# Ember Fire Tetra or Chili/Phoenix Rasbora



## amcoffeegirl (May 26, 2009)

I have only kept the ember tetras. I have 8 in a 15 high with 5 glowlight tetra. They do well and are always active. The 15 I have is the same footprint as a 10 only taller. They like to eat and are little beggars. I do love chilis but have only seen them and have not owned them. I think you would do well with either one.
My embers seem very hardy. I did lose 2 but that was my own fault- I did not acclimate well. 2 of them had fin rot when I got them but they went into a well established tank so it cleared up quickly. No meds only clean water.
Fins grew back quickly.
Oh I also add floating anacharis which adds some play room in the top area of the tank. They don't stick to one area and are in every level of the aqarium. They are not shy at all.


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## Betta132 (Nov 29, 2012)

Chilis are the smallest semi-readily-available fish in the hobby, smaller even than embers.


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## Islandgaliam (May 24, 2014)

Betta132 said:


> Chilis are the smallest semi-readily-available fish in the hobby, smaller even than embers.


I saw them for sale online, with a stocking suggestion of 20 per 5 gallons? really? I was thinking of 10, which puts my stocking according to Aqadvisor at 117%, tho I have been told Aqadvisor is very conservative.


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## locus (May 13, 2003)

Last weekend I picked up some ember tetras for my ADA 45P (~10 gallon). They are very active little fish and are great to watch. No problems with acclimatising them, they coloured up straight away and have big appetites.

I was considering a small Rasbora, but was concerned that they wouldn't do so well with the water flow in my tank as I have an Eheim 2213 running on it, which produces a decent current. I read that Chili Rasbora prefer slower moving water.


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## chiefroastbeef (Feb 14, 2011)

I've kept both, and I keep ember tetras as my go to fish. They are super hardy, and gain a very nice orange color over time. They are less than an inch full size, which looks better in a small tank then neon tetras which get big.

I love chilis too, I've probably kept more than 50 in my tank in when I was really into the hobby, however, because my tank is open top, they've all jumped out within 6 months. I wouldn't keep chilis unless you have a closed top tank. I would get at least 20 chilis, they look much better in a larger group since they are so small.


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## Islandgaliam (May 24, 2014)

locus said:


> Last weekend I picked up some ember tetras for my ADA 45P (~10 gallon). They are very active little fish and are great to watch. No problems with acclimatising them, they coloured up straight away and have big appetites.
> 
> I was considering a small Rasbora, but was concerned that they wouldn't do so well with the water flow in my tank as I have an Eheim 2213 running on it, which produces a decent current. I read that Chili Rasbora prefer slower moving water.


I have an Eheim 2211 on this tank; the rasboras I have in their now seem to do ok (I have had these for almost a year) but I could slow it down. I didn't know they prefered slower moving water. Thanks

Bump:


chiefroastbeef said:


> I've kept both, and I keep ember tetras as my go to fish. They are super hardy, and gain a very nice orange color over time. They are less than an inch full size, which looks better in a small tank then neon tetras which get big.
> 
> I love chilis too, I've probably kept more than 50 in my tank in when I was really into the hobby, however, because my tank is open top, they've all jumped out within 6 months. I wouldn't keep chilis unless you have a closed top tank. I would get at least 20 chilis, they look much better in a larger group since they are so small.


In my 10g, I currently have 7 Emerald Eyes and 4 neon green (microdevario kubota), they range in size from 1/2 inch to 1 inch. The tank does has a lid, would 20 chilis be too much for this tank? I was thinking of adding 10 but would definitely do 20 as long as that is doable without overcrowding them.


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## chiefroastbeef (Feb 14, 2011)

Islandgaliam said:


> I have an Eheim 2211 on this tank; the rasboras I have in their now seem to do ok (I have had these for almost a year) but I could slow it down. I didn't know they prefered slower moving water. Thanks
> 
> Bump:
> 
> In my 10g, I currently have 7 Emerald Eyes and 4 neon green (microdevario kubota), they range in size from 1/2 inch to 1 inch. The tank does has a lid, would 20 chilis be too much for this tank? I was thinking of adding 10 but would definitely do 20 as long as that is doable without overcrowding them.


What kind of filter do you have? Is it planted? I think it'll come down to how big of a filter and if your tank has plants to deal with the excess nutrients. I tend to overstock, so I'd say go with 20, haha.


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## Betta132 (Nov 29, 2012)

Chilis are very small. If you have a heavily planted tank and you keep a close eye on the parameters, it might work. Really, you should probably stick with 10 and a couple more neon greens. 20 seems like it would just look too busy.


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## Islandgaliam (May 24, 2014)

chiefroastbeef said:


> What kind of filter do you have? Is it planted? I think it'll come down to how big of a filter and if your tank has plants to deal with the excess nutrients. I tend to overstock, so I'd say go with 20, haha.


At the moment it has an E-heim 2211; but I have 2213 I may put on it. I am still working on getting the water parameters stable; switching water to RO, one water change at a time - lol.

This is the tank now, and I have brazilian pennywort I can float too. I don't wanna over stock...too much...lol..but this tank really needs some color.









Bump:


Betta132 said:


> Chilis are very small. If you have a heavily planted tank and you keep a close eye on the parameters, it might work. Really, you should probably stick with 10 and a couple more neon greens. 20 seems like it would just look too busy.


Do Chilis school together well? The rasboras I have in the tank now do.


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## chiefroastbeef (Feb 14, 2011)

In my experience, chilis school together often, and for me, they occupy the top area of the tank, and that's why they jumped out on my since I had an open top tank.


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## Betta132 (Nov 29, 2012)

I thought at first you had dwarf emeralds, not emerald eyes. That could be an issue. Emerald eye rasboras are very rowdy and may end up scaring your chilis, especially when they reach full size.
I had some at one point. I got them as juveniles and put them in my 29g cube. When they got to adult size, they became tiny terrors, harassing everything and generally just racing around like tiny dogs on Red Bull. When I moved them to my 65g, they calmed down quite a lot. I think they just needed more space.


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