Buying some rasboras for your aquarium is a great idea. There are many different types of rasboras out there that will look pretty in your fish tank.
Before you go out and buy these fish, it’s important to ensure that you can care for them properly. Fish need to be kept in fish tanks that are the right size, or they will suffer.
What size fish tank do you need for rasboras? Are some rasboras going to need larger tanks than others?
Continue reading to learn everything you need to know about rasbora fish tank size recommendations. This will help you to understand the basics so you can choose the best fish tank for the fish that you’re interested in.
How Many Rasbora in a Five-Gallon Tank?
How many fish you’ll be able to fit in a fish tank will depend on many factors. You see, some rasboras are rather small while others are a bit larger.
Fish that are really small, such as chili rasboras, will be great for five-gallon fish tanks. These fish grow to be around one inch long at maturity.
You can comfortably fit six to eight chili rasboras in a five-gallon aquarium. Since harlequin rasboras are twice as large as chili rasboras, you’ll only be able to fit around four of them in a five-gallon fish tank.
However, it’s not advised to put harlequin rasboras in such a small tank. They’re schooling fish that should be kept in groups of eight or more.
Never try to put too many fish in a small fish tank. This will only stress the fish, and it’ll make it tougher to keep the tank clean.
How Many Rasbora in a Ten-Gallon Tank?
You can fit eight harlequin rasboras in a ten-gallon fish tank. A ten-gallon aquarium is considered to be the minimum size that is acceptable for harlequin rasboras.
It’s also fine to put a lot of chili rasboras in a ten-gallon fish tank. It’s easy to put twelve or more chili rasboras in a tank of this size.
Truly, a ten-gallon tank is much more practical for most types of rasboras. Just make sure you consider the size of the rasboras that you own to ensure that they will do well in this type of tank before moving forward.
How Many Rasbora in a 20-Gallon Tank?
It’d be simple to keep twelve or more harlequin rasboras in a 20-gallon tank. These tanks are even larger, so you can fit more fish if you want to.
Just remember not to overcrowd the tank. You don’t want to go overboard and make things stressful for the fish.
How Many Rasbora in a 30-Gallon Tank?
A 30-gallon tank is appropriate for rasboras as well. If you want to keep a larger school of harlequin rasboras, it’s wise to get a big tank like this.
Typically, people don’t keep more than twelve to fifteen of these fish, though. A 30-gallon tank might be a good option when looking into community tanks.
How Many Rasbora in a 40-Gallon Tank?
A 40-gallon fish tank will fit a school of rasboras comfortably. Harlequin rasboras can be kept in groups of fifteen in a tank of this size without it being a problem.
This would be a good size for a small community fish tank that includes rasboras. You can look into compatible tank mates if you’d like to go that route.
Rasbora Minimum Tank Size
The minimum tank size for a rasbora will differ depending on which type you’re talking about. You’ve already learned that chili rasboras are rather small, and they can be kept in five-gallon aquariums.
Harlequin rasboras are a bit too big for five-gallon tanks. The minimum tank size for a harlequin rasbora is ten gallons.
Experts agree that galaxy rasboras do best in tanks that offer at least ten gallons of space, too. The same can be said for the popular lambchop rasboras.
Scissortail rasboras are even bigger than harlequin rasboras. They grow to be up to six inches long, and that means they must have more space to thrive.
You need to keep scissortail rasboras in fish tanks that offer 20 gallons of space or more. So you can see that the type of rasbora that you’re dealing with makes a huge difference.
Some of these fish do fine in fish tanks that are as small as five gallons. Others need 20 gallons of space to remain healthy and happy in a fish tank setting.
How Many Rasboras Should Be Kept Together?
For the most part, rasboras are fish that need to be kept in groups. They’re schooling fish that should be kept in specific group sizes depending on the species.
Harlequin rasboras do best when kept in groups of eight to ten. Some people keep slightly larger groups of harlequin rasboras in aquariums, though.
It’s not uncommon to see twelve to fifteen of these fish in an aquarium. So long as the fish tank has enough room and the basic care needs of the fish are being met, everything will be fine.
Chili rasboras should be kept in groups of seven to twelve. They’re fish that feel much happier and more confident when kept with a sizable group of their own kind.
Galaxy rasboras do well in groups of seven or more. You don’t want to put too few of these fish in a tank.
You’re supposed to keep at least six scissortail rasboras in a fish tank. Since they grow to be a bit larger, it’s easy to see why they need 20-gallon fish tanks or something even larger.
Are Rasboras Easy to Care For?
Yes, rasboras are very easy to care for overall. So long as you’re keeping them in a fish tank in a large enough group, it’ll be easy to keep them happy.
These fish get by very well when you do the basics right. You need to monitor the water parameters and keep the fish tank clean.
Feed them a healthy diet and try not to let the fish get stressed. Avoid overcrowding issues in the tank by getting a tank that is more than big enough for the number of fish you have.
So long as you keep this in mind, it’ll be easy to keep rasboras alive for as long as possible. These fish will be great additions to your fish tank and can even be solid community tank fish options.
Which Fish Are Good Tank Mates for Rasboras?
There are a ton of good tank mate options for rasboras. You can put them in fish tanks with cory catfish, and they will do very well.
It’s common for people to keep rasboras in community tanks with cardinal tetras and neon tetras, too. These fish generally get along nicely.
Bettas and small barbs could be good options to consider. They’ll look pretty in a fish tank with your rasboras.
Dwarf gouramis are a popular choice that you might want to look into. You can even keep rasboras with other small types of rasboras.
Since chili rasboras are so small, they’re better off with other types of small and peaceful fish. Just do your best to look up compatibility based on the rasbora species that you own.
Are Rasboras Aggressive?
Rasboras are among the most peaceful fish that you can buy for your aquarium. If you’re looking for non-aggressive fish that are pretty small, you’re going to love rasboras.
These fish generally mind their own business in the tank. They’re active swimmers, but they aren’t going to cause any of the fish in a community tank to become stressed.
You do need to choose tank mates for these fish carefully. Since many types of rasboras aren’t very big, they might get eaten if you choose a fish that is a bit too large.
Also, you want to avoid aggressive fish. Aggressive fish can bully rasboras, and they won’t put up much of a fight.
Final Thoughts
Now you have a much clearer picture of what tank sizes rasboras need. There are different types of rasboras out there that you can buy for your fish tank.
Some of them are very small, such as the chili rasbora. These fish grow to be one inch long at maturity and don’t need a lot of space.
They can fit fine in 5-gallon fish tanks, but they’ll also be comfortable in larger tanks. If you only have room for a small tank, these fish will work out nicely.
Harlequin rasboras should be kept in a ten-gallon fish tank. They’re too large to comfortably fit in a five-gallon tank.
Most rasboras have a minimum tank size requirement of ten gallons. There are larger rasboras that need bigger tanks, though.
Scissortail rasboras grow to be a lot bigger than the other rasboras that you’ve learned about. You need to buy a 20-gallon fish tank for them or something larger.
Be sure to give your rasboras an appropriate environment where they can thrive. Overcrowding a fish tank is never wise because it stresses the fish and makes them sick.
Also, using a fish tank that’s slightly too small will make it hard to keep the tank clean. Avoid problems and get a fish tank that is the right size or even slightly bigger than you need.
Jeff has always enjoyed having pets, but as a child, he was drawn to his family’s fish tank. Being able to maintain a small ecosystem and observe the behaviors and interactions in the underwater world peaked his interest early on and has kept him hooked until this day. On Avid Aquarist, Jeff shares everything he’s learned about helping aquatic life survive and thrive in a home aquarium.