Chili Rasbora Identification Guide

Key identification features

• Extremely small size, rarely exceeding 2 cm, among the smallest commonly seen freshwater fish
• Body color ranges from deep cherry-red to orange-red, most intense in mature males
• A thin, continuous dark stripe runs horizontally along the midline from head to tail base
• Fins carry a light reddish tint and are rounded rather than pointed
• Females appear slightly larger-bodied, paler orange, and rounder in the belly than males

Common look-alikes

• Exclamation-point Rasbora: shows a broken, spot-like mark near the tail instead of a continuous stripe running the length of the body.
• Mosquito (Least) Rasbora: has a distinct dark blotch at mid-body plus a separate small spot near the caudal peduncle, rather than one unbroken line.
• Phoenix Rasbora: displays a coppery orange head fading to a duller body, lacking the Chili's uniform saturated red.

Where you'll see one

This species is native to blackwater peat swamp forests on the island of Borneo, particularly in Kalimantan, where it inhabits acidic, tea-colored water thick with submerged roots, leaf litter, and dense vegetation.