# Fat zebra danio



## Julie's Julies

I have a zebra danio and a black skirt tetra in a 10-gallon planted tank. The danio was originally in my 55-gallon, but he was getting picked on and so I moved him to the smaller tank. When I first moved him, he was skinny, not eating well, and looked rather poorly. Now he is huge - he's so fat he looks like he's ready to explode! 

I am curious: am I over-feeding him, is he (or rather she) carrying eggs, or is something else to blame? The black skirt inhales everything I feed it, so it is quite possible that while he's taking in all he can that the danio is gorging himself at the same time. 

Anyway, I am attaching three pictures. The first was taken two days ago; the second was taken this morning and shows the size increase in just a day; and the third is a side shot taken this morning as well. In the side shot it almost looks as though the right side is a little bulgier than the left, but I cannot tell if this is really the case or not.

Any input is greatly appreciated.


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## Lupin

Looks perfectly healthy to me without any visible signs of protruding scales. Danios are very easy to breed. This is only guesswork although I'm sure your danio is a female full of eggs.


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## Amphitrite

I would agree with Lupin - the danio does look healthy enough in the photos. 

That last picture made me laugh when I saw it - the danio has such a grumpy expression :lol:


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## JouteiMike

Looks just like one of my Danios! Appears to be fine.

Any other symptoms besides the large belly? Rapid breathing, sluggishness, clamped fins...?


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## Julie's Julies

Whew! I am glad. He - or I guess she - is just fine other than being fat. No clamped fins, swims just fine, and is alert as always. How long will it be before she lays her eggs? Will I be able to see the eggs, or will she and her tankmate eat them before I ever notice?


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## Gump

Just confirming what everyone else as said. When i had my 6 zebras, 5 of which looked like this.


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## fish_4_all

You may or may not see the egg laying when it happens if it happens. If there is no male the female may just absorb the eggs instead of laying them.


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## serpaekeeper45

hi,iv got a zebra danio JUST like that.its been like that for 2 years.i think its just fine.


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## slim_staples

*giant danios*

you will deffinately enjoy your danios in higher numbers. I have an 80 gal tank that only has danios in it. 27 to be exact. I always have danios with my larger fish for excercise as well. they cant be caught during the day but my flowerhorn and red devil learned quickly that danios eyes dont adjust quickly when you turn the lights off. thats when you will lose fish  but i love my all danio tank. i can just sit back and watch them play with eachother for days. i cant wait until they get to be 5-6 inches each. i cant imagine


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## pachakutek

Here's is pic of my "healthy" hunchback danio.....










It started growing a belly that became a hunchback... swims and eats normally, chases others... no other signs of unhealthy behavior.... and more importantly: it's been like that for almost a year! 

Other danios (2 more) are kinda fat... but not to that extend.

What is it? Too much food? eggs?... parasites?

Thanks!


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## bigali

wow no help to offer here but what an amazing [email protected]@


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## dollipop

I was at the pet store today to pick up something for my cat and, naturally, check out their fish (just because! we're all guilty) 
Anyhow, I don't even know why I ended up looking at this tank of zebra and leopard danios, I had no intention on getting any for my tank. Buuut, as fate would have it, one little fella caught my eye- a hunchback. He's a bit more bent than the two posted in this forum but seems healthy as ever and oh-my-goodness spunky! He swims around great, keeps up with everyone else in the tank (I got two other danios to keep him company) and is ravenous as any other. Watching his funny, quick, wiggly swim made me laugh so much I HAD to take him home! (assuming it's a male, we shall see, Quasimodo all the same)

It's only been a few hours since I've gotten the lil hunchback, so I'll be back to update eventually =) Hopefully with pictures


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## dollipop

oh, an aside on the lil Quasimodo:

I realize the possibilities of TB and diet issues and a couple other potential diseases. I am extremely cautious about the fish I buy after a few bad experiences. I watch the fish I want for a long time at the store beforehand, I check out the other fish they are with, anything in the tank, even at my usual and very trustworthy fish store, it's a process.

My Quasimodo is extremely vibrant and active, as any normal danio, and has no physical signs of diseases or parasites. The other fish don't mind the lil guy either, no serious survival or territorial issues are going on. 

I have a really carefully varied and balanced diet for my fish so I know everyone's dietary requirements are well met. My fish are seriously spoiled.

I'm interested to see how things go.


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