Glowlight Danio (Celestichthys Choprae): Ultimate Care Guide

Glowlight Danio (Celestichthys Choprae), is an active fish that spends most of its time in the middle section of the aquarium.

Native populations of Glowlight Danio can be found in the Irrawaddy River of northern Myanmar. They are often found in shallow waters of hill streams.

Their beautiful coloration is one of the reasons why aquarists are attracted to this fish. Their multi-color body consists of green, red, orange, gold, blue, and black hues and markings. Their fins are yellow, white, transparent silver, and black. They are one of the most colorful Danios.

Being a colorful, eye-catching fish is a great trait for an aquarium fish. However, in the wild, the fish can catch the attention of larger fish that are possibly predators. In order to survive, Glowlight Danios use their agility and communication abilities.

As agile fish, they are able to maneuver around rocks, driftwood, and plants very quickly. They may even jump out of the water occasionally.

Glowlight Danios can communicate by means of olfaction, pheromones, and chemicals. This ability allows them to alert others within the group when there are signs of danger.

These capabilities help them evade predators and survive as small fish.

Glowlight Danio Care

Glowlight Danio are generally hardy fish, but they can be more sensitive in comparison to other danio species. However, they are relatively easy to care for. They are adaptable small fish, so they will thrive in an aquarium environment. In order to successfully keep these fish, understanding their basic needs are essential.

Glowlight Danio Temperature 

Glowlight Danios should be kept in a temperature range of 68-77°F (20-25°C). This range is similar to the temperatures in their native waters of the Irrawaddy River. In this region, the water temperature generally fluctuates from 65 to 77°F. Therefore, keeping the fish within this range is advisable.

Glowlight Danio Water pH and dGH

Glowlight Danio should be kept in a water pH of 6.0-7.5. Regarding the general hardness of the water, dGH of up to 18 is acceptable. Although Glowlight Danio are adaptable, keeping them within these water parameters is important for their well-being. Even within this range, it is also important to stabilize the water parameters. The fish can acclimate to changes in the water parameter, but they can do so only when the changes occur gradually.

Glowlight Danio Size

Glowlight Danio are small fish that grow up to 1-1.2 inches (2.5-3 cm) in size. In weight, they grow to about 0.0076 to 0.0088 oz (215 to 250 mg). These fish are considered nano fish.

Glowlight Danio Tank Size

Glowlight Danio should be kept in a tank size of at least 20 gallons. While they are small fish, they are active fish that prefer to remain in groups. As a group, they will explore all levels of the aquarium. When the aquarium tank is too small, they will not be able to exhibit their natural behavior. Therefore, an aquarium that is smaller than 20 gallons is generally not recommended.

Glowlight Danio Food and Diet 

Glowlight Danio require are omnivorous, so they require a varied diet. However, they are not picky eaters, so it is not difficult to feed them.

In the aquarium, they will feed on various types of fish feed, including dry food, frozen food, and live fish food. A varied diet consisting of micro pellets, dry flakes, baby brine shrimp, mosquito larvae, daphnia, etc., is advisable.

They feed on small invertebrates in the wild, such as aquatic insect larvae. They also eat insects that fall into the water as well.

Regarding the amount and frequency of feeding, it is advisable to feed a small portion of food multiple times a day. When a large portion of food is fed all at once, there is a risk of overfeeding. This can lead to poor water quality and an increased risk of disease.

Glowlight Danio Lifespan

Glowlight Danios have an average lifespan of 1-3 years. However, they are able to live up to 5 years with good genetics and environment. Regarding their environment, a few key things could affect their lifespan. These contributing factors include food sources, water quality, and school size. Regarding the food source, a consistent source of quality food is important.

Regarding water quality, clean, highly oxygenated water is important. Regarding the school size, they do best in schools of 10-20 fish. These factors will help the fish prevent disease and contribute to a longer lifespan.

Glowlight Danio Tank Mates

Glowlight Danios are peaceful fish that can be suitable for many community tank setups.

Regarding their tank mates, they can be kept with other peaceful fish of similar size. Compatible tank mates for Glowlight Danios include many species of tetras, loaches, catfish, rainbow fish, guppies, and mollies. They are compatible with many other species of danios and cyprinids as well. However, Giant Danio may be too large and aggressive as tank mates. Other compatible tank mates include small invertebrates such as crabs, snails, and shrimps.

Larger fish that are aggressive should be avoided as tank mates. Keeping these fish could stress out the Glowlight Danios. As shy fish, they would be constantly stressed. It may cause the fish to become lethargic, neglect meals, and waste away. Even without a large predatory fish in the tank, they can be constantly stressed if they are not kept in a group.

As schooling fish, Glowlight Danios should be kept in a size of at least 8-10 fish. However, a size of 10-20 fish or more is recommended. Keeping a good number of these fish together will help them feel safe and happy. As shy fish, they will be stressed without the group. While providing aquarium plants for cover can help, placing the fish in a group is more important. 

While Glowlight Danio are generally peaceful fish, the males can show signs of aggression. Therefore, keeping an adequate number of fish in the group and keeping the fish in an adequate-size tank is important. Avoiding fish with exceptionally long fins is also recommended since they may occasionally nip at them.

Keeping these fish in a larger group and with other compatible tank mates will help them behave naturally. They will allow them to exhibit their bright coloration as well.

Glowlight Danio Tank Setup

A tank setup for Glowlight Danio should resemble their natural habitat in the wild. This would require a medium-sized aquarium tank. The tank size should be 20 gallons or larger. Aquarium tanks that are smaller than this would not be able to support a group of these fish. There will not be enough space for these fish to swim freely. While they can be shy, they are not afraid to explore open waters a school. Having some open space for these fish to swim in is a requirement.

The aquascape for a Glowlight Danio tank setup should consist of some aquarium plants and hardscape. While dense vegetation is not a requirement, having some live plants will help them feel safe. Plants with wide leaves and floating aquarium plants are especially helpful. It will help maintain good water parameters as well. Regarding the hardscape, adding rocks and driftwood would help mimic their natural environment. Driftwood can help make the water more acidic, which can be beneficial depending on the current water pH level. Dark-colored driftwood and substrate can also help emphasize the bright colors of the fish. As fish native to rivers, they do appreciate some water flow in their tank.

Since they are agile fish that have the ability to jump out of the water, it is important to keep a lid on the tank. If there is no lid on the tank, the water level must be significantly reduced in order to prevent the fish from falling outside the aquarium tank.

Glowlight Danio Breeding 

Glowlight Danio will breed in an aquarium environment and does not require a complicated breeding setup. They are egg scatters and do not display parental care for their offspring, similar to other danio species.

If the fish are comfortable, they will breed quite readily. A breeding tank should be set up with optimum water parameters. It should be dimly lit, and the water current can be present, but it should not be too strong.

Parents will eat the eggs after spawning, so adding fine-leaved plants will help the eggs fall outside the parents’ reach. Spawning mops can help increase the number of surviving eggs as well.

In order to condition the fish for breeding, they should be fed well. A balanced diet that is high in protein is recommended. A diet consisting of live fish food will also help condition the fish.

If the fish are conditioned well for breeding, the female will discharge her eggs into open water, and the male will fertilize them. The female will lay 5 to 20 eggs on average, but a large spawn can reach 50 eggs in total. Well-conditioned fish in their prime will be able to have larger spawns. Glowlight Danio spawns best as a group, and they do so almost every 10 days.

Once they are done spawning, the parents should immediately be removed from the spawning tank. If the parents can’t be immediately removed from the tank for any reason, they should be well-fed. Otherwise, they will eat the eggs.

The eggs will hatch in about 72 hours. Once hatched, the fry will feed on infusoria for a few days. Once they are large enough, the baby brine shrimp can be fed. The growth rate of the fry is similar to other danio species. It will take approximately 6 months for them to reach full maturity.

Conclusion

Glowlight Danio are peaceful fish that are relatively easy to keep. Taking proper care of them will allow the fish to exhibit their beautiful bright coloration. It will definitely brighten up the aquarium!