Danio absconditus is distinguished from all congeners except D. feegradei by having a prominent elongate or round black spot at the base of the caudal fin (vs. absence; or minute and inconspicuous in D. jaintianensis, D. choprae and D. flagrans; or small, round and margined by a light zone in D. erythromicron), a small black or grey cleithral spot and a light (orange in life) spot immediately above cleithral spot (vs. absence; or present, large and not bordered by light spot in D. assamila, D. catenatus, D. concatenatus, D. dangila, D. sysphigmatus; or minute, not separated from P stripe and not associated with light spot in D. meghalayensis). It differs from all Danio except D. feegradei, D. assamila, D. catenatus, D. concatenatus, D. dangila, D. meghalayensis and D. sysphigmatus by complete lateral line (vs. abbreviated or absent) and 14 circumpeduncular scales (vs. 10-12). It can be separated from D. feegradei by the presence of about 7-11 distinct dark vertical stripes on abdominal sides (vs. absence), and absence of light dots along middle of side (vs. presence) (Ref. 106271).