A zebrafish (Danio rerio) model was applied to evaluate the developmental toxicity of short-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs). Death rates, hatching rates, malformation rates and body length were observed after the zebrafish embryos were exposed to different concentrations of C₁₀ (50.2% Cl) separately for 24, 48, 72 and 96 h. The results indicated that C₁₀ (50.2% Cl) could exert lethal and sub-lethal effects on the early life stage of zebrafish. Higher concentrations of C₁₀ (50.2% Cl) (1 000 and 10 000μg/L) could not only cause significant death rates increase to 100% after 96 h exposure and hating delay after 48 h exposure, but also induce a series of malformations, including spinal curvature, yolk deformity, pericardial edema, malformation of tail and uninflated swim bladder. Since the growth inhibition of juvenile zebrafish caused by C₁₀ (50.2% Cl) on the exposure concentrations no matter high or low, SCCPs might be a risk to the aquatic ecology and fish development.