The zebrafish is characterized by its rapid reproductive cycle, transparent body in early developmental stages, high genetic and physiological homology with humans, and low breeding costs. These advantages make it a valuable tool in complementing mammalian models of depression. Zebrafish has emerged as a promising model organism for studying mental illnesses, owing to its unique biological characteristics and the diverse methods available for establishing depression models using this species. This article aims to provide a comprehensive review of zebrafish depression model establishment methods, evaluation criteria, advantages, and limitations.