Chili "Rasboras" Over 7

[Frank]

My fifteen gallon tank has ember tetras and green neon rasboras. Together, they stay, mostly, in the lower two thirds of my tank. I'm searching for a third type of fish, but keep eliminating species for one reason or another. 

I keep returning to the Chili rasbora as my most desired option. My problem is with my water's pH level. It comes out of the tap at 7.8 but, over time, seems to have stabilized at 7.2. 

Does anyone have experience with this fish, or others, at above the recommended pH levels?

 

[Celly Rasbora]

I inadvertently raised the pH level in my fish tank using my husband's discarded green tea bags for tannins. Very foolishly, I believed green tea is acidic, which it most definitely is not. It actually did not seem to harm the fish, though. I was probably more shocked than the fish were, and it taught me several lessons important to fish keeping: don't assume anything and test your water regularly. Introducing them properly to the tank is the most important thing, so they do not suffer from osmotic shock. But I am no expert on chemistry, so I would defer to someone way more learned than I am. My first reaction, though, is 7.2 is pretty close to neutral.

[Celly Rasbora]

I should add, because I didn't say so explicitly, that I believe they'd be fine at that pH level and that they definitely will stay close to the surface, which is what you are after.

[CT_]

just do what I do, search the internet until you find a source that agrees with what you want to do and then discard the rest. 

 

Seriously though if you can find some locally bred then they'll probably be adapted to your local water's ph.  This seems to be true for all aquarium fish.  (though now that I say it someone will find the exception 🙂 )

 

[stowcenter93]

To add to CT,  Chilis aren't that expensive. I would just try it!

None of my parameters really recommended for my chocolate gouramis but they are thriving! 

You just never know until you try with many of these fish. 

[David Ellsworth]

So many fish these days are captive breed and they are raised in a wide range of parameters. Many of the soft water fish can tolerate slightly harder water or higher pH. Many of these soft water river systems can get harder and softer at different times of the year so fish can tolerate SLOW changes in pH.  You only run into problems with breeding as the eggs of many soft water fish need soft water to develop. 

 

I have both blue neon rasboras and chili rasboras in mid 7 to higher pH and harder water and they are both doing fine. The most important thing is clean water with no ammonia/nitrates and stable water conditions. 

Edited February 16, 2021 by David Ellsworth

[Frank]

My local pet store doesn't know what their water parameters are. They just put the fish in the tanks. They also feed only flakes. They don't make any allowances for the fish. The scarlet badis seem OK.  The blue neon rasboras seem OK.

It just makes me wonder how critical the recommended parameters are. Or, is that just where they're found? If I collect fish during the dry season and find them buried in mud, do I keep them in mud?