View Full Version : Schooling fish?
paddyob
10-04-2010, 05:19 PM
I have a 70 gallon aquarium and was interested in adding 3 or 4 small fish that would school together.
I have heard that in "smaller" tanks they usually will for a while but then they stop if there is no predator present.
Anyone have any ideas what would be a good choice for this... if it is worth it?
Wayne
10-04-2010, 05:25 PM
Green Chromis are nice schoolers. Pretty inexpensive too!
Seamazter
10-04-2010, 05:28 PM
Banner fish also like to school alot bigger then chomis tho.
like the size of your hand.
http://thundafunda.com/33/underwater-animals-fish/Long-Fin%20Bannerfish,%20Indonesia%20pictures%20underwa ter%20photos.jpg
But should be noted they are not reefsafe.
paddyob
10-04-2010, 05:57 PM
Green Chromis are nice schoolers. Pretty inexpensive too!
I thought green chromis but I heard they start killing each other after a while.
Anyone had purple chromis?
Banner fish also like to school alot bigger then chomis tho.
like the size of your hand.
http://thundafunda.com/33/underwater-animals-fish/Long-Fin%20Bannerfish,%20Indonesia%20pictures%20underwa ter%20photos.jpg
But should be noted they are not reefsafe.
I require reef safe fish only.
Wayne
10-04-2010, 06:21 PM
I thought green chromis but I heard they start killing each other after a while.
Oh I really hope not I have 6...
paddyob
10-04-2010, 06:27 PM
Oh I really hope not I have 6...
What size tank... and how long have you had them? Do they school for you?
Rbacchiega
10-04-2010, 06:29 PM
I've always used blue/green chromis to school and draw out the more shy fish...they're an excellent dither fish (similar to rainbows in freshwater) never had any problems with them. There'll be a school of 6 in our 75 at the shop
tony_3a
10-04-2010, 06:31 PM
Green chromis are awesome, i had 5 in my 90 one disappeared but I have had 4 for a good 4 months, and they are awesome they are normally all in a group, especially if they see people outside of the tank they will all group up. Also they always stay at the front of the tank where everyone can see them!
dsaundry
10-04-2010, 06:32 PM
+1 on the Chromis, excellent, I have had 4 in my tank for the past 5 yrs..still swimming together.
Wayne
10-04-2010, 06:45 PM
What size tank... and how long have you had them? Do they school for you?
52 Gallons I have only had them for a few months now. When I had 2 they hid most of the time when I added 4 more they swim in the open all day long. Can't say anything about habits as they get older.
reefwars
10-04-2010, 06:48 PM
I thought green chromis but I heard they start killing each other after a while.
Anyone had purple chromis?
I require reef safe fish only.
I heard the same thing , I heard they can become mean later to other chromis and smaller fish, it's only somethng I heard or read though never seen an aggressive one and I had two for a bit. I find the gren a bit boring on colour:)
Murminator
10-04-2010, 07:02 PM
Anthias are always nice
paddyob
10-04-2010, 07:15 PM
Anthias are always nice
Very nice but I think too high maintenance for me.
Hangfire
10-04-2010, 07:23 PM
I've heard that there are a few species of cardinal fish that are true schooling fish. Some of them are quite small - in the 2 - 3 inch range. Sort of like neon tetras for the marine tank.
paddyob
10-04-2010, 07:36 PM
I've heard that there are a few species of cardinal fish that are true schooling fish. Some of them are quite small - in the 2 - 3 inch range. Sort of like neon tetras for the marine tank.
I have been considering Banggai Cardinals.... but for a school they can be costly. But it is one of my considerations... as well as Chromis.
Trevor82
10-04-2010, 08:17 PM
I had a group of 6 green chromis in a 135. They were fine for a year of so untill one got bigger than the rest and he bullied the others until he was the only one left.
reefwars
10-04-2010, 09:12 PM
Bangai's are rally nice one of my favorite fish I love that sparkle t them:) maybe if you buy alot of them you culd get a deal I'd even be interested in a joint order for some:)
paddyob
10-04-2010, 09:17 PM
Bangai's are rally nice one of my favorite fish I love that sparkle t them:) maybe if you buy alot of them you culd get a deal I'd even be interested in a joint order for some:)
They are priced the same at the LFS as online. Not really worth ordering at that $30/each.
I wouldn't bother with Bangaii Cards as more than two will usually go after each other untill you are down to one or two. Blue eyed , or ''Glass '' Cardinals are one of few true schooling fish I have found for our tanks, they are very peaceful and quite hardy once you get them eating well, I have a school of 8 in my tank and they almost always stay in a tight area together.
I also agree with most of the others in the fact that over time your ''school'' of chromis would end up being a fair bit smaller than what you started with , as in most cases they will go after each other eventually.
Had the bunch of green Chromis as well, wasn't like they schooled but they would occasionally hang together. Maybe they might of if their tanks mates could of eaten them.
After a few years now down to just the one remaining. Wasn't like they were getting beaten on then died, just seemed to disappear months and months apart.
lorenz0
10-04-2010, 10:09 PM
yep, I had 3 and they took out the weakest one. Now the two "retards" as i call them try to pick on my clown together... or my angel, or my gamma. Snappy and I had this conversation once and he was saying how he has tried many times and it always ended with 2 left. chromis are cool fish though
Ditto. I can't seem to manage to keep more thank two. I've tried many times but eventually always end up with just two!
paddyob
10-04-2010, 11:47 PM
I wouldn't bother with Bangaii Cards as more than two will usually go after each other untill you are down to one or two. Blue eyed , or ''Glass '' Cardinals are one of few true schooling fish I have found for our tanks, they are very peaceful and quite hardy once you get them eating well, I have a school of 8 in my tank and they almost always stay in a tight area together.
I also agree with most of the others in the fact that over time your ''school'' of chromis would end up being a fair bit smaller than what you started with , as in most cases they will go after each other eventually.
Actually saw Glass cardinals today and I am now considering those. Still expensive for a little fish. Do they look good?
I really like my school of them , to be honest probably on of favorites in my tank , along with my ''school'' of Bartletts. $30 or so sounds about right for them , but worth while in my opinion. Pretty cheap as far as fishes go in my opinion.
http://i657.photobucket.com/albums/uu298/chruss/IMG_5697.jpg
fishytime
10-05-2010, 06:51 AM
no such thing in our aquariums........see the problem with "schooling fish" is.....we add six or ten or 20 to our tanks and think we have a "school" of fish, when really, these fish school in the hundreds or thousands in the wild......some people have had some success keeping small groups of schooling fish, schooling, likely because there are either large fast moving or predatory fish(tangs, triggers, whatever) present in the tank....this keeps the schooling fish feeling like they need to stay in a school to be safe....
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