Glowlight danio quick facts
| Scientific name | Danio choprae |
|---|---|
| Family | Danionidae |
| Origin | Kachin State, northern Myanmar (Ayeyarwady drainage); shop fish are captive-bred |
| Adult size | 3.5 cm (1.4 in) |
| Minimum tank | 20 gallons (76 L), at least 75 cm (30 in) long |
| Temperature | 20–24°C (68–75°F) |
| pH | 6–7.5 |
| Hardness (GH) | 2–12 dGH |
| Group size | 6 or more (schooling fish) |
| Temperament | Peaceful |
| Swims at | Middle |
| Diet | Omnivore |
| Care level | Easy |
| Lifespan | 3–5 years |
| Safe with shrimp? | Mostly (eats baby shrimp) |
| Safe with plants? | Yes |
- Known jumper: keep a tight-fitting lid.
Tank setup
A 20-gallon long tank (76 L, about 75 cm or 30 in long) gives a group room to dart about. Plant the back and sides densely and leave open water in front. A dark substrate brings out their colours. Close every gap in the lid, as they are strong jumpers.
How many glowlight danios in a tank?
The smallest common tank that suits glowlight danios is a 20 gallon long. Here is roughly how many fit in each size when they are the only fish, based on adult size and waste output. Leave room if you want tank mates.
| Tank | Glowlight danios (alone) |
|---|---|
| 3 gallon | Too small |
| 5 gallon | Too small |
| 10 gallon | Too small |
| 15 gallon | Too small |
| 20 gallon | Too small |
| 20 gallon long | 6–33 |
| 29 gallon | 6–48 |
| 40 gallon | 6–66 |
| 55 gallon | 6–91 |
| 75 gallon | 6–124 |
| 125 gallon | 6–208 |
What you need for glowlight danios
Sized for a 20 gallon long tank, the smallest common size that suits a group of 6 glowlight danios. For a different tank or a mix of fish, use the stocking calculator for a list sized to your plan.
Tank and equipment
- 20 gallon long aquarium (tank or kit) (opens Amazon in a new tab)Bigger tanks are more stable and easier for beginners. How to choose
- Aquarium stand for 20 gallons (opens Amazon in a new tab)The water alone weighs about 167 lb (76 kg), before glass, gravel and rock. How to choose
- Adjustable heater, 50 W (opens Amazon in a new tab)Holds about 72 °F (22 °C) in a room at 65 °F (18 °C). How to choose
- Aquarium thermometer (opens Amazon in a new tab)Check it daily: heaters can fail stuck on or off. How to choose
- Hang-on-back filter rated 80–120 GPH (opens Amazon in a new tab)Community tank: 4–6 times the tank volume per hour. How to choose
- About 45 lb of aquarium gravel (opens Amazon in a new tab)Enough for a layer about 2 in (5 cm) deep. Smooth gravel suits most community fish. How to choose
- Water conditioner (dechlorinator) (opens Amazon in a new tab)Removes chlorine and chloramine from tap water. Seachem Prime is a popular, concentrated choice. How to choose
- Liquid test kit (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH) (opens Amazon in a new tab)Liquid kits are more accurate than strips. The API Freshwater Master Test Kit is the common choice. How to choose
- Gravel vacuum (siphon) (opens Amazon in a new tab)Cleans the gravel and does the water change in one go. How to choose
- LED aquarium light, about 30 in long (opens Amazon in a new tab)Match the light to the tank length. Basic LEDs grow easy plants. How to choose
Food and extras for glowlight danios
- Micro pellets or flakes for small fish (opens Amazon in a new tab)Small enough for tetras, rasboras and other nano fish.
- Tight-fitting lid for a 20 gallon tank (opens Amazon in a new tab)Glowlight danio can jump out of an open tank.
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Water parameters
Keep the water at about 20–24 °C (68–75 °F), pH 6.0–7.5 and soft to moderately hard. They come from clear, rocky hill streams, so give them good filtration, gentle to moderate flow and regular water changes.
Best tank mates for glowlight danios
These popular species share glowlight danios' water needs and temperament. See the full list of 54 good matches.
Cherry shrimp
3 cm (1.2 in) · 20–27°C (68–81°F)
Nerite snail
2.5 cm (1 in) · 22–27°C (72–81°F)
Neon tetra
3.5 cm (1.4 in) · 21–25°C (70–77°F)
Panda corydoras
4.5 cm (1.8 in) · 21–25°C (70–77°F)
Bristlenose pleco
12 cm (4.7 in) · 22–26°C (72–79°F)
Bronze corydoras
7 cm (2.8 in) · 21–26°C (70–79°F)
Zebra danio
5 cm (2 in) · 18–25°C (64–77°F)
Assassin snail
2.5 cm (1 in) · 22–27°C (72–81°F)
Avoid keeping glowlight danios with
- Angelfish: Angelfish can eat glowlight danios: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
- Common goldfish: Common goldfish can eat glowlight danios: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
- Oscar: Oscar can eat glowlight danios: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
- Bala shark: Bala shark can eat glowlight danios: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
- Boesemani rainbowfish: They need different temperatures: Glowlight danio 20–24°C (68–75°F), boesemani rainbowfish 26–29°C (79–84°F).
- Chinese algae eater: Chinese algae eater is aggressive and will bully or injure peaceful glowlight danios.
Feeding
Easy to feed. Offer a quality flake or micro pellet daily, plus small frozen or live foods such as daphnia, baby brine shrimp, cyclops and bloodworms. Meaty foods improve their colour and get them into breeding condition.
Behavior
Peaceful with other fish. Males spar to set a pecking order, and a dominant male can be pushy, so a bigger group spreads this out. They turn shy around large or boisterous fish. Some may nip long, flowing fins, so pair them with small, short-finned community fish.
Breeding
Egg scatterers with no parental care. Fry sometimes turn up in mature planted tanks, but for more, condition the adults with live foods and spawn them in a separate tank with marbles or moss. Remove the adults after spawning. Eggs hatch in about three days, and fry need infusoria first.
Tips from experienced keepers
- Keep six or more, ideally ten. More fish means bolder behaviour and brighter colours.
- Use a tight lid and cover gaps around equipment. They jump.
- Good tankmates include celestial pearl danios, small rasboras, small tetras and corydoras.
- Feed frozen or live foods a few times a week to bring out the orange colour.
- Not the same fish as the glowlight tetra, a South American species. Check the name when buying.
Frequently asked questions
How big do glowlight danios get?
About 3 to 3.5 cm (1.2 to 1.4 in). They stay small enough for a planted community tank but still need room to swim.
How many glowlight danios should be kept together?
At least six, and eight to ten is better. In small groups they hide and lose colour.
Are glowlight danios safe with shrimp?
Mostly. Adult dwarf shrimp are usually left alone, but the danios will eat baby shrimp, so give the shrimp plenty of moss and plant cover.
Sources
We checked these references when writing this page. Values are for healthy long-term keeping, not survival limits. Last reviewed 2026-10-13. See our editorial policy.