Can Swordtail live with Zebra Danio?
Caution — with care
Why
- Zebra Danio is a fin-nipper and will shred the long/flowing fins of Swordtail.
- Swordtail is semi-aggressive — give the peaceful Zebra Danio plenty of space, cover and broken sight lines.
- Large size gap (Swordtail 5.5" vs Zebra Danio 2") — watch that the smaller one gets its share at feeding time.
Sweet spot: both do well at 72–77°F and pH 7–7.5 — aim there.
Side-by-side
| Swordtail | Zebra Danio | |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature | 72–82°F | 64–77°F |
| pH | 7–8.4 | 6.5–7.5 |
| Hardness (GH) | 12–30 dGH | 5–19 dGH |
| Adult size | 5.5" | 2" |
| Temperament | Semi-aggressive | Peaceful |
| Min tank | 29 gal | 10 gal |
Together, plan on at least 29 gallons.
How to make it work
- Keep the nipper in a bigger group (8+) to spread out the nipping, and avoid long-finned tankmates.
- Use a larger, well-decorated tank with sightline breaks, keep everyone well-fed, and add the calmer fish first.
Sort it with: GH remineraliser
Design the whole tank, not just the stocking
Skapelab plans a complete, buildable planted aquarium around your fish — a hand-illustrated layout, the exact plants and hardscape, a placement map, and a full equipment and shopping list. Free.
Design a tank with Swordtail, Zebra Danio →Everything compatible with Swordtail · …with Zebra Danio