透体小

Overview

The almost transparent Danionella translucida remains minute even as an adult. An established environment, extremely small foods, and a substantial social group are the main practical considerations. A dedicated aquarium is generally preferable to a standard community.

Distribution & habitat

Records come from a few streams leaving the southern and eastern slopes of Myanmar's Bago Yoma. These are broad lowland channels with persistent flow, mostly turbid water, and sand or mud below. Floating-plant roots provided shelter at a collection site.

Aquarium setup

Plant the aquarium and keep water movement gentle. Partial floating cover and mature moss clumps are useful: the latter support microorganisms that adults and young can eat. An air-driven sponge filter should be biologically established before introduction.

Diet & feeding

Despite its delicate appearance, it accepts a useful range of foods when particles are small enough. Finely crushed dry food, chopped tubifex, nauplii, microworms, and suitably screened daphnia are options. Rotate foods rather than depending on one preparation.

Behaviour & compatibility

Provide at least a dozen fish. Their tiny dimensions sharply restrict safe community choices, and breeding is easier to prioritize in a species aquarium. If companions are attempted, choose equally small fish with matching environmental requirements.

Sexual dimorphism

Females have noticeably deeper bodies. In gravid individuals the eggs can often be seen through the body wall.

Breeding

A group believed probably to be this species reproduced repeatedly after transfer to an aquarium containing established moss. Eggs formed separate cone-shaped clusters on the substrate. Fry were raised initially on infusoria and green water, later taking nauplii and microworms.

Identification of the parents was uncertain, so this account should guide cautious experimentation rather than be treated as a verified species-specific method. Spinal abnormalities were also observed in the second generation.

Notes

Its miniature adult form retains developmental features associated with larvae in larger relatives. Transparency and tiny size therefore do not mean the fish is simply an immature version of a much larger species.