Celestial Pearl Danio (CPD) - Danio margaritatus

Celestial Pearl Danios, or CPDs, are one of my favourite nano fish to keep and breed. Up close they look like a tiny night sky, with a deep blue-grey body scattered in pearly gold spots and fins striped in red and black. The males are the show-offs of the tank. Their bellies and fins turn a rich orange-red when they spar with each other, which they do often but harmlessly.

They can be a little shy when they first arrive, so I like to give them a well planted tank with plenty of cover and a few floating plants. Once they feel safe, they spend their days weaving in and out of the plants and you start to see their full colour.

All of my CPDs are bred here in my fish room in Brisbane and raised on a mix of live foods and good quality dry foods, so they arrive eating well and ready to settle in.

Quick care notes

• Adult size: 2 to 2.5cm
• Temperament: Peaceful, slightly shy
• Group size: 8 or more
• Tank size: 30L minimum
• Temperature: 20 to 25°C
• pH: 6.5 to 7.5
• Diet: Small foods such as micro pellets, crushed flake, baby brine shrimp and daphnia
• Tankmates: Other small, peaceful fish. Adult shrimp are fine, though they may snack on the odd shrimplet
• Difficulty: Beginner friendly

What you will receive
Young fish, randomly selected from my tanks. CPDs are tricky to sex at this size, so males and females cannot be chosen.