# Glass surfing Chili Rasbora



## DaveWatkin (28 Sep 2021)

Hey guys,

I got 15 chili rasbora (actually not all chili, there's a range of different marking types but were sold as chili and are all similar) about 2 months ago and they just don't seem to be settling. They have periods of chill but then revert back to glass surfing on the right hand side of my tank in the flow of the filter output, I thought they didn't even like flow! Only other occupants of the tank are some amanos and snails.

The tank is a FLuval Flex 15 gal with an island of plants (Java, Anubias and Buce). Water parameters seem fine and are constant @ 8Gh, 6Kh, 7ish PH, 0 Nitrite, 0 Ammonia and barely close to 5ppm Nitrate even if a water change is missed. Waterchanges are weekly at 50-60% using Prime and Stability. Tank gets 1.5 ml of APT zero and 1.5ml excel daily. 

To try and appease them I've reduced the flow to minimum which is about 60ltrs/hour from memory and I have the light at the second to lowest setting and have floating Salvinia and Frogbit further diluting the light. I've added mini and full size Catappa leaves to stain the water and lower the PH a little as 7 is slightly high for them (not worked so far).

Despite all this they seem to get spooked for days at a time and drop their colour and glass surf. I've tried covering that side of the tank but no effect. Tank is in a bright room but not in direct sunlight and behaviour continues when curtains are drawn.

Looked up various other posts but they never seem to come to a resolution so they either fixed and didn't update or gave up.

Not sure what to do with these guys!

Will add some photos in a reply from my phone. If anyone knows how to get photos off an iPhone to a PC in a useable format please tell me haha!


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## DaveWatkin (28 Sep 2021)

Tank positioning, layout and side view from sofa (they surf the opposite glass as in the picture)


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## Wookii (28 Sep 2021)

I would say they don’t have enough cover @DaveWatkin - Chillis seem to like dense planting to swim in amongst, and lots of surface cover.

I wouldn’t reduce the flow though, just angle the outlet up toward the surface so you get plenty of gas exchange.

You are doing the right thing adding in the floaters, you could add some Dwarf Water Lettuce too, as their long feathery roots provide some good structural cover.

You could also add some taller plants at the rear with denser foliage. A couple of decent bunches/pots of Needle leaf/Narrow leaf Java Fern tied to a small rock and placed at the rear might complement what you already have, or some taller thin leafed Crypts pushed in the gravel with some root tabs.

You’re also doing the right thing with the botanicals, as they are essentially a blackwater fish. Alder cones work well to add a lot of tannins, and you should be able to collect your own for free in a couple of months. Also a couple of Rooibos teabags stuffed in the filter and replaced every water change will help also. You won’t see much change in pH with such a high KH value, but the naturally released acids will benefit the fish for sure.

Edit: I should also add that they respond really well to live food, so consider hatching baby brine shrimp for them as a starter into live food.


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## DaveWatkin (28 Sep 2021)

Cheers wookii. They are fed on Artemia, bug bites and soon (thanks to you) grindal worms.

Surface cover is growing in, should hopefully be covering soon. 

I was thinking of putting some easy stems across the back, like 53b or sessiflora but like my island look I have going on haha Guess fish welfare is more important than style though.

FYI there is tropica soil under the gravel as it used to be planted all over but I changed things up a bit and capped the soil for the lighter colouring.


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## DaveWatkin (28 Sep 2021)

Also think light is the cause as watching now they were chilled out once the sun had gone down, even with the tank light still on, and are now even happier now the tank light is off.

Not been in this room enough recently to monitor completely.

Guess stems will help with somewhere to hide at the bright times of the day


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## castle (28 Sep 2021)

Getting some dried oak leaves might be a nice idea too, the fish will hunt bugs around the leaves as they break down, will certainly calm them.

Edit, I didn’t read what @Wookii wrote, but he is correct 👍


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## Wookii (29 Sep 2021)

DaveWatkin said:


> Cheers wookii. They are fed on Artemia, bug bites and soon (thanks to you) grindal worms.
> 
> Surface cover is growing in, should hopefully be covering soon.
> 
> ...



Sorry Dave, yes, I forgot we were discussing the Grindal worms in the other thread - looks like you're all set on the food side then.

Your island layout does look very good, but I don't think it will detract from it giving it more height at the rear. If you utilise a plant with small/narrow leaves at the rear, it should also enhance the sense of depth from a 'scaping' point of view.

Incidentally if you wanted any dwarf water lettuce I throw a two litre jug full of mixed floaters away in the bin every week off my two tanks, just let me know and I can stick some in the post for you.


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## DaveWatkin (29 Sep 2021)

Going to buy some 53B today and get it in the back and I think it's the best stem I know that might do ok with low light levels. 

Thanks for the floater offer, will see how the couple of bits of Frogbit I have progress, it was a couple of bits I had in another tank that weren't looking great but have some new leaves since moving and roots are lengthening.  Salvinia is growing in fast, only been in a week and already covering a lot more. If I need some I'll message you though.


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## DaveWatkin (8 Oct 2021)

Little update to say thanks for the advice. Upped my flow to normal levels but reduced the turbulence with a sponge. Added some 53b to the back which is taking nicely and the floating plants have filled in enough that I’ve managed to up my lighting slightly to help the 53b.
As you can see the fish are a LOT happier again and are colouring up nicely 

I’m also dropping my kH slowly as recommended in my other post @Wookii so the PH is slowly dropping also. 

Thanks guys!


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## Wookii (8 Oct 2021)

Excellent stuff Dave - I have to say, the scape looks even better with the background plants 👍🏻


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