Chili rasboras

[Bailey]

I was hoping that I could get some personal experiences from hobbyists here that have successfully kept chili rasboras. I know they can be slightly difficult to feed, so suggestions on the best way to accomplish that without getting the water too gross. Also, my pH is a little higher than what I've seen recommended, 7.2-7.4 typically. Would this be tolerable for them, could they thrive and not just survive? All opinions and personal experiences are welcome. Thank you! 

[Griznatch]

My PH is close to yours, and mine are healthy and active. I've had them for a year now I think.

I crumble up flakes for my chilis, and also feed them aquarium co-op easy Fry. They have a hard time with regular sized flakes, and I never see them eat anything off the bottom of the tank. When they were in my 55, they would sometimes pick bits of food off of plant leaves in mid tank level. The kubotai rasboras would out-compete them for food and they were very shy in that tank. They are very outgoing in the 20 gallon I have them in now, only shrimp and snails in there with them.

Edited June 30, 2021 by Griznatch

[Rob E.]

I've had my chili rasboras for maybe a year now, and I'd say they are doing well and my PH is 7.4.  I keep them with blue dream shrimp, so anything the rasboras don't eat goes to them.  I could also see them doing well with a dwarf corydora species.

I also hatch out baby brine shrimp for breeding projects and give them a couple squirts from a pipet everyday. You could try frozen baby brine shrimp if you can find it, or frozen daphnia maybe. 

[Bailey]

On 6/30/2021 at 5:44 PM, Rob E. said:

I've had my chili rasboras for maybe a year now, and I'd say they are doing well and my PH is 7.4.  I keep them with blue dream shrimp, so anything the rasboras don't eat goes to them.  I could also see them doing well with a dwarf corydora species.

I also hatch out baby brine shrimp for breeding projects and give them a couple squirts from a pipet everyday. You could try frozen baby brine shrimp if you can find it, or frozen daphnia maybe. 

That's my plan actually, is to put them in my shrimp tank. I can definitely get my hands on some frozen daphnia. Thanks so much for your input! 

[Bailey]

On 6/30/2021 at 5:37 PM, Griznatch said:

My PH is close to yours, and mine are healthy and active. I've had them for a year now I think.

I crumble up flakes for my chilis, and also feed them aquarium co-op easy Fry. They have a hard time with regular sized flakes, and I never see them eat anything off the bottom of the tank. When they were in my 55, they would sometimes pick bits of food off of plant leaves in mid tank level. The kubotai rasboras would out-compete them for food and they were very shy in that tank. They are very outgoing in the 20 gallon I have them in now, only shrimp and snails in there with them.

They would just be with a few shrimp, nothing else, so I'm hoping that will make them more outgoing and less apt to hide. What type of flake food do you use, aside from the fry food, to get them to really color up nicely? 

[TheCzarista]

As our green neon tetras are also slow eaters, we have started crushing up the micro pellets with a pill crusher. The pieces are still slow sinking, which gives them time to grab them,  but now the pieces are smaller so they can eat them easier.  Also,  we do give them fry food as well. 

[Lowells Fish Lab]

I've kept them at 7.2 without issues. I've had good luck feeding coop fry food, 200-300 micron golden pearls, finely crushed flake and live baby brine shrimp. I'm sure they wouldn't complain about hikari first bites either. They are happy to eat off the water surface which makes them relatively easy to take care of. I would agree that it helps to have them housed with some scavengers to clean up uneaten food.

[Karen B.]

Greetings!

i have mine for maybe 6 months. My pH is about 7.4 to 7.4.

They are housed with honey gourami, green neon tetra, false julii corydoras and otocinclus. Most of the time the school right in front of the window. They even school with my green neon tetras at times. And they don’t shy away when I come near the aquarium.

They used to feed from the surface but they do not anymore. You can feed them pretty much anything- just buy yourself a  mortar. They love crushed bug bites, etc. Frozen brine shrimps, frozen daphnia. They go nuts for blood worms (I grate the cube so it makes tiny pieces). They do not feed from the bottom. 

Sadly I spoiled mine too much with live baby brine shrimps so now they refuse any dry food... 😖

[Fresh]

I have black rasboras and so far no issue. They've been attacking the food 

[Bailey]

On 7/1/2021 at 1:53 PM, Karen B. said:

Greetings!

i have mine for maybe 6 months. My pH is about 7.4 to 7.4.

They are housed with honey gourami, green neon tetra, false julii corydoras and otocinclus. Most of the time the school right in front of the window. They even school with my green neon tetras at times. And they don’t shy away when I come near the aquarium.

They used to feed from the surface but they do not anymore. You can feed them pretty much anything- just buy yourself a  mortar. They love crushed bug bites, etc. Frozen brine shrimps, frozen daphnia. They go nuts for blood worms (I grate the cube so it makes tiny pieces). They do not feed from the bottom. 

Sadly I spoiled mine too much with live baby brine shrimps so now they refuse any dry food... 😖

Ok first of all your tank is BEAUTIFUL. Secondly, how often do you feed them? Once or twice a day? 

[Jeff]

I have Chilis, and I really enjoy them. My Ph is in the 7 range as well - no issues.

I feed flakes, live baby brine, pellets, frozen baby brine, Bug Bites, Co-Op Easy Fry food, Vibra Bites, and a few other frozen foods.

For flakes and foods like Vibra Bites, pellets, etc.; I mash them up. I put the food in a small container bowl, and with an old Sharpie with the cap on, crush up the food into tiny pieces using the tip of the cap, and feed that way; works pretty good.

Miscellaneous frozen foods, I use a cutting board, and Paring Knife, and chop it up until it's mush pretty much, and then feed.

 

Edited July 2, 2021 by Jeff

[Bailey]

On 7/1/2021 at 9:19 PM, Jeff said:

I have Chilis, and I really enjoy them. My Ph is in the 7 range as well - no issues.

I feed flakes, live baby brine, pellets, frozen baby brine, Bug Bites, Co-Op Easy Fry food, Vibra Bites, and a few other frozen foods.

For flakes and foods like Vibra Bites, pellets, etc.; I mash them up. I put the food in a small container bowl, and with an old Sharpie with the cap on, crush up the food into tiny pieces using the tip of the cap, and feed that way; works pretty good.

Miscellaneous frozen foods, I use a cutting board, and Paring Knife, and chop it up until it's mush pretty much, and then feed.

 

How many times a day do you feed them? And how many do you have in what size tank, if you don't mind me asking? 

[Karen B.]

On 7/1/2021 at 9:11 PM, Bailey said:

Ok first of all your tank is BEAUTIFUL. Secondly, how often do you feed them? Once or twice a day? 

Greetings 

Wow, thank you so much! ☺️

I feed them twice. Once in the morning and once in the evening 

[Patrick_G]

@Karen B., your tank looks great! Is it low tech, and where did you get the background? 

[Jeff]

On 7/1/2021 at 9:28 PM, Bailey said:

How many times a day do you feed them? And how many do you have in what size tank, if you don't mind me asking? 

I have a school of 6 in a 10g planted tank. I feed 1x per day. 

Along with the Chilis, I have Ember Tetras, and Kubotai Rasboras.

My tank has been running for a year.

Edited July 2, 2021 by Jeff

[Karen B.]

On 7/1/2021 at 10:17 PM, Patrick_G said:

@Karen B., your tank looks great! Is it low tech, and where did you get the background? 

Thank you very very much! Took me about a year to reach that result. It used to be 100% fake with plastic plants! 
 

I currently have a Nicrew Slim led light (8 hours a day) and for a couple of weeks I used the fluval CO2 kit but the first one leaked, the other one wasn’t functioning properly so I gave up on the CO2. Aqueon quietflow 20 filter and aquarium coop sponge filter.

I use the aquarium coop easy green, seachem excel, seachem flourish tabs, iron and potassium but I am currently fighting a bad case of black beard algea. 
 

The background I got at my local fish store but I think you can find similar one on amazon.