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Chili Rasbora Tank Mates
Chili rasboras (Boraras brigittae) are small fish that will be great tank mates for many other peaceful fish of similar size.
Since Chili rasboras are peaceful fish, you do not need to worry about them attacking other fish. However, it is important to make sure they do not get attacked by other fish when choosing tank mates for them.
When choosing tank mates, tank setup and water parameters is another important consideration. Even if the fish are able to get along peacefully, if the fish can not co-exist in the same environment due to different requirements it would not work. Learn about their requirements from our Chili Rasbora Care Guide.
When considering tank mates, make sure there is enough space for all fish. Chili rasbora are schooling fish, so make sure there’s enough of their own species before considering tank mates of different species. There should be a minimum of 6 Chili rasboras in the tank at all times. They will feel more comfortable as a group.
Make sure that there is enough hiding places for the fish as well. A combination of hardscape and live plants would provide the hiding places that they need, and mimic their natural environment as well. Even if compatible tank mates are selected, it can get stressful when new fish are introduced. Having areas that will allow them to hide and destress will contribute to the success of a community tank.
While there are many aquarium fish species, keep in mind that there are compatible and incompatible tank mates for Chili rasboras.
List of Compatible Tank Mates for Chili Rasboras
There are many fish that are compatible as tank mates for Chili rasboras. In general, other peaceful fish of similar size would be a great candidate. As long as they are peaceful, slightly larger fish may be compatible as well.
Here’s a list of some of the best tank mates for Chili rasboras:
- Betta fish
- Guppies
- Neon tetra
- Cardinal tetra
- Cherry shrimp
- Amano shrimp
- Bamboo shrimp
- Dwarf gourami
- Platy
- Zebra danios
- Celestial Pearl danio
- African dwarf frogs
- Corydoras catfish
- Aquarium snails
Now let’s dive into more details on specific tank mates and how you can expect them to interact with Chili rasboras.
Betta Fish
It is possible to house Chili rasbora with Betta fish under the right conditions. Both species of fish enjoy roughly the same water parameters and diet. Typically, territorial Bettas are kept in aquariums all to themselves as they do not do well with fish that invade their space, but if you are planning on keeping your Chili rasbora with Bettas, you will want to provide them with many places to hide and get away from one another. Both species come from natural environments that are full of leaf litter and debris, so setting up the community tank with this in mind will be most helpful in keeping these two species together safely.
Guppies
Chili rasbora and Guppies can coexist peacefully, and you will not encounter any issues between these two species as long as you are not overcrowding them. Both species require similar water parameters and diets to keep them comfortable, so if you have enough room, Guppies make great tank mates for Chili Rasboras.
Neon Tetra
Chili rasbora and Neon tetras are safe to be housed together in a community tank. Both species enjoy similar water parameters, and diets too. It is important to note that Neon Tetras are slightly larger than Chili Rasboras. This will not become an issue until feeding time. The larger Neon Tetras can easily outcompete your Chili Rasboras for food. This can lead to stress issues in your fish, and eventual decline. You will want to make sure to observe your fish together during feeding time to make sure that all of your fish are getting fed.
Cardinal Tetra
Chili Rasboras and Cardinal Tetras make another great duo in community fish keeping. Both are schooling species that enjoy spending their time swiftly swimming about in their aquarium. Both species enjoy similar water parameters and food requirements, so as long as you have enough room in your aquarium for both species to have a small school, they should do just fine together.
Other Tetras
Chili Rasboras are safe to keep in a community tank setup with most small species of tetras, such as Black Neon tetra. The most important thing to keep in mind when considering Tetra tank mates for you Chili Rasboras is during feedings. You should always take the time to observe your fish together to make sure that they are all getting their fill during meals as the slightly larger Tetra species can out-compete your Chili Rasboras for food.
Cherry Shrimp
Housing Chili Rasboras with Cherry Shrimp can be done, but it is much more difficult to get the water parameters correct for both species than it is with anything else. Chili Rasboras are accepting of a wider range of water parameters as long as they are adjusted to it slowly. Cherry Shrimp requires a slightly cooler water temperature than Chili Rasboras. Owners of Chili Rasboras and Cherry Shrimp note that their Chili Rasboras do not bother their Cherry Shrimp other than occasionally eating a Cherry Shrimp fry. If you can manage to get their water parameters correct, you can definitely house these two species together without difficulty.
Amano Shrimp
Chili Rasboras do well with Amano Shrimp in community aquarium setups. Since Chili Rasboras are hardy and can adapt to a wider range of water parameters, you can adjust your water so that it comfortably houses both of these two species. Just make sure that you do it gradually and not all at once as it could shock your fish and stress them out. Even though Amano Shrimp are small, you will find that your Chili Rasboras do not bother them. They will occasionally go after an Amano Shrimp fry, but typically they will leave them alone. Of course, it is a good idea to make sure your fish are well fed to help deter this.
Other Shrimp
In general, Chili Rasboras are considered by many in the fishkeeping hobby a great species to keep with all species of Shrimp. Like with all new fish you add to your aquarium, it is important to make sure that you are observing them for a while to make sure that there are not any imbalances in your aquarium between the two species.
Gourami
Chili Rasboras can be safely housed with most species of Gourami. Gouramis are typically peaceful fish, but they are much larger than the small Chili Rasbora. If you are wanting to house these two species together in a community tank, it can be done as long as there are plenty of places for your Chili Rasboras to hide and get away. Both species enjoy roughly the same water parameters and diet.
Platy
Both Platys and Chili Rasboras are considered peaceful species of fish, but it is probably not a good idea to pair these two in a community tank setup unless certain conditions are met. Platys are slow moving and can become easily stressed out by the rapid moving Chili Rasbora. Despite this, it is still possible to house these two species, but they need a lot more room than the standard requirement so that they can destress from one another.
Danios
Chili Rasboras and Danios both enjoy roughly the same water parameters, and it seems at first as though they would make a great fit to house together in a community aquarium setup. After all, both species are considered peaceful with other species. However, it is not a good idea to house these two species together as Danios are much more active and fast than Chili Rasboras. It is said that fast moving Danios will stress out your Chili Rasboras.
African Dwarf Frogs
African Dwarf Frogs are small enough that they will not be an issue to keep in a community tank setup with Chili Rasboras. It is the larger species of Frogs that will go after your fish for food. African Dwarf Frogs and Chili Rasboras both enjoy similar water parameters and diet.
Other Tank Mates to Consider
Other tank mates to consider placing in a community setup with your Chili Rasboras are Loaches, Corydoras, and Snails. These species are peaceful enough, and require similar water parameters.
List of Incompatible Tank Mates for Chili Rasboras
Since Chili Rasboras are small fish, keeping them with certain larger and/or aggressive species must be avoided.
Here’s a list of incompatible tank mates for Chili Rasboras:
- Angelfish
- Tiger Barbs
- Oscar fish
Angelfish
It is not advised that you keep Chili Rasboras and Angelfish together in a community setup as Angelfish are not only aggressive, but they are territorial too. Chili Rasboras are much smaller than Angelfish are, and they will most likely end up as a meal for an Angelfish. Chili Rasboras are considered a nano fish, and as a general rule, it is not a good idea to house them with fish that are larger than 3 inches as it will cause stress to your smaller fish.
Tiger Barbs
Even though Barbs are not a problematic species themselves, it is the tiny size of the Chili Rasbora that makes it difficult to house with other species. Chili Rasboras should not be housed with Barbs as they are just too small. Even though Barbs do well with other species of fish, they can not help themselves but to go after Chili Rasboras.
Chili Rasbora Behavior
In order to identify compatible tank mates for Chili Rasboras, it is important to understand their behaviors.
Are Chili Rasbora Aggressive?
Chili Rasboras are not an aggressive species of fish. They are quite peaceful and stick mainly to their school. They are often chosen for community tanks for this reason. It is suggested that they become slightly aggressive during spawning time, but keeping them in a larger tank with lots of cover will help curb this behavior and stress to your other community tank species.
Are Chili Rasboras Suited for Community Tanks?
It is said by many keepers of Chili Rasboras that they are a great choice for community tank setups with other species. They are a hardy fish that can adapt to a wider range of water parameters, and are usually very peaceful.
If placed in the right conditions, Chili Rasboras will thrive in a community setup. You will just need to watch out for their interactions with any new fish that they are placed with. Should any problems arise, you will be there to correct them before they become deadly for your fish. For example, Chili Rasboras can be territorial during their spawning time. To combat them becoming aggressive with other members of their aquarium, you will want to make sure that there are lots of places for your fish to hide and take cover from one another. You will also want to observe them during feeding time to ensure that your fish are not outcompeting one another during meal time.
How Many Chili Rasboras Should Be Kept Together?
Chili Rasboras are schooling fish. They need to be kept with other members of their species so that they can exhibit these fascinating schooling behaviors. Chili Rasboras are not to be kept alone as they are quickly prone to stress. If left alone they will not eat or explore their tank, and you will have a fish that slowly declines until it eventually passes.
Chili Rasboras need to be kept in a small school of at least 6 fish for their comfort. If you have the space, however, you can keep more Chili Rasboras together. The larger the school of Chili Rasboras, the more active they become. Chili Rasboras that school together display their unique and interesting behaviors more readily than Chili Rasboras that are kept in smaller schools.
Will Chili Rasboras School With Other Fish?
There is not a lot known about the particular mechanics of fish that prefer to school together and why. What is known is that Chili Rasboras are one of the species that prefers to school together both in the wild and in captivity. It is within the school that the Chili Rasbora displays its interesting social and mating behaviors that make them wonderful additions to enjoy watching in your aquarium.
It is said that Chili Rasboras will school with other species of Rasbora in a community setup, but not with other schooling species. It is said that you can encourage different species of Rasboras to school together by housing them in a larger tank, and removing large plants and decor so that there is more room for them to do so.
