Small schooling fish

[Scottm]

I'm looking for some small schooling fish for a nano tank that I am setting up for a friend of mine. It is 6 gallons and while I know that it is small if there are fish out there small enough I think 3 would be ok. I have thought about neon gobies but they don't school and are also territorial. Any suggestions would be great.

 

[MadManMac]

Only thing I could think of would be to start with really small Chromis, but I do not know if they will school with only 3. They will also grow too big n the long run. That many fish may be a real issue in a 6 gallon unless you have some really good filtration.

 

[Scottm]

yeah I know chromis were all I could think of either and they get way too big. It may end up being an inverts only tank, which is not a bad thing but the person I'm setting it up for would really like fish.

 

[Perfectblue]

I don't know of any schooling fish that can be housed in a 6 gallon. Chromis are the smallest schooling fish I can think of, but you can't keep a school of 3 in a 6 gallon. You could keep a small goby like a Clown goby or just inverts.

 

[austinsdad]

A mated pair of neon blue gobies might be your only bet for more than one. If not mated, someone will die. A third would be deadly for one also.

 

[MadManMac]

There is always a single clown, they are fun to watch and very vibrant. 6 gallons may be a bit small for them, you would really have to watch them closely as they grew.

 

[afilter]

Just my .02 I think schooling fish are out. With a SW I think the best you are going to do is 1 maybe 2 small nano fish. Clown goby, and fire fish would be on the top of my list. A 6 gallon is even a little small for a clownfish IMO.

Good luck,

 

[Scottm]

yeah it is a small tank, but I could do a really nice display with it. I was hoping for a fish about the size of a neon goby. There probably are but no one probably bothers to catch them for the aquarium trade because they are not very colorful. I agree with it being to small for a clown fish given how my clown fish swims in my 29 gallon.

 

[afilter]

Why a 6 gallon. The 12g nano cubes are out there for under $120 and comes with all the equipment you need.

Just a thought,

 

[melosu58]

Your tank is too small for any kind of schooling fish. Even the 12 gallon also IMO.

 

[Scottm]

the whole deal is this. The girl I am setting it up for is a teacher. She needs to move this thing home every summer and long holidays. It needs to be small so that its not a project just to move it. 6 gal seemed like the best size for it b/c a small amount of rock is needed so she can put it in a container in water to move it home without killing her. There wouldn't be that many fish to worry about so moving them would be easy. the 6 gal nano cube seems like a good package and has gotten good reviews. Maintenance would be intensive but easy which is good for a teacher b/c she is there every day anyway. I decided against the 12 gallon b/c I would want the extra lighting and that takes it to 200 dollars most places. Maybe I'm wrong and should go with the 12 with the lower lighting. What does everyone think?

 

[afilter]

Suggest you look at a FW set up. I would be very hesitant to put sw in a class room especially when it needs to be moved on a regular basis.

IMO, nano are every as difficult to care for as a larger system because the water requirements need to be excat and you cannot slack at all on maintenance.

I once set up a 30g FW for my sister in law in a classroom with hardy cichlids. It lasted for years because the fish were more tolerant and FW is much easier to top off when needed andd maintain overall. Not to mention the cost if things do not work out.

 

[Scottm]

yeah I'm aware of these problems. I tried to talk her into a fresh water tank but she has her heart set on a saltwater and has promised me that she will do whatever rediculus amount of maintenance necesary for it to work. Trust me I know the problems associated with salt water tanks, I have one. I'm just trying to figure out a way to make a very nice display for her that will be hardy and not too difficult. I will be around and will do alot of the maintenance on the tank myself.

 

[austinsdad]

Ya'll think 2 neon blue gobys and one clown is too much? Throw in a handfull of hermits and a couple of snails. Maybe a shrimp.

 

[Brenden]

I agree with other post here. With what you are wanting to do go FW. I have a 5 gallon hex tank for my little boy with 3 neons and a dwarf frog. Very easy tank to maintain. If you do SW you could only safely have one small fish and that would require constant monitoring. If you are stuck on SW I would do a small goby,shrimp, mushroom with some LR