Chili Rasbora

Chili Rasbora is a species of ray-finned fish that are also known as mosquito rasboras. They are a very small species of fishes native to the swamps of South West Borneo. The chili rasbora has an intense red color with a dark stripe and small darker spots at the base of the caudal and anal fins. The edge of the dark striped marking is highlighted by a brilliant crimson band. The anal and dorsal fins have dark markings along the anterior perimeter with brilliant red highlighting in male specimens.

This breed of beautiful schooling fish do well in either a nano tank (max school of 6) or as part of a larger community tank. They are very active and you will have hours of fun watching their colourful schooling movements.  A densely planted community tank will provide a good environment for these fish.  We have a wide variety of live plants for you to choose from.

Tank Conditions:

To enjoy the best color possible, make sure you provide these fish with a planted aquarium with floating plants and a dark substrate. Fine texture sand or gravel is ideal for them.

In their natural environment in Borneo, they make their home in blackwater streams and pools, so the dark substrate will meet their inclination for the dark bottom. Their natural habitat also includes soft water with a low pH, so they will need that in your home aquarium, too.

They do need a filter because they require pristine water in order to survive; just make sure the filter is not too strong. Any change in water condition could be fatal, so you need to monitor and maintain stable parameters.

Your Chili Rasboras prefer water that is slowing moving, soft and acidic. You’ll need a test kit to monitor levels.

The water temperature needs to remain constant within the range 20-28C so you should include a water heater in your tank.

Diet:

Although they are omnivores, Chili Rasboras prefer a carnivorous diet. Offer them a variety of carnivore fish food, flakes, pellets, and freeze-dried, fresh, or frozen protein sources like bloodworms and chopped micro worms.  A varied diet will ensure the best color and health be careful not to overfeed.  If feeding fish food flakes it is best to crush the flakes to powder form.

Care:

Although Chili Rasboras are strong fish, they are very sensitive to water changes and can be prone to illness and disease if their tank is not properly cared for. Conditions that could afflict your Chili Rasbora include fungal infections, bacterial infections, and parasites, like Ich. You should quarantine sick fish and treat them with relevant medications such as Ich medicine or other aquatic medications.

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