I Kept A Betta Fish With Chili Rasboras...Heres What Happened!
**Betta Fish Selection:**
Meet Khuli, my beautiful long tail betta fish. Khuli has been with me for about seven months, and during this time, I've observed his calm and curious nature. When I first got Khuli, he lived in a separate tank with a couple of shrimp and a nerite snail. Despite the common belief that bettas are aggressive, Khuli has always been peaceful and enjoys watching his tank mates without showing any signs of hostility.
Here are some clips from Khuli's original tank. As you can see, he loves to observe the shrimp and snail, often spending hours watching them without trying to eat them. This behavior gave me confidence that he could coexist with other small fish, leading to my decision to introduce him to the chili rasboras.
**Understanding Betta Personalities:**
It's important to note that not all bettas have the same temperament. My first betta, Skittles, was much more aggressive and would likely have hunted the chili rasboras. However, Khuli's peaceful nature is unique to him. All three of my bettas have distinct personalities, which is a crucial factor to consider before attempting a similar setup.
**Tank Setup:**
Let's talk about the current tank setup. The tank is a 12-gallon rectangle, providing ample space for both Khuli and the chili rasboras. I've designed the tank with plenty of sight breaks, including Rotala rotundifolia in the back, overgrown Christmas moss creating a large curtain, and various crypts and a sword plant for additional cover. These elements ensure that the chili rasboras have plenty of hiding spots if needed.
Khuli, being a long tail betta, is slower than other types like plakats or spade tails. This gives the chili rasboras ample time to react and move away if necessary. As you will see in the clips, Khuli prefers to swim to a spot where he can watch his tank mates and then relax, observing their activities.
**Water Parameters:**
Maintaining suitable water parameters for both species is crucial. The tank temperature is kept at around 81°F (27°C), which is within the upper range for chili rasboras but still suitable. The pH level is usually around 6.7, fluctuating slightly but staying within the recommended ranges for both species.
This tank used to house my guppies and has been set up for about a year now. The established filter media maintains ammonia and nitrite levels at 0ppm, while the plants help keep nitrate levels low. Regular partial water changes ensure a healthy environment for all inhabitants.
**Feeding Routine:**
Feeding Khuli and the chili rasboras has been easier than expected. The chili rasboras are fed NTLabs microcrumb, which Khuli doesn't seem interested in. Instead, Khuli enjoys Fluval Bug Bites and NTLabs nano tropical granules, which have a larger granule size. The different formulas and sizes ensure that each species gets the appropriate nutrition without any competition for food.
**Introduction Process:**
When setting up this tank, I moved my guppies to a larger 29-gallon tank and introduced the chili rasboras and honey gourami to this one. The honey gourami were later moved to a 40-gallon tank, leaving just the chili rasboras. Before adding Khuli, I ensured the tank was stable and had established colonies on the filter media to maintain water quality.
The chili rasboras had been in the tank for weeks before Khuli was introduced. Some believe that adding the betta last can prevent territorial issues, although I'm unsure how much of a difference this made. Khuli's peaceful behavior gave me confidence that he would adapt well.
**Observing Interactions:**
Throughout the video, you'll see various clips of Khuli and the chili rasboras interacting. One of my favorite clips shows Khuli resting on the Rotala near the chili rasboras, calmly observing them. The chili rasboras often swim close to Khuli, sometimes within an inch or two, and he doesn't react aggressively. Instead, he remains interested in their movements, often ignoring them to focus on me or his food.
Another clip highlights Khuli's feeding routine. He recognizes me approaching the tank and swims directly to me, expecting food, paying no attention to the rasboras in his path. This behavior underscores his peaceful nature and interest in his human interaction over hunting smaller fish.
**Conclusion:**
This setup works well because of Khuli's specific temperament. If you're considering a similar setup, it's essential to understand your betta's personality and monitor their behavior closely.
TIMESTAMPS
00:00 - Intro
00:19 - Betta Fish Selection
01:45 - Tank Setup
03:44 - Water Parameters
05:03 - Adding The Fish
06:13 - Feeding
07:23 - Behaviour
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