Z. Danio with barbels?

Anaxus

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I have 6 zebra danios. 5 of them look normal but one of them has a yellow tent(not like the silver tint of the others) and has two barbels below his mouth. He is also more aggressive then the other 5. Could this be a different type of danio and not a zebra?
 
I dont have a pic, it looks exactly like a zebra danio same stripe pattern just yellow tinit with barbels.
I was looking at some pics of danios and I noticed that the leopard danio had small barbels and slightly yellow tint. Can the two interbreed?
 
I wouldn't doubt it. The danios are still a largely unresolved group, and it is likely that some of the "species" that we keep finding are mutations of the Zebra. I'd never seen barbels on a Danio, but you learn something every day here.
 
If the stripe pattern was the same, that's how they usually determine speciation, so it is probably just a B. rerio variant.
 
Ok thanks, I am contemplating exhanging him for another Z. Danio. He is alot more active and chases the other 5 I have even though he is smaller then some of them.
 
Zebra Danios?

Hello everyone,

I have 10 Zebra Danios and one of them also displays the same characteristics, yellow tint to his fins and is extremely aggressive versus the other nine. I have paid close attention to the other nine, and none of them display the same characteristics.

If anyone has any information regarding this issue please send me an e-mail and let me know.


Thanks.

Tiburon72
 
I can't confirm this, but the color variation may be common to the males--I know my male was a golder tone than the females. All danios sport barbels, but most are very small and easily over looked.
 
I had zebra danios for years before I noticed the barbels. Then I read the following excerpts on this page, which confirms both of what OrionGirl said:

"All danios have barbels under their chin. They look like two small hairs on either side of underneath of their mouths. Some people say the fish have whiskers. When swimming quickly as danios do, the barbels are pressed against their bodies and difficult to see. Danios that are resting or making turns have easier to view barbels. On examining my fish, I noted no difference in the appearance or length of the barbels in males versus females."


"Males are more slender and sleek. Mature females are fat, especially when egg-laden. In the ordinary zebra danio, the males' yellow white areas (stripes and on the dorsal fin edge) are a much stronger yellow. Males tend to be smaller and more vibrant in color. Females full of eggs will have an enlarged ovipositor (where the eggs come out)."

From: http://userpages.umbc.edu/~rrhudy1/danio.htm
 
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