Egg-scattering continuous spawner with no parental care that lays small numbers of eggs daily among fine plants or moss, often on the underside of leaves.
Buy a group of 10 or more and let them pair up. Males are brighter red.
10-20 L tank with fine moss, soft acidic water and gentle flow.
Soft acid water and stable conditions with tiny foods.
Small numbers of eggs each day (up to about 50 per spawning); larvae hatch after about 48 hours and live on the yolk sac for about a day.
Fry are tiny. Feed infusoria or rotifers first, then baby brine shrimp. Keep plenty of moss.
One breeding tank for the chili rasbora, drawn to scale from the breeding guide.
Water: 24–28 °C · pH 5–7 · soft water
A plan from the breeding guide and an adult size of 2 cm. Tank shape is a standard 2 : 1 : 1.2 box, at least 6 adult lengths long. Check each step in the guide above.
A 120 cm rack for breeding the chili rasbora in numbers.
In total: 7 tanks, about 194 L of water. A litre of water weighs about 1 kg, so check that the floor and rack can take the weight.
Sizes are worked out from the breeding tank in the guide. Tanks fit a standard 120 cm rack when they can; bigger tanks go on their own stands.
Tip: Colour
From the checked notes: “Mature females are noticeably rounder-bellied and often a little larger than males; males are the more intensely red.” Numbers sit on the part of the body each difference is about. Tap a picture to see it bigger.
Typical for egg scatterers
Feed live or frozen food twice a day. Keep males and females apart if you can.
Eggs are scattered over mops or fine plants, often at first light. Remove the parents straight after.
Most eggs hatch in 1–2 days. Keep the tank dim and remove white (fungused) eggs.
Fry use up the yolk and start swimming. Feed infusoria or liquid fry food several times a day.
Switch to newly hatched brine shrimp or microworms. Start small, daily water changes.
Add finely crushed flake. Sort fry by size so the big ones don't eat the small ones.
Most small fish reach about 2 cm in 2–3 months and can join the main tank.
A general guide for this breeding type. Days change with temperature and species.
Feed live or frozen food twice a day. Keep males and females apart if you can.
Set up a virtual breeding tank and see what would likely happen.
An educational estimate from the breeding rules, not a promise.