Celestial Pearl Danio Not Out of the Woods Yet

Typical wetland habitat of the Celestial Pearl Danio

Celestichthys margaritatus, commonly known as the Celestial Pearl Danio or Galaxy Rasbora, was previously thought to only exist in one specific location in Myanmar east of Lake Inle. Heavy over-collection prompted concern from hobbyists and the government in Myanmar, which banned the export of the Celestial Pearl Danio in February. It was widely thought that the species was on the brink of extinction in the wild.

However, Practical Fishkeeping reported that since the government of Myanmar banned exportation of the Celestial Pearl Danio, new populations of Celestichthys margaritatus have been found in several locations.

As good as this may be, it does not remove the Celestial Pearl Danio from risk. The locations where the fish may be found are now common knowledge and if Myanmar lifts the ban on export, as it very well may do due to the new populations, over-collection will begin again. As many as 3000-5000 species may be collected per day in some locations according to the PFK article, but for how long? And that's per collector! Unfortunately, as long as there is a very strong demand for these fish from the aquarium trade and there is money to be made, Celestichthys margaritatus will continue to be over-collected and will be at risk for extinction in the wild.

Ironically, the species is relatively easy to breed in captivity. Responsible aquarium hobbyists should demand tank bred Celestial Pearl Danios in order to protect the wild populations. As more and more hobbyists breed these beautiful fish themselves, they will be increasingly available, and they can be appreciated in the aquarium while maintaining a diverse wild population.

Celestial Pearl Danio (Galaxy Rasbora) Courtship Behavior

Here's a great video of the highly prized Celestial Pearl Danio (previously called the Galaxy Rasbora) doing a courtship dance before spawning (although not yet proven, some have said this is a territorial display between males). These fish are highly endangered, so breeding them in your aquarium is important. Not much is known about their breeding behavior though, so this video is very helpful! If your Celestichthys margaritatus are swimming around each other like this, chances are you're doing something right and will see some fry shortly.

Galaxy Rasbora - Celestichthys margaritatus

Common name: Galaxy Rasbora, Celestial Pearl Danio
Scientific name: Celestichthys margaritatus, Microrasbora sp.
Geographic location: Inle Lake, Myanmar
Size: Up to 2.5cm (1 inch)
Temperament: Peaceful
Conditions: 70F-78F, pH 7.0-7.5
Skill level: Intermediate
Minimum tank size: 2.5-5 gallons

This is a brand new species, only first discovered last year. It was also recently renamed from "Galaxy Rasbora - Microrasbora sp." to "Celestial Pearl Danio - Celestichthys margaritatus." It comes from only one known location in Myanmar (formerly Burma) and due to over-collection is already threatened.

Its bright coloration and small size make it a perfect addition to a planted nano aquarium. It is similar to other danios in habits and shape. The males are much more brightly colored than the females and have a deeper blue coloration with much more red on the fins. Since this fish is so small even fully grown, it is advisable to keep it in a tank of non-aggressive smaller fish that won't try to eat it (and you won't want to loose one of these, they commonly go for $8-10 each or more, and that's only likely to go up). It prefers cooler, more alkaline water, but not much information is available on its natural habitat, as Myanmar is a military dictatorship. Like almost any fish, it will be much healthier and happier with live aquarium plants.

Some hobbyists have already called for a boycott of the fish to prevent it from being collected into extinction in the wild. Fish collectors are already reporting dramatically reduced catches. Others have tried and successfully bred these little fish in the aquarium. My opinion is, if you want to seriously try to breed these fish, go ahead and get some. Otherwise, who wants to contribute to the extinction of such a beautiful species?