What tank size does a Chili Rasbora need?

A Chili Rasbora needs an aquarium of at least 30 litres (7.9 US gallons) with a footprint at least 40 cm (15.7 in) long — for this species, swimming length matters as much as raw volume.

What water parameters does a Chili Rasbora need?

Chili Rasbora does best at 24–28 °C (75.2–82.4 °F), pH 4–7 and a general hardness of 1–6 °dGH.

What group size does a Chili Rasbora need?

Chili Rasbora is a social species — keep a group of at least 8 so natural behaviour emerges and stress stays low.

Is the Chili Rasbora suitable for beginners?

Chili Rasbora sits in the middle of the difficulty scale — manageable for a careful beginner who has done the reading, but it has specific needs worth researching first.

Species library

Chili Rasbora

Boraras brigittae

Cyprinidae

FishDifficulty: ●●●○○Data: verified

📷 JoKrimmel · CC BY-SA 4.0 · resized · Wikimedia Commons

Chili Rasbora — Boraras brigittae — 📷 JoKrimmel · CC BY-SA 4.0 · resized · Wikimedia Commons

About

The chili rasbora, or mosquito rasbora, is a minute jewel-like cyprinid endemic to blackwater peat swamp forests in southwestern Borneo. Males display an intense fiery red with a dark lateral stripe, glowing spectacularly against dark substrate and tannin-stained water. Because of its tiny size and preference for soft, acidic conditions it is best kept in dedicated nano or blackwater aquaria with equally small, gentle tankmates.

Care

Keep in shoals of 8+ (ideally 15–20) in a mature, planted nano tank with soft, acidic, warm water and very gentle flow. Only pair with tiny peaceful species.

Diet

Specialised micro-predator; feed only very small live/frozen foods and finely powdered dry foods.

Tankmate compatibility

Gets along with (28)

Possible with care (102)

African Butterfly Cichlid Agassiz's Cory Altum Angelfish Banjo Catfish Betta (Siamese Fighting Fish)Black Skirt Tetra Blackline Rasbora Bladder Snail Bloodfin Tetra Blue Acara Blue Tiger Shrimp Blue Velvet Shrimp Bolivian Ram Brichard's Teleogramma Bristlenose Pleco Bronze Corydoras Buenos Aires Tetra Buffalohead Cichlid Celestial Pearl Danio Checkerboard Cichlid Checkered Barb Cherry Barb Cherry Shrimp Chinese Algae Eater Chocolate Cichlid Clown Killifish Clown Pleco Cochu's Blue Tetra Congo Dwarf Cichlid Congo Tetra Crystal Red Shrimp Diamond Tetra Discus Doctor Fish Dojo (Weather) Loach Dwarf Chain Loach Dwarf Flag Cichlid Dwarf Gourami Dwarf Neon Rainbowfish Elephantnose Fish Emerald Cory Festivum (Flag Cichlid)Firemouth Cichlid Flame Tetra German Blue Ram Ghost Shrimp Glass Catfish Glowlight Danio Gold Barb Golden Dwarf Cichlid Green Discus Heckel Discus Honey Gourami Julii Cory Keyhole Cichlid Kissing Gourami Kribensis Kuhli Loach Leopard Danio Little Corydoras Medaka Ricefish Moonlight Gourami Neon Tetra Odessa Barb Otocinclus Panda Corydoras Paraguay Eartheater Pearl Danio Pearl Gourami Penguin Tetra Peppered Corydoras Polka Dot Loach Port Cichlid Pygmy Corydoras Rainbow Shark Red Whiptail Catfish Red-Tail Shark Reticulated Hillstream Loach Salt and Pepper Cory Scarlet Badis Scissortail Rasbora Severum Siamese Algae Eater Silver Tip Tetra Sparkling Gourami Sterbai Corydoras Striped Kribensis Sveni Eartheater Thai Micro Crab Thick-lipped Gourami Threadfin Acara Threadfin Rainbowfish Three-spot Gourami Tiger Barb Uaru (Triangle Cichlid)Umbrella Dwarf Cichlid Upside-down Catfish Venezuelan Cory X-ray Tetra Yoyo Loach Zebra Danio Zebra Pleco

Avoid (141)

Acei Cichlid Adonis Pleco African Butterflyfish Amano Shrimp Angelfish Assassin Snail Auratus Cichlid Bala Shark Bamboo Shrimp Black Moor Goldfish Blood Parrot Cichlid Blue Dolphin Cichlid Boesemani Rainbowfish Borleyi (Redfin Hap)Borneo Sucker Brevis Shell Dweller Brichardi (Fairy Cichlid)Bumblebee Cichlid Bumblebee Goby Butterfly Hillstream Loach Calvus Cichlid Celebes Rainbowfish Clown Loach Cobalt Blue Zebra Colombian Ramshorn Snail Comet Goldfish Common Goldfish Common Pleco Compressiceps Cichlid Convict Cichlid Cuckoo Catfish Cylindricus Cichlid Cyprichromis Demasoni Cichlid Demon Eartheater Denison Barb Dogtooth Cichlid Duboisi Tropheus Dwarf Orange Crayfish Dwarf Pea Puffer Dwarf Petricola Catfish Electric Blue Ahli Electric Yellow Lab Ellioti Cichlid Elongate Mbuna Endler's Livebearer Endlicheri Bichir Even-spotted Synodontis Fantail Goldfish Featherfin Squeaker Figure-8 Puffer Five-bar Cichlid Forktail Rainbowfish Freshwater Clam Frontosa Goby Cichlid Golden Julie Golden Wonder Killifish Green Spotted Pufferfish Green Terror Guppy Hongi Cichlid Iridescent Shark Jack Dempsey Jaguar Cichlid Japanese Trapdoor Snail Jewel Cichlid Johanni Cichlid Kenyi Cichlid Koi Least Killifish Lemon Cichlid Livingstoni Maingano Cichlid Malawi Eyebiter Malawi Hawk Malaysian Trumpet Snail Marlieri Cichlid Masked Julie Molly Multifasciatus Shell Dweller Mystery Snail Nerite Snail Ocellatus Shell Dweller Oranda Goldfish Ornate Bichir Oscar Paradise Fish Peacock Bass Peacock Cichlid Pictus Catfish Pike Cichlid Platy Powder Blue Cichlid Rabbit Snail Rainbow Cichlid Ramshorn Snail Ranchu Goldfish Red Devil Red Empress Red Rainbowfish Red Terror Red Zebra Cichlid Redhead Cichlid Regan's Julie Reticulated Flying Fox Rostratus Rosy Barb Rosy Red Minnow Royal Pleco Rubber Lip Pleco Rusty Cichlid Ryukin Goldfish Sailfin Molly Sailfin Pleco Salvini Cichlid Sand-sifting Xenotilapia Saulosi Cichlid Shubunkin Goldfish Silver Arowana Silver Moony Similis Shell Dweller Spotted Hoplo Star Sapphire Striped Raphael Catfish Sulawesi Cardinal Shrimp Sunshine Peacock Swordtail T-Bar Cichlid Taiwan Reef Cichlid Telescope Goldfish Texas Cichlid Threadfin Petrochromis Tropheus Turquoise Rainbowfish Vampire Shrimp Venustus (Giraffe Cichlid)White Cloud Mountain Minnow Wolf Cichlid Wrestling Halfbeak Zebra Mbuna

Computed by the AquaSage engine for a spacious reference tank — always check the full verdict for your exact setup in the calculator.

Telling males from females

What works for this species, most reliable first.

Belly depthA hint only · only on well-fed adults, and only as a comparison
For most tetras, barbs and rasboras this is all there is: a conditioned female is deeper through the belly than a male of the same length.

All the methods, with diagrams

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Frequently asked questions

What tank size does a Chili Rasbora need?: A Chili Rasbora needs an aquarium of at least 30 litres (7.9 US gallons) with a footprint at least 40 cm (15.7 in) long — for this species, swimming length matters as much as raw volume.
What water parameters does a Chili Rasbora need?: Chili Rasbora does best at 24–28 °C (75.2–82.4 °F), pH 4–7 and a general hardness of 1–6 °dGH.
What group size does a Chili Rasbora need?: Chili Rasbora is a social species — keep a group of at least 8 so natural behaviour emerges and stress stays low.
Is the Chili Rasbora suitable for beginners?: Chili Rasbora sits in the middle of the difficulty scale — manageable for a careful beginner who has done the reading, but it has specific needs worth researching first.

Sources

Water & tank

Temperature24–28°C

Optimal temp.25–27°C

pH4–7

Hardness (GH)1–6°d

Carbonate (KH)0–4°d

Adult size2 cm

Min. volume≥ 30 L

Min. tank length≥ 40 cm

Group size≥ 8

Swimming zoneMid

TemperamentPeaceful

Water typeFreshwater

FlowLow

Lifespan~5 yrs

Try in the calculator