If you are planning to set up an aquarium with live plants, you have try chili rasboras. Lets learn how to care this nano fish properly, how they develop their adult coloration.
Chili rasboras is also known by its scientific name Boraras Brigittae. This fish is commonly called by the names of chili or often by mosquito rasbora. It’s a ray finned specie in the class of Boraras. Chili rasbora belongs to the family of cyprinidae. It is popular because of its very small size and only found in South West Borneo Indonesia.
This fish is named in the honor of Dieter Vogt wife’s, Brigittae. The mosquito rasbora found in black water stream, this seems that they adapted to poor water conditions.
Chili Rasboras Appearance
This fish is commonly know for striking colors and unique marking patterns. It’s a popular aquarium fish due to its small size and exquisit color appearance. Chili Rasbora is one of the attractive fish from the family of Cyprinidae. It’s a classic beginner fish, has slender body with pointed fins. The fish have cool toned red color with different black patterns, which adds beauty in the tank. The color of the fish become quite pale in stress or when shifted it in a new tank.
The female fish of this specie have rounded bellies and have lighter color than males. The male fish are more brighter color in than females. However, this is a very small size fish grows just 1.2 inches maximum. And in mili meters the average length range in between 10-20 mm, the care of the fish is minimal.
The interesting fact is here is that it’s a close cousin of micro rasbora. Such as point rasbora and strawberry rasbora, they grow only 3/4 inches. They have slender body with pointed fins.
Tank Parameters
Chili Rasboras are good beginner fish, they are active, quite hardy and good for community tanks. Moreover, the tank size for this is depend on the specie, they ideal tank size for this 3-5 gallons. It is considered that is best for possible size it provides.
While setting up the tank for them, keep one thing in your mind, that they should be provided with the sufficient dim lighting and use plenty of low lights plants. These fishes prefer the planted tank, with the hiding spots for adult and fry. but there should be the plenty of space of swimming beasuse they are not the fast swimmer. They prefer java fern, Cryptocoryne plants and floating water spirit.
Chili Rasboras Temperature or pH level
Chili Rasbora are usually come from acidic and soft water from Borneo and Indonesia. The best considered pH level for water is 6.0-8.0 with the parameters of 72-82 degree fahrenhiets. The parameters set for this is soft to moderately hard water.
For mainting the water conditions, you must have to the change water daily. While keeping fish one thing is very Important, is to good quality filters. These are sensitives fishes, water should not be polluted, environment must be clean and nicely maintained.
Breeding
The breeding of nano fish is quite easy, like chili rasbora and it will be successful in well established aquarium. They should be filled with live plants, leaves and botanicals which promotes the growth of mulm the essiential food for fry.
As this is a very small fish so their eggs are also small. To protect eggs from adults, place plastic crafts and thick layer of dense material at the bottom of the tank. For bottom use java moss, easter grass and spwaning moss of this. The temperature of the tank should be slightly acidic, which helps the eggs to hatch and increases survival rate of fry.
They should be fed with infusoria and vinegar eels at first, and after couple of weeks they will eat large fry food like baby brine shrimps and micro worms.
Feeding
Chili Rasboras, as they are omnivores they can eat variety of foods. Which includes insects, and plants matters. They feed on variety of high-quality of pellets and frozen foods.
Their diet should include protein and vegetable matters both things are important. They also feed on baby brine shrimps, micro worms and and rasphy gel food. In addition, to bring out their red color fed them with krill flakes and small fish food.
Keeping any animal as pet not easy, but if one knows their diet and habitat then it will be easy of them.
Conclusion
It is enough to say this, Chili Rasbora is a vibrant, peaceful and noticeably easy care fish. It’s a nano fish that brings splash to water with its red color in an planted aquarium. Mosquito raboras small size, black spot and clam nature makes them the ideal choice for the home aquarium. Make sure that tank parameters should be properly set with soft acidic water, light ligthing and lots of plants. These parameters makes them survive and breed successfully. They should be provided with the proper diet which enhance their coloration. By understanding all these facts, it’s a graceful fish to keep in aquarium.
Read relevant article: Harlequin Rasbora; A Differently Shaped Small Fish