# Chili Rasbora



## Katey (Mar 17, 2013)

Hi! I was wondering if any of you have Chili Rasboras in with Celestial Pearl Danios? My local fish store was getting some in, and if they get along ok, I was going to put some in with them! Thoughts?


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## discuspaul (Jul 27, 2010)

I've kept them together and they did just fine together. Both species are a touch shy & retiring, at least for the first while, and seem to prefer a well planted environment.
I had mature Chili Rasboras which were 1/2", to barely 3/4", and CPD's which were youngsters about 3/4" to 1".


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## lamiskool (Jul 1, 2011)

They get along fine, the cpds are extremely shy though. My chilis are not as shy and dont hide as much


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## King of Hyrule (Apr 29, 2013)

*Great question!*



Katey said:


> Hi! I was wondering if any of you have Chili Rasboras in with Celestial Pearl Danios? My local fish store was getting some in, and if they get along ok, I was going to put some in with them! Thoughts?


Great question! I've been kicking that same idea around since see CPD at the local high-end fish store. Keeping them in with Chili's would make for a nice nano fish setup.


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## bluelife (Mar 3, 2014)

They should get along well , ive seen my LFS keep Chili Rasboras & CPD's in the same tank , the CPD's were juveniles though


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## Katey (Mar 17, 2013)

Ok, thanks guys! If she got them in, and they made it, I am hoping to get five or so to go with my CPDs. They are shy, and I had ember tetras in with them, but the embers get a little bigger, and I was afraid for the baby fish, so I moved them to the seventyfive! Some of them I know will get eaten, but the ones I catch, go into a breeder box! It should be a lot busier with the Chilis in there too! The CPDs love to live under the plants, which makes for an empty looking tank at times!  I love them though! So cute!


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## gmh (Jul 16, 2014)

I think the Chili rasboras open swimming habits may encourage the cpds to come out in the open more. At least that's what I observed at a LFS that had both species together in a display tank.
I've kept both, but never together, and I was frustrated at the ultra shy nature of the cpds, but found the borales to be more bold. I would get more than 5 however. How big is this tank?


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## Katey (Mar 17, 2013)

I have a ten gallon, with five CPDs. That's it for fish! There are five rabbit snails, and some shrimp! Oh, and I do water changes at least twice a week, and the filter is for a 20 gallon tank!


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## Katey (Mar 17, 2013)

This is my ten gallon. Lots of plants!


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## King of Hyrule (Apr 29, 2013)

I have 13 Chili Rasboras in a 10G heavily black-water set up at work (and it still feels a bit empty). They have really fun moments when they are all swimming in the open, but lately the Alpha has been herding them into one of the corners, I think he's trying to get down to business.

With the growing number of Albino Cory Cats I'm afraid the eggs just don't stand a change. Which is why I'll be setting up a tank or just the Cory Cats or just the Chili Rasboras.


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## Katey (Mar 17, 2013)

They really must be tinier than the CPOs! I hope she got them in. She watches for fish I'd like to have, and tries to order them in for me, which I appreciate! I will have to see how they did after they arrived on Friday! She is only open Wednesday through Saturday, and won't usually sell them for a couple of days after getting them in, so I should be able to get some if they lived!


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## Katey (Mar 17, 2013)

Well, the Chili Rasboras came! I was going to get eight, but she threw in all the rest, because she got them for me, and sold them to me for cost! I love my friends!  Anyway, you can hardly tell they are in there, and I was a bit concerned about the CPDs chasing them around, but it seems to be the opposite, lol! They seem to be feisty little buggers!  Love, love, LOVE them! So cute, and so very tiny! 

Bump: Oh, there are three moth cats in here, but you never ever see them, unless it is right when the lights come on! I forget they are in there, unless I am cleaning the tank or something!


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## King of Hyrule (Apr 29, 2013)

Katey said:


> Well, the Chili Rasboras came! I was going to get eight, but she threw in all the rest, because she got them for me, and sold them to me for cost! I love my friends!  Anyway, you can hardly tell they are in there, and I was a bit concerned about the CPDs chasing them around, but it seems to be the opposite, lol! They seem to be feisty little buggers!  Love, love, LOVE them! So cute, and so very tiny!
> 
> Bump: Oh, there are three moth cats in here, but you never ever see them, unless it is right when the lights come on! I forget they are in there, unless I am cleaning the tank or something!


Once the Chilis settle in and get happy their colors really come in. 

Right now my Alpha has the group hiding in the corner while he tries to _put the moves on the ladies..._ He is at his brightest red and a sight to behold. The colors in the rest of the group are muted. They just survived being transported to and from a planted tank contest. 

I think if I could re-home the Albino Cory Cats, some of the eggs could hack into fry and I could end up with more Chili Rasboras. The Cory Cats are solid clean-up crew, I just think they eggs scattered by the Chilis don't stand a chance.


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## cjstl (Mar 4, 2013)

Katey, I don't know if anyone has told you, but Chilis need softer, acidic water. Do you know your parameters? CPD's tolerate a broader range of conditions, so what is good for them is not necessarily good for the chilis.


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## Katey (Mar 17, 2013)

Yes, I know they like softer water. The tank has big hunks of wood for that reason. I add leaves as well! The CPOs have adapted and are even breeding. Thanks for the info.

Bump: King, love your tank too,


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## CoryWM (Dec 7, 2010)

I find the trick to healthy and happy CPDs and chili rasboras is micro worm cultures, and frozen daphnia/cyclops/baby brine shrimp. Hardest thing about keeping these guys is keeping the food midwater for them to feed on. After that it's easy.


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## Katey (Mar 17, 2013)

I have frozen baby brine, and I have made some food; a mixture of plankton tablets, dried baby brine, micro pellets, and flake food, all smashed up together, and they seem to be eating it!


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## CoryWM (Dec 7, 2010)

Good. The problem I have at the shop is, they'll eat most things, but once it's past them they dont. Since they are only midwater column feeders. So it's a little tricky to pack weight on them. Another one that works well is the kens fish golden pearls and they'll float around in the water column for like 30 minutes.


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## King of Hyrule (Apr 29, 2013)

*Morning with the Chili Rasboras*

I came into work this morning and the Chili were in their best form; hanging out in the open spaces of the tank, in all their brightest colors. I was so happy. They really are my favorite fish. 






I feed mine a mix of Hikari tropical Micropellets, ground TetraColor Tropical Flakes and ground Zoo Med Spirulina. I've mixed everything onto small bottle and use a 'drop' sized spoon to feed them twice a day. They tend to eat near the surface to about midway down the water column for me. Once they see the bottle they move towards the top middle of the tank, waiting for their meal. What falls below their sight line, goes to the Cory Cats. The leftovers must be enough for my Albino Cory Cats as their number have exploded from four to ten, and they are always spawning.


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## Katey (Mar 17, 2013)

Thanks, Cory! Good suggestions for the food! King, they really look good today!  I was watching them, and saw that huge cory coming, and "Jaws" music started playing in my mind, lol!

Bump: Oh, and I saw ten out of the fourteen already today! Hoping the other four made it too! They are getting more red today! I LOVE these little fish! So cool!


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## King of Hyrule (Apr 29, 2013)

Katey said:


> Thanks, Cory! Good suggestions for the food! King, they really look good today!  I was watching them, and saw that huge cory coming, and "Jaws" music started playing in my mind, lol!
> 
> Bump: Oh, and I saw ten out of the fourteen already today! Hoping the other four made it too! They are getting more red today! I LOVE these little fish! So cool!


What kind of filter are you running? I lost a number of chili to my HOB filter. Chili Rasboras aren't the strongest swimmer, as they relaxed at night. The AquaClear ended up pulling them into the impeller. I lost a number Chili Rasbora, a very sad times.


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## Katey (Mar 17, 2013)

I have an outside filter, for a 20 gallon, but I wrapped black netting around the end of it, and if I keep the water level high, it isn't a very strong current! The breeder box for the CPDS sits halfway in front of the flow too, so that cuts it back!


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## god91234 (Feb 11, 2008)

I had these guys they are great top 5 fish i have kept. alot of the ones i have seen in LFS look like B. merah to me tho. they look very similar and about the same size. Only i think i can tell are B. brigittae males seem to get alot brighter red and the black strip is more solid.


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## Katey (Mar 17, 2013)

Mine seem to be coloring up! I saw ten out of the fourteen yesterday, so they seem to be doing ok! Hoping the other four are hanging in the plants still! Getting a little braver! I also let the baby CPDS out of the breeder box and removed it for now, because the babies seem to be too big to be eaten, and that will give them more space to swim!


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## King of Hyrule (Apr 29, 2013)

Katey said:


> Mine seem to be coloring up! I saw ten out of the fourteen yesterday, so they seem to be doing ok! Hoping the other four are hanging in the plants still! Getting a little braver! I also let the baby CPDS out of the breeder box and removed it for now, because the babies seem to be too big to be eaten, and that will give them more space to swim!


I always get mixed counts. I either have 11 or 13... I think its partly due their shy nature, and partly due to their Stop-Start swimming style. They burst travel through out the tank. 

There color is a real good indicator of their status (both in health and standing within the group) the Alpha is going to be the brightest, while the omega of the group will be somewhat pale. There is a social structure there.

My are hiding again in the corner of the tank. Hopefully they'll get brave again. I think the Alpha ends up herding the group.


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## Katey (Mar 17, 2013)

Well, I am absolutely thrilled! Went to Petco tonight; and they had pygmy corys, and I got three! Only .99 cents a piece! Now I have everything in my tank that I wanted! Except for maybe some Crystal Red Shrimp!


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## exv152 (Jun 8, 2009)

I've got 20-25 chili and phoenix rasboras mixed in a 25g, and have found they do best alone. They are extremely shy fish, but the greater the numbers the more they're willing to venture out of the weeds. I also found they do best with taller plants like stem plants, as opposed to just ground cover plants. Not a good fish for iwagumi.


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## Katey (Mar 17, 2013)

What size golden pearls do you get??


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## Katey (Mar 17, 2013)

Boy, these guys are so small! I counted nine today! One more than yesterday, lol! Hoping the rest are hiding! How would you know? SOOO SMALL! Love them though!


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## fishloverkapil (Sep 20, 2020)

Rasbora is a friendly fish and goes well with other tank mates. So don't worry they will do fine together.


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